JINGLE THOSE BELLS!

Beginner Band arrangement by: Brian Harris

Need a piece for your Beginner Band's first holiday concert?

 
I was always happy for my beginners to be able to play Jingle Bells (in unison!) with a decent sound by December. But I also had a number of players who could move faster and play more challenging rhythms and notes than others. What to do?

How about a simple arrangement with flexible part assignments? This easy setting of Jingle Bells opens with the traditional unison rendition of the melody, as found in almost every beginner band method book ever written. But then, after a brief pause, the melody is repeated, but now faster and with the addition of a bass line and rhythmic accompaniment. The rhythmic accompaniment is provided by several of your best clarinet, sax, and trumpet players who play the "Advanced Part" (see Sample Pages, below). And if you need to, you can utilize the optional "bass" parts for your Alto Sax players.

Super flexible and a bit humorous, it takes a little score study to realize how adaptable this piece is. Guaranteed to work with your beginners!
 
LEVEL:
 Very Easy; Grade 0.5

Appropriate for beginners
SAMPLES:
 Sample pages (.gif): 
Sound files: 
  • Excerpt 1 - Intro - (RealAudio format, 35k) 
  • Excerpt 2 - "B" section - (RealAudio format, 43k)
  • ENTIRE WORK -  (MP3 format, 660k)

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    (About sound files)

Printable Score Sample: 
 

COST:
 $25 U.S. (plus shipping) for full score, master parts, and site-license. 

Extra full scores are $4 U.S. (plus shipping).
FEATURES:
  • All winds (including tuba!) have melody at least once.
  • Clarinet remains below break.
  • Flexible instrumentation
    		•
    CHALLENGES:
  • players of the Advanced Parts must learn to play on beats 2 and 4
  • players of the Advanced Parts must learn to play a few repeated eighth-notes (measures 32 and 33)
  • use of low G register for Advanced Clarinets
  • the final measure has a rest on beat 1 ("don't play in the rest!")
    		•
    KEY and RANGES:
    		 B-flat major. 

    All parts are well within "1st semester" ranges; Advanced Clarinet must learn low G, A, and B (see measure 17); Trombone, Euphonium ascend to B-flat at top of staff (one time, scalewise; see measure 34); Tubas ascend to 2nd-line B-flat (as Trombone example).
    INSTRUMENTATION:
    		 Basic Instrumentation

    (plus Advanced Parts for Clarinet, Trumpet, Alto Sax; also included is an optional Alto Sax "bass line" part if you are weak on Trombones, Low Reeds/Brass)
    MINIMUM
    INSTRUMENTATION
    REQUIREMENTS:
    		 Melody = 1 of any instrument
    Rhythmic Accompaniment = 2 (mixed or matched) of any: Clarinet, Trumpet, Alto Sax
    Bass Line = 1 of any: Low Reeds, Low Brass or Alto Sax (on optional Bass Line part)
    PERCUSSION:
    		 Parts for 4 percussionists: 
      Percussionist 1 = Snare Drum (1 or more players)

      Percussionist 2 = Bass Drum

      Percussionist 3 = Sleigh Bells 

      Percussionist 4 = Bells
    All concert band arrangements purchased directly from Bandroom.com Publications
    come with a site-specific license authorizing the duplication of parts for use by the license holder.

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