Parents and Teachers,
Performing holiday music for friends, relatives and in church services is a wonderful way to motivate your child to practice and help them build a sense of pride in their accomplishments. Playing holiday tunes is also a wonderful way for students to develop better reading skills. Here are our suggestions for the best Christmas sheet music with links to purchase.
Suzuki Late book 1 students
Christmas and Chanukah Ensembles. This collection of 23 holiday favorites will not only motivate beginning string students in the classroom, but will also encourage home chamber music sessions. The flexible format allows the book to be used with any combination of instruments, from a solo player with piano accompaniment to a full string ensemble. Correlated with specific pages in the Strictly Strings method. $6.95
Christmas and Chanukah Ensembles for violin
Christmas and Chanukah Ensembles for viola
Christmas and Chanukah Ensembles for cello
Suzuki book 2/3 students
Christmas Kaleidoscope, vol. 1 by Robert Frost. Orchestral Collection or Ensemble. This collection is in friendly keys and is written in score form for 3 violins (or 3 celli or violas) The score format can be a bit of a problem for new readers but the font size is large and usually children can easily adjust. The great thing about this collection is that it can be played as a solo, duet, trio or with a single instrument and piano. (you must purchase the piano accomp. part) The parts are interchangeable, so the cello parts can combine with violin or viola parts. $3.95
Suzuki book 3 students
Christmas Kaleidoscope, vol. 2 by Robert Frost. Orchestral Collection or Ensemble. See description for volume 1. Keys become a bit more challenging for strings (flats) and more complex rhythms and meters. $3.95
My Very Best Christmas (17 Violin Solos, Duets and a Play-Along CD on Christmas favorites) Arranged by Karen Khanagov. Violin songbook and accompaniment CD for violin solo (or duet) and piano accompaniment. Beginning. 82 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications Inc. $15.96 includes piano part and CD acccomp.
Suzuki book 4 and up
Festive Strings for Ensemble arranged by Joanne Martin. Published by Alfred Music Publishing $6.95
Festive Strings is a collection of well-known Christmas and Chanukah melodies arranged to meet the needs of individuals, groups and orchestras. In order to provide flexibility, the collection is available in a number of instrumentations, all of which are compatible with each other. Accessible keys have been used and shifting is kept to a minimum. Titles are: Jingle Bells in D Major * Joy to the World * Chanukah * Away in a Manger * Jolly Old Saint Nicholas * God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen * S'Vivon * Jingle Bells in A Major * Lo, How a Rose * O Christmas Tree.
Festive Strings, piano accomp.
More Festive Strings is a collection of well-known Christmas and Chanukah melodies arranged to meet the needs of individuals, groups and orchestras. In order to provide flexibility, the collection is available in a number of instrumentations, all of which are compatible with each other. Accessible keys have been used and shifting is kept to a minimum. Titles are: O Chanukah * Angels We Have Heard on High * We Three Kings * Silent Night in D Major * We Wish You a Merry Christmas * O Come All Ye Faithful * Dreydl * Silent Night in G Major * Good King Wenceslas * What Child Is This (Greensleeves).
