GREENSBORO STRINGS

HOLIDAY SING-ALONG 2026


I Explanation 

This is our annual, free-spirited, concert of Holiday music.  All students participate.  Friends and family are invited to attend the concert (or view on Zoom), sing &/or play their own instruments along with the familiar songs. Included in our tradition is a big rehearsal of the Holiday music during “Special Week,” the week before Thanksgiving.

We consider the preparation of this concert to be the beginning of our “Note-reading Season” though all students are included in the event, regardless of level. 

Those in Suzuki Book 2 and up, please focus on developing note-reading rather than on learning more pieces. Decide with your teacher how many pieces you will learn. Students “earn” playing each piece by understanding the written music. 

Those in Groups C, please challenge yourself by learning more harmony parts and by choosing advanced fingering.  Pay special attention to phrasing and articulation.  ALSO, PLAN TO LEAD A PART; ASSIGNMENTS MADE AT GROUP.

ALL NOTE-READERS, please purchase Volumes 1 & 2 of Christmas Kaleidoscope. We use these books every year. (I have several copies of Volume 1 that you can buy from me for $3.00.) If possible, please support a local vendor like Moore Music. 


II HOLIDAY REPERTOIRE 2026 and attendance requirements.

This is a list of the pieces in the order of difficulty.  A list of the concert order is in the last section.

     LEGEND

            *  indicates instrumental pieces, requiring attendance at 2 of these group lessons or more:

           @ Indicates pieces to be played at the Candle Tea        

Readers,

--Please arrange your music in concert order, as listed on page 4.

--Please put your music in a 3-ring binder that lies flat, using a hole-puncher rather than plastic sleeves.

--Bring stands and pencils to all rehearsals and concerts.

--For any piece you aren't playing, make a page with the name of that piece on it and place it in the appropriate spot in your binder.  That way you'll know to wait for that piece to be played…or when to sing along.

Beginning Songs:

@Jingle Bells – handout (NOT Kaleidescope,) includes part for non-readers.

@Pat-A-Pan – handout, includes part for non-readers.


Suzuki Tunes: Advanced students play duets from Suzuki duet book.

@Twinkle in key of D - Suzuki 

            Var. A & Theme

@Go Tell Aunt Rhody - in key of D and repeat 1st line 

@O Come Little Children 

            (from Suzuki Vol.1, already on SmartMusic)

Chorus from “Judas Maccabaeus”


MUSIC THEORY PROJECT FOR NOTE-READERS

Tell me, by Nov. 1, which of the pieces below you would like to enter into MakeMusicCloud.  You will also get started at your lessons.

Link to MakeMusic tutorial. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/165FxGIH724z3VQWLVzBlElQlEHt3cd6r?usp=sharing

 Christmas Kaleidescope Book 1 (purple)

Jolly Old St. Nicholas, p. 3

The First Noel p. 12

God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen p. 14


Christmas Kaleidescope Book 2 (pink)

O Christmas Tree p. 16

Deck the Halls

Handouts:

Over the River

Christmas Song

Tzena

*Waltz of the Flowers

III—Repertory assignments a

WHICH PIECES EACH GROUP WILL PLAY. 

Non-readers (most of Group A.) 

Play the pieces you are able learn from this list.

Twinkle,

Jingle Bells (just “jingle bells” notes or chorus),

Pat-a-Pan rhythm part,

Go Tell Aunt Rhody (starting on the D string, repeat line 1)

O Come Little Children

Jolly Old St. Nicholas


Group B (some from Group A) who have begun note-reading.

Prepare Group A’s list plus as many pieces as you can from this list. 

Remember that the point is to be learning to read the notes, not to learn all the pieces by rote.

--Chorus from “Judas Maccabaeus”

The tune from:

Songs from Christmas Kaleidescope Book 1 (purple)

Jolly Old St. Nicholas, p. 3

The First Noel p. 12

God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen p. 14

Songs from Christmas Kaleidescope Book 2 (pink)

O Christmas Tree p. 16

Deck the Halls

--Learn the tune (the top part.) from these handouts

Pat-a-Pan (handout, not from Xmas K.)

@We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Jingle Bells

“Over the River” – either Violin 1 or 2

 

Group C & D

Play everything you can.

Learn all the parts for the “every-year-songs” and for those in “Christmas Kaleidoscope.”

*Waltz of the Flowers

B & C—Violin B

C--Violin A

D—Advanced

"Tzena” is a round and (I think) “The Christmas Song” only has one part.


IV — Rehearsal schedule

Rehearsals are in Room 121 at the Cultural Center

Mon. Oct. 26

START HOLIDAY MUSIC

6:15 A

7:00 C & D


November

Mon. Nov. 2

6:15 to 7:15  B


Mon. Nov. 9

6:15 A

7:00 C & D

Mon. Nov. 16

6:15 A & B

7:00 C & D


SPECIAL WEEK

Mon. Nov. 23 through Fri. Nov. 27

Eve’s lessons suspended in favor of preparation of the Holiday Sing-Along.

Special rehearsal on Mon. Nov. 23, 6:15 to 8:00.

Play through all the pieces with everyone, starting with the elementary pieces and getting more advanced. You may leave when we’ve played all of your pieces.

HOLIDAY SING-ALONG

WHEN:  Mon. Nov. 30

6:30 Setup

6:45 Tune

7:00 Concert starts

WHERE: First Moravian Church

304 S Elam Ave, Greensboro, NC 

FESTIVE DRESS

EVERYONE BRING SOMETHING FOR A SHORT PARTY FOLLOWING EVENT!


CANDLE-TEA

WHEN: Fri. Dec. 4, 2026

Arrive at 5:00 to setup and tune.

Two short performances of holiday music at 5:30 and 6:00. 

WHERE: At First Moravian Church

304 S Elam Ave, Greensboro, NC 

Dress: Dressy, Dark bottom, white top or all black

V--CONCERT ORDER

LEGEND

            *  indicates instrumental pieces, requiring attendance at 2 of these group lessons or more:

            @ Indicates pieces to be played at the Candle Tea        

Readers,

--Please arrange your music in concert order, as listed on page 4.

--Please put your music in a 3-ring binder that lies flat.

--Please use a hole-puncher rather than plastic sleeves.

--Bring stands and pencils to all rehearsals and concerts.

--For any piece you aren't playing, make a page with the name of that piece on it and place it in the appropriate spot.

LEADERS TO BE ASSIGNED

*Christmas Song

@   Jingle Bells

@    Pat-A-Pan                                                                         

@    Twinkle in key of D                                                            

@    Go Tell Aunt Rhody – in key of D, repeat 1st line 

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

@    O Come Little Children

Over the River

* Chorus from “Judas Maccabaeus”

*Tzena

 @The First Noel p. 12

@God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen p. 14

@O Christmas Tree p. 16

@Deck the Halls

@*Waltz of the Flowers

@ We Wish You a Merry Christmas