High School Archives - Donna & Andy

Deo / Sing Together / Winter, Winter

Andy Duinker — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:10:53 +0000

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Deo / Sing Together / Winter, Winter

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide or the Donna & Andy band track for Deo / Sing Together / Winter, Winter.

Piano + melody guide

Donna & Andy band - instrumental track

Part of a Song Collection

Deo is one of 12 songs from the song collection "It's Christmas Time". Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students.

Purchase print copy from Amazon

Stream and Purchase Audio Tracks

Stream or Purchase Deo (It's Christmas Time CD) from many streaming sites including:

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The Donna & Andy CD: It's Christmas Time includes performance and instrumental tracks (20). Available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teacher Tips

To assist with successful presentation of the quickly moving lyrics in the B sections of this song, divide the ensemble into two parts. Sing bars 50-65 as call and response with one group singing the whole note “calls” and the remainder of the group singing the eighth-note responses.

Add body percussion

Include a clapping pattern/motion in the choruses to add visual interest to the performance.

NOTE: Donna has created a clapping pattern that works well with the song. Complete instructions for each lyric variation are included in the download.

Create your own clapping pattern/motion to enhance your performance.

Add scarves

Create visual excitement in your performance by adding scarves to your presentation.

Many vibrant colours add to the celebratory feel of the lyrics.
White scarves can be used to represent snow.

Create your own movement patterns.

When adding any type of “choreography”, create shape within the form of the piece

Begin the song without any movement
Add scarves or movement as the lyrics repeat to create momentum within the song.
Add scarves or other movement in the choruses or verses, but not both, to complement the contrasts between sections of the song.

Composer's Notes

Deo

A recurring theme in my composer’s notes is the fact that I would write a song because I needed repertoire for a school concert or other school event. This was the case for Deo, but there is also a back story that goes with this song.

As a young teacher putting together concert programs for my students, I enjoyed including an all-school finale for the ending of the concert. Particularly in schools with smaller populations, it was fun to have a large group of students singing together. At one point, I took a job at a larger school where I found out that Christmas concerts were historically long, drawn-out affairs. Because of this, parents were in the habit of leaving with their kids as soon as the class song had been sung. Here was the opportunity to use my all-school finale songs to their fullest advantage. In addition to having the great sound of all those combined voices, an all-school finale meant that all students were involved in the final song of the concert, so parents needed to stay!

Deo was written as the all-school finale for my first concert at this new school. I knew I needed something dramatic and worth waiting for. I also had to have something that was simple enough for the youngest students to sing while being musically interesting for the older students. The driving rhythm of Deo kept things exciting, the simple repetitive words in the opening chorus were easy to remember and more difficult words in the contrasting B section were handled by the older singers. In addition to these musical choices, I included simple hand clapping “choreography” which created visual interest and pizzazz.

The concert finale was a hit! Students loved singing Deo and the audience perceptibly gasped at the flashy ending of the song. That first Christmas concert finale became a tradition that I continued through my entire career – with new songs needing to be written in subsequent years, of course!

We recorded Deo on the Donna & Andy CD: It’s Christmas Time. We were delighted to be joined by a full choir and absolutely wonderful instrumentalists to create a smoking track for the recording. The instrumental track turned out to be a super accompaniment for use with young singers in schools.

The original Deo, with its more sacred lyrics, was included in the Christmas cantata I composed for my local church. This song has had quite a musical journey.

In subsequent years, as school concerts moved away from any reference to anything considered to be sacred, music teachers began asking me for lyric adaptations that were more generic. Those requests resulted in two variations for this song: Sing Together and Winter, Winter. In addition, the winter version of the song has a B section that is less busy lyrically and easier for younger singers, while still fitting with the original accompaniment. Deo has been around for a long time now and in a variety of forms!

You are invited

When you have enjoyed singing these songs with your students and choirs - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Please send us your performance video - we might be able to post it on this page!

Send us your videos of Deo, Sing Together or Winter, Winter and perhaps we can post them here.

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Sing a Song of Peace

Andy Duinker — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:32:05 +0000

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Sing a Song of Peace

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Sing a Song of Peace.

Teaching Tips

Expressive singing

Sing expressively to present the theme of peace and the reflective mood of the song.

Discuss dynamics, facial expression, legato phrases and treatment of interval jumps that must be sung accurately without sticking out.

