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.

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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.

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About the author

Thomas Gunther, also known as Thommy Günther in Germany, is a highly versatile jazz pianist, keyboardist, music producer, and educator with international recognition. He was born and raised in Germany, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Performing Jazz and Popular Music from the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart.

After relocating to Chicago, Thomas quickly became the principal pianist for the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, which is directed by the esteemed music arranger and composer William Russo. In this role, he had the opportunity to collaborate with renowned artists such as Randy Brecker, Body DiFranco, Archie Shepp, Jon Faddis, Cassandra Wilson, and Orbert Davis.

Currently, Thomas is an integral part of the Chicago music scene, performing with various groups both as a sideman and as a leader. He heads the Thomas Gunther Trio Plus and has toured Germany with the Thomas Gunther’s Taste Of Chicago Band. In addition to his performance career, he has produced, arranged, and recorded a substantial body of work, serving both in leadership roles and as a collaborator.

Thomas also provides music arranging and orchestration services for ensembles of all sizes, including contributions to the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. As an educator, he shares his expertise as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago. For more information about Thomas, visit https://www.ThomasGunther.com.