I’ll Be Home For Christmas

By Thomas Gunther

November 12, 2023

Christmas Music, Latin Piano, Solo Piano Arrangements

Here you can get the sheet-music and see Thomas Gunther perform his Solo Piano Arrangement of I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

About my Solo Piano Arrangement of "I'll Be Home For Christmas"

My Solo Piano Arrangement of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is written in a jazz-latin type style. I wrote it out note for note, and even included fingering and sustain pedal suggestions. I also included jazz chord symbols for those of you that either like to know what harmonies I was thinking, or want to add their own ideas based on those chords. The chords I used are pretty much based on the original harmony.

When I started out arranging for solo piano I was especially curious about how to create a latin groove underneath a melody. I studied bossa and samba music as well as cuban music for that. The rumba is a great style to start with. That's also the bases for this arrangement.

Get the sheet-music for only $6.99 at SheetMusicDirect!

About the song "I'll Be Home For Christmas"

I have a very special relationship to this song. I first heard it after moving to the United States from Germany and spending my first Christmas in Chicago. On that Christmas Eve I was all alone for the first time, and when I turned on the radio this song came on. I don't easily cry, bad that was one of those moments when the floodgates just open up. It is such a sentimental song. And the closing lyrics "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams" are just so emotional in this context.

About the author

Born and raised in Germany, Thomas Gunther (in Germany known as Thommy Günther) is a versatile internationally active jazz pianist/keyboardist, music producer, and music educator. 
Thomas holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Performing Jazz and Popular Music from the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart/Germany.
After moving to Chicago, he soon becomes the principal pianist with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Stan Kenton's music arranger/composer William Russo. With this group he had the pleasure of performing with world renown guest artists such as Randy Brecker, Body DiFranco, Archie Sheep, Jon Faddis, Cassandra Wilson, Orbert Davis, etc.
Today he is an integrated part of the Chicago music scene performing with different groups as sideman and leader. He leads the Thomas Gunther Trio Plus, and toured Germany with the Thomas Gunther’s Taste Of Chicago Band.  He has produced, arranged, and recorded lots of music as a leader and sideman. He also offers music arranging and orchestration services for groups of all sizes, including the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. Thomas currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago. Find out more about Thomas at https://www.ThomasGunther.com