Score Study

Sing a Song of Peace is written in ABA form. Explore the score to determine where each section begins and ends.
Sing the melody line and/or the descant harmony line using solfege syllables and/or hand signs.
Discuss where the phrases begin and end. While singing, move one hand in an arc to represent the shape of the phrase that is being sung.

Adding harmony

There are two opportunities to add harmony, using instruments (handbells, hand chimes or Orff instruments such as metallophones) or by singing.

After the students are comfortable with the melody of the B Section, introduce the descant line by playing the line on the piano while all singers are singing the melody in unison.

Choose a few students to play or to sing the descant line. Keep it light and complimentary to the melody without being overpowering.

Composer's Notes

Sing a Song of Peace

I got an email from Joanna, my former job-share partner. In her current school she was starting a Grade 4-5 choir. The first rehearsal was approaching, and she wanted something fun and exciting to pique the interest of the students and get them enthused to join the choir. She also needed something for them to sing for Remembrance Day with a short window to prepare something. I was inspired to sit at the piano and write her a simple song with a focus on peace. I knew she had handchimes at her school and I also know that kids love to play them. What better way to inspire kids to join the choir than to give them a chance to get their hands on the handchimes. I also Included a short section with a simple descending harmony line for a nice taste of harmony that the students would easily be able to sing and it would come together and sound good quickly.

By the time I met with Joanna the next day, I had a song written with separate vocal parts and handbell scores ready for copying and distribution to her choir singers. It was fun to be writing for young elementary choir singers. Having a specific theme also helps narrow the creative process from endless possibilities to something far more manageable. After the initial writing for the elementary singers, I couldn’t resist creating an arrangement for choirs who are able to manage more two-part singing (and eliminating the niche of having handbells or handchimes). Once again, a simple song will end up with several arrangement variations so that music teachers and choir directors have options. It makes their musical lives less complicated and my composing life more complicated, but creating music is still a terrific way to pass the time!

You're Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your video of Sing a Song of Peace and perhaps we can post it here.

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O Little Town of Bethlehem

Andy Duinker — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 14:31:17 +0000

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O Little Town of Bethlehem

music by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio Sample

Listen to melody + accompaniment for O Little Town of Bethlehem as you follow along with the lyrics.

Composer's Notes

O Little Town of Bethlehem

I remember writing this melody. It was late at night and I was playing chord changes, just “noodling” and not really working on anything in particular. I have multiple tracks that I recorded during this session and when I listen to them in order, it is possible to hear how the song idea evolved until it reached its final form. It was certainly a process that became refined and molded through many repetitions.

The song’s plaintive, minor tonality seemed to me to require a serious topic for the song. I crafted lyrics about the weeping willow and the secrets it must hold in its branches and that cause the willow to weep. I don’t know what made me think to try the lyrics for O Little Town of Bethlehem with my melody. When I did so, I was delighted to discover that they fit with one minor lyric change. I like the words to this familiar Christmas carol but the melody by Lewis H. Redner has never been one of my favourites. Now, with my new melody I am happy to include O Little Town of Bethlehem as one of the Christmas songs I really enjoy playing and singing.

In addition to its use as a Christmas carol in unison, SSA and SATB arrangements and as the secular song “Willow” (words and music), my melody was edited for use as a Vocalise (a wordless vocal study) for inclusion in the Royal Conservatory of Music Voice Series, 2025 Edition (Vocalises 5). I also play this as an instrumental solo on my violin or on my accordion (see bonus tab below). That’s a lot of mileage for one song!

You're Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your performance video - perhaps we might post it on this page!

Purchase option

O Little Town of Bethlehem (SSA) is also available through Full Voice Music

Bonus

O Little Town of Bethlehem uses the original melody from Donna's composition Willow. Enjoy this studio instrumental version of Willow from Donna's CD Musically Yours.

Send us your video of O Little Town of Bethlehem and perhaps we can post it here.

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Thankful

Andy Duinker — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 01:42:43 +0000

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Thankful

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio Sample

Listen to this grade 4-5 elementary choir performing Thankful as you follow along with the vocal score.

Directors' notes

Thankful has been arranged as a three-part round. It is available as a 3-part treble arrangement and also as an SSATB arrangement. The melody is written with a range of B3-E5 in the treble clef and B1-E4 for bass clef singers. When the song is being sung as a round, it is suggested that each part be sung by mixed groups of singers (soprano/alto and tenor/bass) to create support for the outer ranges of the melody line.

