A Christmas Carol Full Score 11x17

A Christmas Carol
This work was commissioned by the band and choir from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, La for inclusion in
their 2023 Christmas program. The band at CHS is led by Mr. Duane LeBlanc. Duane and I have the connection of both
being United States Marines and having served in the same unit, “The Commandant’s Own” U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle
Corps. Duane desired a new work with which to collaborate with his choral colleague during their annual Christmas
program. As I began to write I came upon the poem In the Bleak Midwinter by Christine Rossetti. I was working to find
the proper words to set to music that would offer reflection to the Christmas holiday. Reflection that I fely should begin as
pensive and deeply thoughtful, much like the advent season is meant to be. This poem spoke deeply to me concerning the
nature of Christmas.
Next, I was looking for a way to go from the pensive nature of this poetry to the celebratory nature of the birth of
Christ. I felt that the hymn song Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was the perfect words and music to relay this thought. Thus,
A Christmas Carol takes us from pensive thoughts of the bleak midwinter to the celebration of the birth of our savior.
Onsby C. Rose, Oct. 16, 2023
Dr. Onsby C. Rose
Dr. Onsby C. Rose is currently the Director of Instrumental Studies and Associate Professor of Music at Dordt
University. In this position, he conducts the premiere instrumental ensemble, the Dordt University Wind Symphony, in
addition to conducting the Dordt Campus-Community Band, Chamber Orchestra and guiding all aspects of the Dordt
Instrumental Ensembles and Instrumental Music Education programs. Dr. Rose also serves as the principal conductor of the
Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra. Prior to Dr. Rose's arrival in northwest Iowa, he attended the University of South
Carolina as a music education major and in 1997 he was accepted as a trombonist for the U.S. Marine Corps fleet bands.
During his 11-year Marine Corps career he served as a trombonist and conductor with bands in Albany, GA and New
Orleans, LA as well as on staff at the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, VA. He also served for two years as a
baritone bugler with "The Commandant's Own" U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps in Washington, D.C. Dr.
Rose completed his Bachelor of Music at East Tennessee State University in 2005. In 2007 Onsby was honorably
discharged from the USMC. He then freelanced as a trombonist and worked as a railroad freight conductor in the eastern
U.S., before returning to music education in 2012 as Director of Bands at Hampton HS and MS in Carter County, TN. In
2016, Dr. Rose completed his Master of Music in conducting at Appalachian State University. Immediately following
he completed his in Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting at The Ohio State University where he studied with Dr. Russel C.
Mikkelson. Dr. Rose has studied conducting with Russel C. Mikkelson, John Ross, Kevin Richardson and Roxanne Haskill,
with additional symposium conducting studies with Jerry Junkin, Kevin Sedatole, Frank Battisti, Charles Peltz, Eugene
Corporon, Donald McKinney, and Steven Peterson. Dr. Rose's outside academic pursuits encompass writing and music
composition. Having studied with the late Dr. David Maslanka, Dr. Rose's musical compositions have been performed by
many of the premiere military bands in Washington D.C., to include “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, the
Wheaton Municipal Band, numerous college and high school bands in the United States, regional orchestras, as well as
internationally in Australia, Japan, Guam, and Germany. Although Onsby views himself primarily as a teacher and
conductor, he thanks God for the gift of composition. Onsby and his wife Jessica live in Sioux Center, Iowa with four of
their five boys, Timothy, Caleb, Elijah and Colin. Dr. Rose is a member of numerous professional organizations to include
the CBDNA, WASBE, NAfME, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, and the American Society of
Composers, Authors, and Publishers. However, he holds closest to his heart the title of United States Marine.