A perennial holiday favorite, Greensleeves is also known as the Christmas Carol What Child is This? There are three versions of this popular tune in the gc.com library. One is expanded to include higher level skills, another is rearranged to include jazzy harmonies, and this one is perfect for a class full of level 4 players. In addition to the familiar melody, there are several countermelodies and bass runs, keeping each part engaging and fun to play.
New concepts: At this point, students will begin to develop general literacy in using natural notes on all strings. Greensleeves also includes many accidentals. It is a good idea to take a few minutes and reinforce a lesson on the specific functions of sharp, flat, and natural signs.
Greensleeves comes to us from Mark Anthony Cruz in San Marcos, Texas. Mark is a prolific award-winning composer and professor of guitar at Texas State University. If you like Greensleeves, you may wish to see some more of Mark’s vast library of guitar ensemble literature available here.