New Holiday Music in Stores Now!

Posted on 4th October 2011 by Cindy Weber

The temperatures have cooled down and fall has officially arrived, which means that holiday music is here! I am very excited to tell you about some new titles you’ll see at your local West Music this month.

First up are some new titles for you guitarist out there. If you’re looking for something to add some Christmas spirit to your Hal Leonard Guitar method (or any method for that matter), then you should check out Easy Pop Christmas Melodies. This one is available both in book-only format, and as a book/CD pack. This is a great way to add a little holiday cheer to your guitar lessons this winter as it cross-references with pages in the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 for easy student and teacher use! It includes 15 songs of the season, a few of which are A Holly Jolly Christmas, Here Comes Santa Claus, and Silver Bells.
This Holy Night for guitar is new from Alfred Publishing and would be a great choice for any intermediate-level guitarist. The songs are fully transcribed in standard notation and TAB with chord fingering grids throughout, making them perfectly suited for all fingerstyle and classical guitarists. A beautiful demonstration CD is included that allows you to slow tracks down, isolate and loop specific sections, and even change keys! This collection is ideal for school and church recitals, Christmas celebrations, or just for some family fun around the fireplace. Titles include Away in a Manger, The First Noel, O Holy Night, and 9 more.
This year, you can rock around the Christmas tree with the hottest little instrument around…the ukulele! Christmas Songs for ukulele is just what you need to get started. Simply follow the music, listen to the CD to hear how the uke should sound, and then play along with the separate backing tracks. With the melody and lyrics included in the book, you may also choose to sing along.  Chord symbols are also provided should you wish to elaborate on the melody. For PC and MAC computer users, the CD is enhanced so you can adjust the recording to any tempo without changing pitch! Songs include Feliz Navidad, Frosty the Snowman, Nuttin’ for Christmas, and 5 more! 
A great holiday option for all of the instrumentalists out there is The Big Book of Christmas Songs from the Hal Leonard Corporation.  Available for nearly every band and orchestra instrument, this book is an awesome collection of all the best Christmas songs, traditional and contemporary. It includes almost every holiday tune you could ever want to play! And they weren’t lying when they called it the “Big Book”…there’s 174 songs for you to choose from! Just a few of the songs included are The Chipmunk Song,  Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer, Santa Baby, The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), and Jolly Old St. Nicholas. All of this for only $14.95?! Can’t beat that!
Now for you piano players out there! The television show Glee features some great music and you can now play and sing your holiday favorites with Glee: The Music -The Christmas Album. Available in both piano/vocal/guitar and easy piano, this collection includes all 12 songs from the soundtrack of music on the 2010 holiday episode. Some of the songs featured are Angels We Have Heard on High, Jingle Bells, O Christmas Tree, and We Need a Little Christmas. It is a must-have for any Glee fan!
I love Christmas movies and singing along with some of my favorites, so I was super excited to see a new collection of songs by Philip Keveren titled Christmas at the Movies. Arranged for the late intermediate/early advanced pianist, songs included in this collection are Spirit of the Season from The Polar Express, Where Are You Christmas? from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Baby It’s Cold Outside from Neptune’s Daughter. Keveren has even included a Christmas at the Movies Suite with selections from Miracle on 34th Street, The Sound of Music, White Christmas, and Mame.
Looking to jazz up your holiday season? Then you’ll want to check out the newest collection from arranger Sharon Aaronson, Top 10 Popular Christmas. This book of 10 best-loved songs of the season is arranged in jazz styles for the late intermediate to early advanced pianist. Some of the songs included are Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy, and Winter Wonderland.
Finally, I can’t end without mentioning something Halloween related. It is October after all. Just released from Hal Leonard for big-note piano is Halloween Favorites. It includes songs like Addams Family Theme, Theme from “Jaws,” The Munsters Theme, Thriller, and more! It’s perfect for the beginning pianist wanting to create some spooky sounds this month!