News & Views Tuesday, March 19, 2024

“I’d Like to Fly!” Friday, September 23, 2016

recommended by Jen Sper, School Choral Music Specialist

Welcome your elementary choir back to school with one of these great choral octavos, as featured on Stanton’s Elementary General Music Clinic with Cristi Cary Miller:

The Bumblebee by Sally K. Albrecht
A true charmer! The original text cleverly hovers along the pitches of the major scale, and a slower middle section (in the parallel minor) provides a perfect opportunity to discover and discuss tempo and tonality.

Crawdad Song arr. John Leavitt
Accessible voice parts coupled with hand claps and toe taps help create this lively, energized arrangement of the American folk song favorite. Leavitt employs call and response phrases with contrary motion along with terraced dynamics to provide interesting variety in vocal textures. Enhance the fun piano accompaniment by including the xylophone and string bass parts.

Dors, dors, petit bebe arr. Cristi Cary Miller
This gentle lullaby offers a wonderful opportunity to build tone quality and phrasing in a well-crafted setting for young treble singers. The easily learned Cajun French sings “listen to the river” while the undulating piano accompaniment evokes the sound of the river beneath the rocking vocal line.

I’d Like to Fly by David Waggoner
A beautiful metaphor associating flying and soaring to finding one’s own discovery and destiny in life is sung here in this original work for 2-part voices. Contemporary motifs are played in the piano accompaniment, supporting melody and harmony that could be found on the Broadway stage. A stunning performance piece for young voices.

I’ve Been Working on the Wabash Cannonball arr. Cristi Cary Miller
These two famous train songs are arranged for young singers in a creative way that includes sound effects, layered rhythm speech and much more! A great choreography showcase, it is a wonderful concert finale!

Rainsong by Mary Lynn Lightfoot
Lightfoot’s whimsical and energetic original is a creative programming delight! Throughout the piece, both piano and voices emulate the gentle and playful rhythms of falling rain, and the ending unfolds with a fun, syncopated tap, tap, tapping of the rain upon the window pane. Limited ranges and lots of dynamic interest make this a great choice for developing choirs.

‘Tain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It) arr. Rosana Eckert
Here is a song written in the big band era, first sung by jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald, in 1939 and ideal for introducing beginning and developing groups to swing style. In the Discovery Series, it’s perfect for building jazz diction and rhythmic skills.

For more exciting elementary choral resources, please contact us, and remember – shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
Jen Sper has been with Stanton’s since 2006. A former middle school and high school choral director, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, she also enjoys good food, running (to counteract the good food…) and the Muppets.


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