10 Songs You Should Include in Your Christmas Concert
10 Songs You Should Include in Your Christmas Concert
It is the most wonderful time of the year. The lights, the cold weather, and the music set the tone for all of December which is just around the corner. Kids are getting excited about holiday breaks, parents are planning for family get-togethers, and music teachers are preparing for the annual Christmas concert. Or, at least, they should be.
Whether it be Christmas caroling, a full school choir, or a small performance, here are the 10 songs and carols that you should consider including this year.
10. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
A great choice for all choirs of all ages. It is a traditional English carol that has been sung since “Figgy Pudding” was a dessert children would ask for as they went door to door on Christmas Eve. Much like Halloween and children asking for candy.
9. Deck the Halls
Originally sung in Welsh, this carol was written in the English language by Thomas Oliphant. The carol was so good that even Mozart allegedly used the tune in his 18th sonata. Thanks to Mozart, this tune was spread across nations.
8. Do You Hear What I Hear?
A song many would assume came from hundreds of years ago, this song was written in 1962. It was originally used as a plea for peace and turned into a hit that would sell over a quarter million copies. However, Bing Crosby got his hands on the song and performed it later in 1963 making it amongst some of the most popular Christmas songs to date.
7. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Another song written in the 1960s, in 1963 Edward Pola and George Wyle, and Andy Williams sang this top hit. This song is the perfect song to raise the spirits of crowds as it recalls activities associated with the Christmas season.
6. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
During World War II, Judy Garland sang this classic hit written by Martin and Blane in “Meet Me in St. Louis” to comfort soldiers fighting overseas. Even now, this song does the same for the audience of choirs and artists across the U.S.
5. Sugar Plum on the Run
A magical story following a sugar plum in this classic piece. Usually done as an instrumental for large orchestras during a ballet has been converted into a beautiful choral piece meant to enchant the audience. Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Christmas Story” is responsible for this holiday masterpiece.
4. O Holy Night
Thanks to a priest commissioning a French poet to write a poem in celebration of a new organ for a church, the world received one of the most beautiful Christmas songs written to date. It perfectly captures the wonder of Jesus’ birth. Now, it is one of the most popular songs performed by choirs around the world.
3. Silent Night
This carol has been translated into over 300 languages and dialects for a reason. Silent Night is a Christmas carol staple and cannot be excluded from any Christmas performance. Written during a time of turbulence in 1818 over in Austria, it was originally named “Stille Nacht” and performed on Christmas Eve.
2. Carol of the Bells
If you are trying to challenge your choir and wake your audience up, include Carol of the Bells. This Ukrainian carol written in 1914 is a perfect pick for any group willing to put it together. This was very close to being number one on this list.
1. White Christmas
Another song written during World War II, this song was written for “Holiday Inn”, a classic Christmas movie. What makes this a number one pick is the artist who made it famous, Bing Crosby. Unlike other Christmas songs picked up by the famous artist, this song became the biggest-selling single worldwide of all time. The Bing Crosby version, alone, settled into 25 billboard charts and later Michael Bublé would send it into Billboard Charts across many nations again making it one of the most well-known Christmas carols in the world.
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