Hi everyone 
I’m excited to announce October’s seminar theme: Jazzy Christmas Piano.
This month we have two festive sessions designed to help you expand your holiday repertoire and bring more swing and sophistication into your playing.
Last month we added “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” to our jazzy Xmas repertoire - check out that seminar using the link above incase you missed it.
Seminar 1: Crafting a Jazzy Christmas Setlist
- Date & Time: Wednesday October 15th @ 11am EST
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Hosted By: Hayden Hill
- Add To Your Calendar: Choose: Google Calendar or Apple Calendar
In this session we’ll transform your holiday repertoire into a smooth-flowing Christmas setlist. Starting with easier jazz arrangements, we’ll show you how to connect the songs seamlessly and build towards a performance-ready collection of festive tunes. You’ll learn how to create a polished setlist you can play confidently for family, friends, or at holiday gatherings.
Preparation Tip:
If you’re new to PianoGroove’s jazzy Xmas repertoire, check out this lesson on the Jazzy Xmas Medley to get you started:
In the seminar we will expand and develop the concepts covered.
Seminar 2: Beegie Adair’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
- Date & Time: Wednesday October 29th @ 11am EST
- Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
- Hosted By: Hayden Hill
- Add To Your Calendar: Choose: Google Calendar or Apple Calendar
In this intermediate/advanced level seminar we’ll dive into Beegie Adair’s solo piano version of I’ll Be Home for Christmas - find the full recording below. We’ll explore her stride piano style, voicings, phrasing, and fills, to help you capture the warmth and swing of her arrangement.
Preparation Tip:
Beegie arranges this tune in the key of Db Major. In our previous lessons, we’ve arranged it in C Major, so to prepare for this seminar, please spend some time practicing the chord changes and melody in Db Major using the provided lead sheet:
- I’ll Be Home For Christmas Db Major.pdf (53.6 KB)
This will ensure you’re ready to follow along and get the most out of the breakdown.
Here is Beegie Adair’s solo piano arrangement:
Whether you’re just starting to explore holiday jazz arrangements, or you’re ready to improve your solo piano stride skills, these two sessions will give you everything you need to take your jazzy Christmas piano playing to the next level.
Look forward to seeing you there!
Hayden