I'm Only the Trombone Player

Day 2 ~ A Christmas Festival ~ Leroy Anderson

Author's Note ▼

Day 2 Entry for The "12 Days of "Christmas"" 

A Christmas Festival ~ Arr. Leroy Anderson ~ Performed By: Alfred Concert Band

This piece "A Christmas Festival" is an arrangement of several well-known Christmas tunes that Leroy Anderson scored during his tenure as resident Composer/Arranger for the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Interestingly, the original score was eight minutes long. This was first recorded before long-playing records, the old 78s were limited to four minutes per side. Anderson had to arrange this with a natural break at the four-minute mark, but the break had to be unnoticeable when performed live.

This is one of my favorite Christmas pieces, both to perform and conduct. I have done this multiple times in my musical career. This is one of those pieces that makes it Christmas for me.

A bit of a personal story.

After I moved into a predominately administrative position, handing the baton off as it were, our High School was also blessed with an interim principal. Normally interim types try to keep a low profile, collect the check and not make waves.
This one unfortunately did not.

The High School Concert Band had rehearsed and prepared this arrangement as part of their portion of the Formal Winter Concert. I heard them rehearsing every day across the hall from my office, it was a fine band that year and they played very well. You could tell they loved this piece, showing a lot of enthusiasm.

The time came for dress rehearsal in the Performing Arts Center. the band was rehearsing "A Christmas Festival" when Interim interrupted them to tell the band director "you can't play that in school"! When the band director asked why he was told it contained sacred music, associated with the Church. No amount of protest or discussion could change Interim's mind.

The band was saddened, a big chunk of their program was gone, the chunk they liked the most.

The night of the Winter Concert, I was doing my normal Master of Ceremonies schtick. I had also arranged for a shill or two in the audience. When the band played their last note of the evening, the shills led an uproarious ovation that simply demanded an encore. The Band Director was surprised when I asked him over the mic, "can I borrow your band for a tune?"

The band was even more surprised when I stepped onto the podium and called for Anderson's "A Christmas Festival". The band played their bottoms off, a very emotional, yet controlled performance.

Interim was of course furious, And I had a target on me as I wasn't tenured in the new position yet. But like always the luck of the Leprechauns was with me. Before Interim could get to me in the lobby our 6"8" Superindentent of Schools wrapped me in a bear hug and thanked me for making Christmas.

Interim choose to stay out of the Music Wing after that.

...I'm only the trombone player!

Janus on WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group