The two arrangements (3-part treble and SSATB) are compatible and can be used for a massed choir performance. The only adjustment is the section of the music between bars 49-72 (Rehearsal letter B-C). In this section, the tenor/bass voices are highlighted in the SSATB arrangement. In the 3-part arrangement, a 2-part canon is written. For a massed choir performance, choose one group to highlight for this section (either tenor/bass voices or 2-part treble voices singing the 2-part round) and resume with all members singing at rehearsal letter C.

Thankful is written with the option to include handbells with the piano accompaniment.

When performing with handbells, they present the opening introduction of the melody. The melody is written in the piano score as well to add support. However, if the bells are secure in presenting the melody, the piano accompanist may either leave out the melody notes or play them lightly. If using the piano as the only accompanying instrument, the melody line is written in the piano part and it needs to be highlighted. It is possible to play the handbell part using a second piano if one is available. This provides more texture and depth to the accompaniment.

Composer's Notes

Andy and I were travelling from Nova Scotia, Canada to do a tour of Donna & Andy concerts in elementary schools in Ontario. As we drove, rural Nova Scotia and scenic ocean views had given way to the forested scenery (and hopes of catching sight of a moose) in New Brunswick. We had navigated the traffic in Montreal, which can be an adventure or a disaster depending on the time of day, and we were finally in Ontario. The 401 is a highway that is known for lots of lane changing as traffic weaves and flows and it is also known for the times when all 16 lanes come to a complete halt during peak travel times. For a country girl, the highway was overwhelming at times and as Andy drove I would sometimes cover my eyes and let him do his thing as he adeptly navigated the traffic. At one point suddenly to our left, I could see a large expanse of water. “It’s the ocean!” was my first thought, but it turned out to be Lake Ontario. Nonetheless, the sight of a large body of water sparkling in the sun beaming from a clear blue sky was a welcome sight to this Maritimer’s eyes.

The words that turned out to be the song Thankful sprang to my mind and I quickly grabbed a pen to write them down. They are very simple and they don’t rhyme, but they captured the moment completely. The melody also came at the same time and I jotted that down using my solfege training so I could write out the notes later.

When we returned home, I taught the song to my elementary school choir. I realized that we could layer the parts by singing it as a round. There are a few spots where the harmonies that are created are a bit dissonant, but they quickly pass and satisfying, comfortable harmonies appear – much like the welcome sight of sparkling water after dealing with the snarls of the highway.

Thankful is a thought, a feeling, and a reflection set to music. We have much for which to be thankful if we stop and take notice.

You are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Please send us your performance video - we might be able to post it on this page!

Send us your video of Thankful and perhaps we can post it here.

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The Peace of Christmas

Andy Duinker — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:57:03 +0000

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The Peace of Christmas

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment + melody guide for The Peace of Christmas.

Arrangement details

Unison - Key of Eb

Download includes:

Vocal score
Lead sheet
Full score
Lyrics
Accompaniment track (piano only)
Accompaniment with melody guide
Bonus demo track – Treble unison choir (Singing in the key of F)

SSA - Key of G

Download includes:

Full score
Lead sheet
Lyrics
Accompaniment track (piano only)

SAB - Key of F

Download includes:

Full score
Lead sheet
Lyrics
Accompaniment track (piano only)
Bonus demo track – SAB Church Choir

Composer's Notes

I remember sitting in my elementary school music classroom writing this song. It was giving me trouble as I tried to fit my lyrics into 4/4 time. When I tried it in 3/4 meter, suddenly the words started falling into place.

Christmas can be such a magical time. People seem to be more willing to work on being loving and kind. We wish each other joy and peace and other wishes that are kind and generous. If only we could hold onto those feelings for the entire year!

My students sang this song as an all-school finale. It created goosebumps to hear over 400 young voices joining together in wishing everyone the “peace of Christmas”. Since that time, SSA and SAB arrangements have been created and, although the message seems simplistic, I think it is just as relevant for adults as it is for children. It would be my Christmas wish for all.

You Are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Please send us your performance video - we might be able to post it on this page!

Send us your video of The Peace of Christmas and perhaps we can post it here.

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Star Above

Andy Duinker — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:20:25 +0000

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Star Above

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Star Above.

Part of a song collection

Star Above is one of 12 songs from the song collection "It's Christmas Time". Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students.

Purchase print copy from Amazon

Stream and purchase audio Tracks

Stream or Purchase Star Above (It's Christmas Time CD) from many streaming sites including:

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The It's Christmas Time CD (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (20) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teacher Tips

Discussion

Use Star Above as a discussion starter.

