Enjoy some favorite holiday songs in Hochstein’s holiday YouTube playlist, as selected by Hochstein faculty and staff. There are selections from jazz to classical to pop, even two with tap dancing! Read more about the picks below and click on the playlist in the embedded YouTube video player below to listen to all the tracks in order (they will play one after the other). You can also jump ahead to a certain song by using the links below.
Happy Holidays!
Janice Hanson
“Christmas Time is Here” and “Linus and Lucy” by Vince Guaraldi from “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
The Charlie Brown Christmas CD is always one of the first recordings I listen to at the holidays. I still have my copy of the Charlie Brown Christmas book that I got as a kid. I have fond memories of creating past Hochstein holiday videos and this one in 2017 was particularly fun – keep watching for the dancing (and our Dean, Gary Palmer, playing a toy piano!).
https://youtu.be/ty9DbIVlvkI?si=fWBY3mfoN0XHO0BT
Allison Maney
“This Little Babe” by Benjamin Britten as sung by The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD-rtAVu14g
Nancy Boone-Bahr
Ella Fitzgerald – “Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!”
This piece is so full of joy and happiness that it was featured (in addition to the other album tracks) during my December wedding reception.
https://youtu.be/0CFjfxMF8RA?si=Hh83D5YCWGHs6oku
Nancy Johnston
“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” and “The Greatest Gift”
I had a problem choosing so I sent 2. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by the Gaither Vocal Band has always been one of my favorite hymns but their harmony is fabulous.
https://youtu.be/8kM_0r-4maE?si=JpoEdF7zSDx3vnXl
“The Greatest Gift” by Andrea, Mateo and Virginia Bocelli: There is one line ... “Gather friends and family ‘round the table. Remember those we love no longer here.” It reminds me of all the people I have lost in the last several years. Then there is the wonderful harmony (as you have probably figured out by now... good harmony is huge to me).
https://youtu.be/Sf5XYmNlhpY?si=XaG5a_ci4HNFHzM_
Marcos Kreutzer
“Es Ist ein Ros' entsprungen” (“Lo, how a rose e'er blooming”)
This one is my all-time favorite. I used to sing this with my grandma as we were decorating cookies for Christmas. I absolutely love this song. The version in this video is what we used to sing in the choir at church on Christmas Eve.
https://youtu.be/OAIro_A1CYw?si=_aLeEwDY4NK-cQj_
Michelle Scaglione
Carrie Underwood’s version of “Little Drummer Boy” featuring her son
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QArOV1bsISo
Bethany McLean
“Jingle Bells” by Ella Fitzgerald
My song of choice is “Jingle Bells” from the Ella & Louis Christmas album. I love the entire album, but I feel like the pace they go for Jingle Bells really captures the mood of the season! Super high energy and slightly hectic, plus the little line about horses at the end never fails to crack me up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8e3BW2aNqI&list=OLAK5uy_nvozgijh_NjU9WUgXCa-1pMwlqdIheKFE&index=14
Cheryl Johnson
Ronnie Lewis performing “Let It Snow,” music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Sammy Cahn
I had the pleasure of working with Ronnie Lewis on choreography during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the wonderful result of our Zoom meetings.
https://youtu.be/TYp_Sm1bgaQ?si=caMrdFneGJ5CS4Tu
“The Nutcracker Suite” by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, performed by Dorrance Dance
This is also very special. One of my former students, Hannah Heller, helped to create this and is performing in it.
(Note: The video was recorded in the East Wing of the White House and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden said, “A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite.”
Andrea Somerville
The Monkees – “Riu Chiu” and Eurythmics – “Winter Wonderland”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riG85oA6Wy4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoraVkKtKzY
Diane Smith and Joe Werner
Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss – “The Wexford Carol”
https://youtu.be/yxDZjg_Igoc?si=jL7yVjMJ69dhD_MR
Debbie Tretter
James Taylor – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
This is my favorite Christmas song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vs1s9hPCSQ
Debbie Grohman
“Lully, Lulla, Lullay” sung by Voces8
I submit the following link from YouTube of Philip Stopford’s setting of “Lully, Lulla, Lullay” sung by Voces8. This year, many of us feel a weariness deep in our bones, whether from personal or family difficulties or the pressing weight of national and international news and the rising cycles of violence. This hauntingly beautiful setting of a lullaby that grieves for all whose lives have been upended is incredibly cathartic and provides an outlet for much needed emotional release of all that makes us weary. It’s become the soundtrack for my season.
https://youtu.be/-7qYeZcOioI?si=XmgH_ucCDTh9S7QV