Traditional Christmas – Book 2

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS BOOK TWO arr. by Chuck Bird and Susan Peters–  Jingle Bells, Away in a Manger, O Christmas Tree, March of the Toys, O Little Town of Bethlehem, We Wish You a Merry Christmas

“As far as we can determine the earliest harmony was called organum which arrived sometime in the ninth century. Wouldn’t it be awful if TRADITIONALISTS had said at that time, “Well, that’s it! Just can’t get any better than that.” We’d be listening to only fourths, fifths and octaves, even today! But, some daring souls chose to experiment with new forms and soon the triad was discovered…Wonderful minds like those of Debussy and Ravel came along at last and gave us music with passing tones, suspensions, 6ths and 9ths, etc. In so doing they lifted music to a new high with the spice of enjoyable dissonance while opening the doors wide for today’s arrangers to rely on their ears, not the rules of tradition, in determining the harmonic structure of their writing. We do just that, but also try to exercise good taste and return to the concept of the composer’s melody being the most important thing.” Chuck & Susie

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SUSAN PETERS

Susan Peters hails from San Francisco, California where she studied with San Francisco Symphony first harpist Anne Adams. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley (Psychology and Music) and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. (MBA). Susan has played in many musical venues-symphonies, ballets, musicals, LasVegas celebrity shows, hotels and restaurants, and television and recording dates. She is an accomplished harpist – from classics to jazz.

CHUCK BIRD

Three time Emmy Award winner, Chuck Bird was a prolific composer and arranger, having written arrangements and conducted shows for notable celebrities such as Betty Clooney, Anita Bryant and Magician Harry Blackstone Jr. He also wrote arrangements, original music and recorded many TV specials, such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and The Orange Bowl Parade and Half-Time shows for many years on NBC television. He also conducted the “President’s Own” Marine Band many times at the White House,. Chuck and harpist Susan Peters’ collaboration resulted in fine arrangements for both pedal and pedal free harp.