Diary of a Grumpy Elf
Subtitle: 'Twas the week before Christmas
General Info
Year: 2011
Duration: c. 3:30
Difficulty: 1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: FJH Music, through Alfred Music Publishing
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $45.00; (digital) - $55.00 | Score Only (print) - $5.00
Instrumentation
- Full Score
- Flute
- Oboe
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet
- B-flat Bass Clarinet
- E-flat Alto Saxophone
- B-flat Tenor Saxophone
- E-flat Baritone Saxophone
- B-flat Trumpet
- Horn in F
- Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon
- Tuba
- Percussion I-II, including:
- *Bass Drum
- *Bells
- *Brake Drum
- *Cowbell
- *Crash Cymbals
- *Sleigh Bells
- *Snare Drum
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
'Twas the week before Christmas and Leon, a disgruntled elf who has just started working in Santa's workshop, is writing journal entries about each difficult day. The band replies with a humorously arranged Christmas carol that provides a snapshot of all the unfortunate events taking place, from wooden soldiers who break rank and fight to defective reindeer harnesses that come with cowbells. But in the end, Leon realizes that his work is important and that being a Christmas elf has its rewards. Perfect to feature an administrator or teacher as narrator. Simply delightful!
- Program Note from publisher
Diary of a Grumpy Elf tells the story of Leon, a disgruntled Christmas elf who begins working for Santa just five days before Christmas. As Leon describes each difficult day, the band replies with a humorously arranged Christmas carol that provides a snapshot into Leon's miserable life. But in the end, Leon realizes that his work is important and that being a Christmas elf has its rewards.
- Program Note excerpted from score
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Tuttle (Okla.) Middle School 7th Grade Band (Taylor Steier, conductor) - 15 December 2025
- Union Park School (Phoenix, Ariz.) Advanced Band (Nate Kievert, conductor) – 7 December 2023
- Carson Middle School (Carson City, Nev.) Sixth Grade Band – December 2017
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Chorale and Mystic Chant (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
- Voyage of the Dragon Armada (Flex instrumentation) (2017/2020)
All Wind Works
- Algo-Rhythms (2019)
- Attack of the Garden Gnomes (2010)
- Battle Hymn Epic (2000)
- Before the Dawn (as arranger) (2024)
- The Big Mambo (2015)
- Calypso Bay (2023)
- Chorale and Mystic Chant (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
- Cloud Gate
- Count Rockula (2009)
- Diary of a Grumpy Elf (2011)
- Fanfare for the American Veteran
- Friends of Freedom (2006)
- Ghost Lights (2013)
- The Greatest Gift (2017)
- Mad Dash (2016)
- Pirates of the Barbary Coast (2009)
- Pranks of the Pesky Poltergeist (2024)
- Sea Shanty Variations (2013)
- Skedaddle (2024)
- Song of the Blacksmith, The (as arranger)
- Spyscape
- Starry Night (2015)
- Tango Bells (as arrangert) (1857/2010)
- Teleportation (2016)
- Ten Carols in Ten Minutes
- To Sail Beyond the Stars
- Traffic Jam (2008)
- Voyage of the Dragon Armada (2017)
- Voyage of the Dragon Armada (Flex instrumentation) (2017/2020)
- The Wobbly Unicycle
Resources
- Perusal score
- Timothy Loest website. Accessed 31 December 2025