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December Playlist: Happy Hanukkah and Mele Kalikimaka to you

The holidays are a busy time for brass musicians. Just ask ��������Ƶ horn faculty member Dr. Maria Serkin. “Holiday music has become a huge part of brass culture,” Serkin says. Perhaps it's because, like her, people are drawn to the resonating notes that emerge from instruments like the horn, capturing the excitement of the holiday spirit.

But, a song doesn't have to feature the name of a holiday to get you in a festive mood. For Serkin and her selections for our December School of Music playlist, it's about the energy. “The pieces on my list range from a brass arrangement of Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ to tango, to the Beach Boys,” she says. “I love the energy that is conveyed in all of these works, the majority of which involve the horn in one way or another. I strive to incorporate these aspects into my own playing, and I encourage my students to bring excitement into their music as well.”

Take a look (and listen):