Four Favorite Christmas Collections for Violinists and Violists
The holidays are coming!
The end of each year is a time when friends and family come together, share familiar and comforting foods and we celebrate our winter holidays. Music is part of the culture and crosses generations! It can be so rewarding for music students to play their favorite songs, and exciting to have something fun to share with grandparents and extended family.
This is a list of my favorite books to recommend for violinists and violists looking for good Christmas collections to purchase. I frequently use these titles in private lessons and for small ensembles, as well as for seasonal gigs! If you are looking for some free resources, I would also recommend the links provided in my blog post: Christmas (Music) in July!
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Best Christmas and Holiday Collections
Christmas Kaleidoscope: This is often the first collection I use with my students. There are secular and religious pieces arranged in trios in both volumes. Volume 1 has pieces in the friendly keys of D and G Major, making it approachable for students in Suzuki book 1, Essential Elements book 1 and other comparable method books. Volume 2 brings more keys (Including some flats!) and trickier bow patterns.
Other pluses of this series are the mix and match nature. Since it is written for violin, viola, cello, bass and piano, you can quickly and easily put together an ensemble what whatever instruments are available. That makes it great and affordable collection for orchestra teachers as well as private music instructor. The melody line is always in the first part, and most trios can be played as duets if only two musicians are available as well.
Violin: Christmas Kaleidoscope Volume 1 and Volume 2
Viola: Christmas Kaleidoscope Volume 1 and Volume 2
Easiest Christmas Duets: This is another great and easy duet collection that will be enjoyed by beginners and confident musicians alike. Keys include A Major and is very accessible for students even in early Suzuki book 1. Harmonies are very beautiful and can be a great boost to musicians who might be playing duets for the first time.
Unfortunately this collection is only available for violin, but it is a great addition to any musician’s library!
Violin: Easiest Christmas Duets
The Big Book of Christmas Songs: This collection is great for those who just love to play through song after song during the holidays! Featuring songs from all over the world, ranging in time periods, secular and non-secular, this collection offers the most variety of tunes. As a result, musicians should be comfortable playing in a wide variety of keys and have a strong sense of rhythm if they want to play the entire book. This does make this book a nice opportunity for younger students to grow into, too!
Violin: The Big Book of Christmas Songs
Sacred Melodies: While this book is not specific to Christmas, this collection does contain wonderful arrangements for many of the traditional holidays and events. For the Christmas holiday it includes beautiful arrangements of “O Holy Night” and “Panis Angelicus”. Other popular pieces included are both Schubert and Gounod’s “Ave Maria”, Pachelbel’s “Kanon in D”, “Air on the G String” and many more. While I love to assign the holiday selections from this book, it is a great collection to have on hand for solo gigs as well!
Violin: Sacred Melodies
Viola: Sacred Melodies
Music is meant to be shared.
As music teachers it can be hard to remember what our students can gain from their music lessons or in our music classrooms. While we strive to teach them technique, provide them with a firm foundation and give them tools to tackle any piece, it can be easy to miss the point!
As a teacher I aim to make music approachable for all, so that we better our communities and connect with loved ones. If I only focus on the nitty gritty details, I can miss the big picture. The holidays give me the opportunity to take a step back, make sure my students are having fun and connect with them, too.
Do you use some of these collections with your own students? Are there any others I should know about? Feel free to share in the comments, email me at renee@shawstrings.co or DM me on Instagram @shawstrings!
Wishing you all a season of hope, light and peace!