By: Konner Scott
Our culture seems to have a love-hate relationship with holiday music- Christmas music in particular. Understandably, we develop an affection for those songs ingrained in our psyche year after year for our entire lives, but equally understandably, this can cause it to get old and stale for many, and often people end up despising it. Here are a few reasons why, whatever your feelings about holiday music, it’s a good choice for piano repertoire:
It Exists at All Levels
The great thing about the pervasive and ubiquitous nature of these songs is that it’s very easy to find a wide array of different versions. Whether you’ve only been playing for a couple months, you’re a seasoned hobbyist, or you’re a professional seeking something new, you’ll easily be able to find renditions of famous holiday songs that suit your skill set.
In the Faber piano series alone, there exists a Christmas music book for every single level in the series. It’s also possible to browse music stores, sheet music websites, and even YouTube to dig up something you think you might be able to play.
You Know The Songs
Another inherent advantage of playing holiday music is that you’ve likely heard the tunes many times! Having this innate knowledge of the melody, harmony, and form will help keep you on the right track during the learning process. It will be easy to determine if something sounds “off” so that you can double check your work and make sure you’re playing the song properly. With holiday music, you can usually trust your ear!
Other People Know The Songs
If you enjoy performing for other people, it can be nice to have a repertoire that includes familiar classics. There’s a reason Saturday night cover bands are so popular at bars and restaurants. People love what they know, and familiarity can help people connect to your playing! By learning a few holiday tunes, you’ll build a library of songs that will resonate with almost anyone (even if some of your audience may not necessarily love your song choices).
They Have Staying Power
One other benefit of learning holiday music is that you can revive it year after year. Once you’ve learned a song, even if you don’t play it for ten or eleven months after the holiday season, you’ll still have a base level of familiarity with the music. If you choose to come back and refresh yourself on a certain piece, it will be much easier the second (or third, fourth, etc.) time around!