Recommended Wind Band Pieces for Christmas Events

Hi everyone! What are your plans for this Christmas?? (Suddenly asking, I know!)

Time flies, and it feels like the year went by in a blink. This year, Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, and Christmas Day on a Monday, so let’s be mindful not to go too wild on the 24th. Anyway, today I’d like to introduce some wind band pieces perfect for listening to and performing at Christmas events!

In preparation for this blog, I listened to various wind band pieces suitable for Christmas. I was amazed at how songs released many years ago are still performed as standard Christmas songs today, demonstrating the timeless appeal of these beloved tunes.

So, let’s dive in!

1.Christmas Eve

The song with the memorable lyrics “Surely you won’t come tonight...” is arranged for the wind band version by Seiji Miyashita. The chimes and flute in the intro are incredibly beautiful, followed by a saxophone solo. The counter-melodies are not too heavy, giving the piece a light feel overall, but each section - woodwinds, brass, and percussion - has its own role, which might come out as challenging. This piece works well as an opening or encore number for events.

2.Last Christmas

This famous Christmas song is a staple in stores during the holiday season. The lyrics are about a guy getting dumped by his ex last Christmas but spending this Christmas with someone new, but still feeling lonely and hoping for a better next year. Despite the melancholy lyrics, the jingling bells in the intro and the trumpet solo at the beginning, along with the upbeat tambourine rhythm, make it perfect for Christmas event performances.

3.All I Want for Christmas Is You

Another standard Christmas song, starting with a ballad feel and a saxophone solo. The sax solo needs to be expressive, with a touch of vibrato. The transition from the ballad to the uptempo hard rock section is excellent, and the brass really stands out in this piece (;・∀・)

4.Christmas Song

This song helped the break of the Japanese popular rock band Back Number. The lyrics, portraying a man’s feelings of love with the theme of Christmas, resonate with many people, making the song a popular Christmas standard. The intro gives a strong Christmas vibe, and its ballad nature makes it a good choice for the middle of an event performance.

5.Xmas Swingin’ Collection (Wind Band Medley)

This is a medley of 8 classic Christmas songs arranged by Yosuke Fukuda.
Songs are:

＜ List of 8 songs included in this medley ＞

1. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
3. Here Comes Santa Claus
4. Silent Night
5. Angels We Have Heard on High
6. Joy to the World
7. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
8. White Christmas

With a performance time of around 10 minutes, it’s a bit long, but songs constantly change and this medley sounds lively and is perfect for Christmas concerts and events. This medley was released over ten years ago, so many of you might have already performed it (^^)

How did you like this article? Did you find any pieces that caught your interest or resonated with you? I hope this list helps those preparing for Christmas events. Lastly, here’s a recommendation for a wind instrument that will stand out on stage.

PLAYTECH / PTTR-050MB Plastic Trumpet

The metallic blue color looks stunning on stage, especially under lights, making it sparkle and shine!

Be sure to check out Sound House’s Instagram account for the wind instrument category (^^♪