Discuss the meaning of the lyrics.

Expressive singing

Breath energy will be needed to support the long phrases in Star Above.

Discuss the places in the music where it makes sense to take a breath. Look for commas and ends of sentences and phrases for natural breathing spots. Sometimes a breath will need to be added quickly to ensure the long phrases can be managed.

Use dynamics and sensitive endings and beginnings of phrases to create an expressive performance.

Two-part singing

When singing Star Above as a two-part arrangement, be sure the melody line is the stronger part when harmony is added.

In the partner song section, when the melodies of Star Above and Great Big Stars are sung together, balance both melodies equally.

Extensions

French

Star Above has been adapted into French (Étoile du ciel). Older singers may enjoy learning both the English and the French versions as a language study.

Handbells

Details are provided in the PDF download describing how to achieve a “shimmering star” effect using handbells or metallophones.

Composer's Notes

Star Above is a reflective and personal song. It is heartfelt and serious with a strong message, although simply stated. When I discovered the American spiritual Great Big Stars in a music text book, I decided to insert it into my original song as a contrasting section. My students sang this two-song combination as a unison piece. One year when I was looking for a Christmas song for my choir to sing, the qualities of peace, hope, love and joy that are referenced in Star Above seemed to be a good fit so we changed “great big stars” to “Christmas star” and it became part of our Christmas repertoire.

We (Donna & Andy) included Star Above in the concert repertoire for our duo. It became a favourite song for us to sing and we recorded it on our Donna & Andy CD: It’s Christmas Time. In arranging the song for our mixed voices we determined that Andy would sing the opening original melody and I would sing the Great Big Stars section. When we started adding harmony, I realized that Great Big Stars would fit as a partner song with my melody with a few minor adjustments. The two songs became even more intertwined.

Star Above had its early beginnings with my school choirs and then it was recorded as a Donna & Andy song. It has continued its journey in the musical world by being included in the Royal Conservatory Voice Series as one of its exam pieces. It has been sung in many exams, music festivals, voice lessons and school concerts since its humble beginnings.

You Are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Please send us your performance video - we might be able to post it on this page!

Star Above concert performance - starts at 6:30

French version - Étoile du ciel

Send us your video of Star Above and perhaps we can post it here.

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We are the Children of the World

Andy Duinker — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 00:48:17 +0000

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We are the Children of the World

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for We are the Children of the World.

Part of a Song Collection

We are the Children of the World is one of 12 songs from the award-winning song collection "Computer Cat". Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged singers, choirs and solo vocal students. The 93-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy!

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

Stream and purchase audio tracks

Stream or Purchase from many streaming sites including: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The Computer Cat CD - Donna & Andy performance and instrumental tracks (24) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teaching Tips

Use We are the Children of the World with your choir, in your music classroom, with your small group vocal class, or as an all-school finale. Approaches will vary depending on the group with whom the song is being used.

Choir

Elementary school choirs often find part singing difficult. To assist with this process, teach all singers the melody throughout. Once the melody is well established, choose a select group of singers to sing the descant. NOTE: The accompaniment includes the descant melody that will be added, preparing students for the musical line that is sung in the second chorus.

If students are finding the lyrics a challenge, divide your singers into two groups and share the responsibility for learning alternating phrases. As you continue to rehearse the song, all students may feel comfortable to sing all the lyrics, but there will be a core group to anchor that section.

Speak the lyrics phrase by phrase with the teacher modeling the syncopated rhythms and students echoing by rote.

Sing the song phrase by phrase with the teacher modeling both the melody and rhythm and the students echoing by rote.

Find the syncopated rhythms in the music. Sometimes these are created with ties, sometimes there are dotted notes and sometimes there are eighth/quarter/eighth combinations. Find examples of each kind of syncopated rhythm and see where they are repeated.

Classroom or Vocal Studio

Use this song as a discussion starter when exploring character traits such as community, respect, empathy, acceptance, responsibility, etc.

Use discussion to make an emotional connection with the song.

Focus on / discuss specific lyrics:

“Every face is different, yet we are all the same.”

“We have the same hopes and fears and dreams for the future.”

How are students the same as other people they know? How are they different? We are all part of community and the world. Our differences make us unique and our similarities unite us.

“We are the children of the world.”

Does this include adults?

Comparing the age of the world with the age of the people who live here, even adults are children of the world. We all learn throughout our lives regardless of our age.

“We know the future’s in our hands.”

