It’s the season for sharing Christmas music! And with holiday recitals just around the corner, I’m happily up to my ears in Christmas compositions.
At this point in the year, I pretty much have Christmas carols playing on repeat in my head… and I’m not complaining!
Today, I’m sharing A Little More Joy, an intermediate Christmas piano solo that brings together two of the world’s most recognizable melodies: Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and the Christmas classic Joy to the World.
I figured that if one joyful melody is good, two joyful melodies must be even better!
The result is a gentle, beautiful little mashup that gives both familiar tunes a chance to shine. I hope it brings a little extra happiness to your studio this holiday season!
A Little Christmas Joy, A Lot of Musical Learning
Of course, I couldn’t resist sneaking a little skill-building into all that Christmas cheer!
A Little More Joy gives intermediate piano students a wonderful opportunity to work on Alberti bass patterns while playing melodies they already know and love. There’s something especially satisfying about turning a familiar Christmas tune into an opportunity to develop smoother, more confident left-hand accompaniment.
And there’s plenty more to explore! From its gentle opening to its more triumphant moments, this piece encourages students to experiment with expressive phrasing, melodic balance, dynamics, and pedaling. It’s the kind of Christmas music that feels like a holiday treat for students while secretly checking off a whole bunch of teaching goals for you. My favourite kind of combination!
Before You Download Today’s Printable
Are you ready to add to your Christmas book collection? Make this holiday season one that your piano students will remember!
The most exciting holiday repertoire can be found here in Andrea and Trevor Dow’s Very Useful Piano Library.
Click on a cover below to check out a few of our holiday books for primer students.
Download A Little More Joy: Teen Christmas Music
Click here or on the image below to download A Little More Joy from the Teach Piano Today Homework Pages.
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