The holidays are a great time to try out some fun new music. Whether you’re looking for solo cello music or ensemble music, there are a lot of options out there. Yes, mostly we’re talking Christmas cello music, but we have one option that includes Chanukah cello music. And yes, we know it’s only November, but now is the time to start learning new music so you have it ready in time for the holiday season!
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Compatible Christmas Duets for Strings by Gazda and Clark – This book is chock full of Christmas songs – 50 of them! – and are good for the late beginner to intermediate level. There isn’t much shifting, but there are more complicated rhythms and bow patterns. We have only used the cello duet book, and you could certainly play just the melody as a solo, but you can also buy this book for violin, viola, and/or bass to play as a group. Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
Christmas Kaleidoscope Series by Frost – This is a classic for beginning musicians who want to play as a group. You can buy only the cello part and play as a soloist or cello trio, or buy the other instrumental parts. Each instrument part comes with at least three lines to play, usually the melody and two harmony options. They are simple arrangements so work best for beginners, but still sound pretty decent when played by more advanced players just looking for a chance to play with others. There’s a book one and two. Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
Ultimate Christmas Instrumental Solos by Alfred Music – If you want only solo cello music, this is a good option. It comes with a CD of play along tracks or just the piano accompaniment and you also get the PDFs of the piano accompaniment if you want to perform with a pianist. Good for the beginner to intermediate as some shifting is involved. Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
Christmas and Chanukah Ensembles by O’Reilly – A collection of both Christmas and Chanukah songs. These are more basic so would be best for beginner ensembles. Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
As with all music, try to look inside before you buy to make sure it looks like it’s at your level!