Is this just the responsibility of the adults? Of the children? Or all of us?

“Yesterday was yours, we have tomorrow, but in between we all must share today.”

We are all responsible for how we treat others and our planet.

Learning the Music

Teaching this song as part of an elementary music class may involve more rote learning versus trying to read the complicated syncopated rhythms. The melody and lyrics are created with natural flow that should be fairly easy for students to learn by rote.

The amount of lyrics may prove to be challenging to learn. Singers may be divided into groups to learn specific parts of each verse. This allows students a moment to be in the spotlight without expecting them to be responsible for all the lyrics.

23 Cross-curricular Activities

23 Cross-curricular activities are provided in the PDF download (Unison / optional 2-part version) extending the focus of this song to other subject areas including:

Fine arts: music, visual art, drama,
Language arts
Social studies
Science
Technology

Colouring Page - download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song We are the Children of the World. Enjoy!

Composer's Notes

We are the Children of the World

I cannot remember the initial inspiration for this song. I do remember the lyrics for the opening chorus came quickly and the “pop balled” style evolved as I wrote the piece. I also remember struggling with the chord progressions of the song. Every time I would finish a section, the key would seem to need to change. I really tried hard not to create this song with all the key changes, but the music “had its way” and the key changes became part of the song.

I wanted to create a song with a positive message for my students. Sharing the world peacefully, embracing our differences and celebrating the things that unite us were important concepts. I had young singers in my school choir who were starting to learn the skill of singing simple harmony parts and the descant line was added. I used the song as an all-school finale with over 400 students and the ending worked well with the “folding over” of the final phrases, again incorporating harmony that was simple and easily accessible.

Later, I created SATB choir harmonies to be added in a joint performance with treble choir. The depth of the harmonies provided by the adult singers was lovely as they supported the simple treble voices. Truly, we are all “children of the world” regardless of our age. Sharing the joy of making music across ages and generations is a fitting way to celebrate the fact that we are all “children of the world.”

You Are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students and choir - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page.

If you have a performance video - we might be able to post it on this page.

Thanks!

Song starts at 0:35

Send us your video of We are the Children of the World and perhaps we can post it here.

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The Love of the Sea

Andy Duinker — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 20:39:35 +0000

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The Love of the Sea

by Donna Rhodenizer

SATB - Key Of E♭

Context Choir: high school, adult/community

Level High school, adult

Audio Sample See video below

SSA - Key Of E♭

Context Choir: high school, adult/community

Level High school, adult

Audio Sample See video below

Unison - Key Of E♭

Context Choir: high school, adult/community

Level High school, adult

Unison - Key of C

Context Choir: high school, adult/community

Level High school, adult

Composer Notes

The Love of the Sea

I am often asked which comes first, the music or the lyrics? When I write, I often sit at the piano where I play various chord progressions or try out a melody line. Once I get the beginning idea, thinking of words and the music together, helps shape and direct the process. Sometimes a phrase or an interesting word combination strikes my fancy and I create the melody to fit that. The process is quite organic and really goes back and forth quite a lot as the writing progresses.

The Love of the Sea started out as a melodic phrase. I was in my elementary music classroom waiting for my next class to arrive. Small intervals of time between classes do not happen often and I went to the piano to play something while I waited. I picked out a melody that lasted for only two bars. I liked the interval jump, I liked the 3/4 feel and I decided it was worth writing down to mull over later. I rolled the phrase around in my mind a few times and thought, “the love of the sea” fit nicely with both the melody and the timing. Then my class arrived. I scurried to my desk to write down those five notes and the corresponding five words so that I could remember them to work on them later. (A word to the wise, you may think you will remember these bits of inspiration, but more often than not, they get lost in the rest of the day. My advice is, write it down, even if you end up throwing it out!)

When I finally had time to work on my initial inspiration, the melody and the words were sculpted and crafted back and forth as I filled out the melody and form of the song. I spent a long time wrestling with what I wanted to say about the ocean. As a Nova Scotian, the sea is a very big part of the culture, the landscape and the very air we breathe in our Maritime location. (I lived for a year in Manitoba and I desperately missed the salt air and the ocean that I felt was “in my blood” and my very soul.) The form of the song turned out to have a double verse, a chorus, another double verse and two final choruses. Strangely enough, the lyrics do not rhyme in the verses. The lilt of the 3/4 time carried the lyrics without confining them to a rhyme scheme, although I must admit, I didn’t really make a conscious decision NOT to rhyme the words. In fact, I didn’t really notice that they didn’t rhyme until well after the process was underway. In any case, The Love of the Sea eventually came to its final form and started on its journey into the world.

