As we said last week, we have a HUGE collection of Christmas Music. Below is a list of our favorite books. All of them are available at either SheetMusicPlus.com or Amazon.com
Since we also teach improvisation, we use Easy Christmas Fake Book for most of our students because it offers the opportunity to play a lot of songs with simple block chords. Or for those who like, it’s great for improvising and making more interesting arrangements.
Progressive Series
Christmas Memories by Melody Bober. We like these especially because they offer a really rich, full sound without being difficult to play.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Mike Springer has a Series called “Not Just Another Christmas Book” They are jazzy and bouncy.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Faber and Faber Christmas Supplemental books, which run from Level 1 through Level 5. They are good student choices of familiar songs in very easy, to somewhat difficult at Level 5. Link below is for Level 3A, you can find the others easily.
Level 3A Funtime Christmas
Later Intermediate Level
Jerry Ray has two books we really like, 1 solo piano book and 1 duet book with unequal parts.
Christmas with Style for solo piano
Christmas for Two for duet piano
Phillip Keveren’s Jingle Jazz is a later intermediate jazzy collection.
Bethany K. Smith’s A Christmas Offering is a later intermediate collection with modern arrangements of traditional Carols (only available SheetMusic Plus)
Lloyd Larson’s Rejoice, Rejoice is later intermediate collection with modern arrangements of traditional Carols (only available SheetMusicPlus)
Sandra Eithun’s Let Heaven and Nature Sing is a later intermediate collection with modern arrangements of traditional Carols. (only available SheetMusicPlus)
Advanced Level
Mark Hayes is the most beautiful, interesting arrangements at the Advanced Level. The only 2 left in print are, Carols for the Intermediate pianist is fairly difficult despite the title, Emmanuel: Artful Piano Solos for Christmas. (only available SheetMusicPlus)
Dan Coates’s Professional Touch, The Best in Christmas Music Complete offers traditional arrangements of traditional carols.
Tom Roed The Complete Christmas Piano Solos is good. These are advanced arrangements in a more traditional style
David Lanz, Christmas Eve is a good New Age collection.
Trans Siberian Orchestra has an advanced book Christmas Eve and other Stories that we love.
Mannheim Steamroller has a Fresh Aire Christmas and Christmas in the Air that are a rhythmic modern pop Christmas.
Enjoy the Christmas music – it only comes once a year.
Til next time,
Karen