Harry Simeone, 94; His Chorale Was Known for Its Christmas Music

Harry Simeone, 94, whose choral group made Christmas music such as “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” widely popular, died of natural causes Feb. 22 at a hospital in New York City.

A native of Newark, N.J., Simeone attended the Juilliard School of Music for three years. He later worked as an accompanist and music arranger for Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians, and spent time in Hollywood on projects including Bing Crosby movies.

Later, he started the Harry Simeone Chorale, which became well-known in the late 1950s and early ‘60s for its renditions of Christmas music.

His group’s most successful piece was “The Little Drummer Boy,” which was adapted from a Czech carol. The song was translated into English in 1941. The Harry Simeone Chorale’s version of the song was released in 1958 in the album “Sing We Now of Christmas,” on the Holiday label. It was an instant hit.