Christopher Robin Songs For unison and two-part treble voices and piano. Poems by A. A. Milne (1882- 1956).
Settings for young voices of four of British author Milne’s best-known and most beloved poems. Milne wrote the poems for his own son - named Christopher Robin. These songs will delight your young singers and introduce them to these classics for children young and old.
Read the notes and poems.
Dear Mother Earth Finale from The Diamond Child. Lyrics by Jason Charnesky.
Adult SATB Chorus, Children's Two-part Chorus and Audience (optional) with Keyboard.
Also available for SA chorus and TB chorus.
Another Trinkley-Charnesky anthem that inspires young people to change the world.
Link to video: start at 1:12. Download score.
Dinosaurs’ Dance For two-part treble chorus and piano (with optional dancers) or with orchestra.
Lyrics by Frank Fisler from his children’s book with line drawings by J. Bruce Jones.
Commission and Premiere: The Contemporary Dance Company, choreography by Patricia Heigel (1935-2009) with Suzanne Roy, soprano. Tour to elementary schools throughout the area.
Premiere of orchestral version:
Nittany Valley Children’s Choir, Lou Ann Shafer, director; and the Nittany Valley Symphony, conducted by distinguished maestro Michael Jinbo (1956-2022). February 2020.
Dinosaurs’ Dance was conceived and written for young audiences - and for dinosaur lovers of all ages. In performance the drawings may be projected to give the audience (especially the children) an extra degree of identification with the dancing dinosaurs in the text snd drawings.
Brilliant Penn State choregrapher Patricia Heigel-Tanner choreographed the piece, originally for solo voice and piano, which made it easy to tour to elementary schools throughout central PA. Pat based her choreography on the children’s book, Dinosaurs’ Dance. For the most recent performance, the drawings were projected to give the children an extra degree of identification with the dancing dinosaurs. Alas, I hope our species does not go the way of the dinosaurs so many, many years ago.
View two-part treble score. Listen to midi. View full orchestral score.
Listen to the live performance by the Nittany Valley Children’s Choir and the Nittany Valley Symphony.
Four Fables for Wise Children For two-part treble chorus and piano. Words by Jason Charnesky.
View the words.
Game Songs of South America For two-part treble chorus and piano.
Alalimón, a popular folksong in South America, has a nonsense text whose lovely melody makes it a favorite with children. Tanto vestido blanco has a text that makes a social statement about people who must keep up outward appearances no matter what their circumstances are. Entrei na roda is a roda, a dance game in which children walk in a circle holding hands and singing folk songs. O Pião incorporates popular dance rhythms with a text that describes the motion of the dance.
View the notes, texts and translations.
Holiday Songs for Young Voices For solo voice or unison treble voices and piano.
Lyrics from The Days We Celebrate (1940) edited by Robert Haven Schauffler (1879-1964).
Schauffler was a war hero, a musician and edited and published many books celebrating travels and holidays. He was also a prolific poet and wrote biographies of Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann. These four vignettes celebrate the lives of young people: the first two observing life lessons from nature, and the latter two lessons from school and the November eating holiday! Unique and engaging poems for young people.
Read the poems. View the full score.
Latin American Children’s Songs For two-part treble chorus and piano.
These very short and brisk tunes are a great way to introduce Spanish folksongs to your young singers. Riqui, riqui, riquirrán is a nonsense song sung by children throughout Latin America. Most corridas tell a detailed story in the manner of a ballad. However Corrido de la Canelera simply tells us about canela, a drink with a distinct cinnamon flavor. El Capotín is actually two songs that have long been sung together: “No me mates” and “El Capotín”. Musieu Bainjo is a spirited song with text in French to or by the banjo player in Louisiana - St. Charles Parish. Arroyo claro is sung throughout Latin America and is popular because of its lovely melody and expressive text.
View the notes, texts, translations and score.
Let’s Marry Said the Cherry For Children’s Chorus, Solo Voice and Piano with Horn obbligato. Poems by Niels Mogens Bodecker (1922-1988). Duration: 20 minutes
James White, a Penn State colleague who is also a fine baritone, read these poems from Let’s Marry Said the Cherry to his children and suggested setting them to music. He now sings them to his grandchildren who listen to the poems and the songs with delight and fascination. They will delight children of all ages.
Download score. Click on the song titles to listen to midi.
Mother Nature For young voices and piano from Mountain Laurels: A Choral Symphony.
Commission and Premiere: State College Centennial Commission for the Elementary and Middle School Choruses.
View notes and poems. All recordings are from the premiere in Eisenhower Auditorium in February 1996.
The Remorseful Cakes Humorous poem by Eugene Field, (1850-1895). Unison treble chorus and piano.
A humorous ballad about a young man who ate too many buckwheat cakes before bedtime and the strange dreams that came from his indulgence. Can be sung by young voices or by grown-ups to warn youngsters about over-indulging.
View score. Listen to midi.
Songs of the Children of Lir Four Irish Ballads for 2-Part Treble Chorus and Piano.
Lir, in Irish mythology, is the personification of the sea. In the 19th century, Irish writers frequently referred to the Irish people as “The Children of Lir”. In I’ve a Secret to Tell poet Thomas Moore uses the story of Moses to praise the beauty of silence. Joseph Fitzgerald’s lovely homage praises the mountain home. The young woman chides the impudent Barney O’Hea while P. W. Joyce relates his encounter with The Leprechaun: he is a very tricky little fellow, usually dressed in a green coat, red cap and knee-breeches, and silver shoe-buckles, whom you may sometimes see in the shades of evening, or by moonlight, under a bush; and he is generally making or mending a shoe.
View notes and poems.
Thumbs Up! Poems for Bright Kids For Two-part Treble Voices and Piano.
Poems by James Laughlin (1914-1997).
Laughlin was the founder of New Directions publishing house and was a poet himself. His idiosyncratic and quirky two-line stanza poems are often self-reflexive and beloved by his fans. These are unique in the world of poetry, but obviously influenced by e.e. cummings. The poems in this cycle are especially appropriate for young singers – and where else will they ever encounter the term “enantiomorphic”?
Read the notes and poems.
Two Spanish Folksongs Unison, optional Two-Part, accompanied.
View and listen: BriLee Music BL607
This is a delightful pairing of two Latin American folk songs, arranged by Bruce Trinkley. Riqui, Riqui is a rhythmic nonsense song sung by children throughout Latin America, and El Capotín is actually two songs in itself that have long been sung together with great lyrical contrast.