Someone once told me they loved how the words just fell into place, like they were meant to be that way. I have a fairly thick file of rejected lyrics to prove that the lyrics had many versions and revisions before arriving at their final form. I guess that is part of the writing process.

The Love of the Sea has been around since 1996 and it is still being sung by choirs and soloists around the world. It has been recorded multiple times, it has been sung by singers of all ages. This song has been sung in many locations and for a wide variety of reasons. My singing partner, Andy Duinker was on an airplane heading to Newfoundland and struck up a conversation with the person next to him. He asked her:

Where are you heading? Home for my Dad’s funeral.

What kind of music will you have at the service? We are singing one of my Dad’s favourite songs, "The Love of the Sea".

How does that go? She hummed a few bars.

That song was written by my singing partner, Donna Rhodenizer – what a small world!

We may not be able to explain inspiration, but composers talk about “receiving” a song. I remain grateful that The Love of the Sea was entrusted to me. Thankfully, I had a moment of silence in my usually busy music classroom to receive the opening notes, the time to write it down and the inclination to work at crafting the rest of the song. It has been almost thirty years since I wrote it and it is still being sung around the world. That is music to my composer’s heart!

Stream or purchase audio track

Stream or Purchase The Love of the Sea from many streaming sites including:

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

Andy's Fine Company CD (on which you will find The Love of the Sea) is available for download or physical CD on this website.

You are invited

You are invited to send us your performance of Call of the Ocean. Maybe your video will be featured here on this page.

Please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

The Love of the Sea - SATB

Performed by:

Ann Arbor Singers from the University of Michigan

Thomas Burton - Conductor

The Love of the Sea - SSA

Performed by:

Northern Arts Academy Choir

The Love of the Sea - SSA

Performed by:

The Fredericton Ladies Choir

Send us your video of The Love of the Sea and perhaps we can post it here.

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Just Passing By

Andy Duinker — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 22:08:58 +0000

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Just Passing By

by Donna Rhodenizer

Unison - Key of Eb

Context Choir: elementary, middle school, high school, adult/community, vocal solo

Level Age 12 and up, grade 4-6, middle school, high school, adult

Vocal Range B♭3 - C5

Audio Sample melody plus piano

Unison - Key of G

Context Choir: elementary, middle school, high school, adult/community, vocal solo

Level Age 12 and up, middle school, high school, adult

Vocal Range D4 - E5

Audio Sample Sample track - melody plus piano

Unison - Key of G

Context Choir: elementary, middle school, high school, adult/community, vocal solo

Level Age 12 and up, middle school, high school, adult

Vocal Range D4 - E5

Audio Sample Sample track - melody plus piano

SSA - Key of G

Context Choir: elementary, middle school, high school, adult/community

Level Age 12 and up, middle school, high school, adult

Audio Sample SSA - performed by The Aeolian Singers, Halifax NS, Canada

Part of a Song Collection

Just Passing By is one of 12 songs from the award-winning song collection "Dinosaurs, Dragons and Me". Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 122-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy!

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

Stream and purchase Audio tracks

Stream or Purchase from many streaming sites including:

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The Dinosaurs, Dragons and Me CD (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (24) are available for download or physical CD purchase on this website.

Teaching and Performing tips

Concert Repertoire

Just Passing By is perfect for graduation ceremonies and celebrating the end of the school year with your students. This song explores celebrating friendship, looking ahead, and saying goodbye but remembering shared experiences. Play the performance track for your special students or have them learn the song and sing it themselves using the instrumental accompaniment track. Written in a pop style, this song is sure to be a hit with students (and adults!) of all ages.

Expressive Singing

Discuss the words of the song.

Use dynamics to support the lyrics and sing expressively.

The mood of this song is optimistic even though the singer is saying goodbye.

The key change before the third chorus helps “lift” the piece and give it some momentum.

Use the higher, brighter sound created by the key change to convey the sense of optimism of the lyrics.

Form

Just Passing By begins with the chorus. The form of the piece is ABABA - Chorus, verse, chorus, verse, altered chorus.

Although there are three choruses, in the third chorus the words change.

How will you sing the third chorus differently than the previous two choruses?

Musical Roadmap

You will need to know how to follow the musical “road map” of this song.

Discuss repeat signs and 1^st and 2^nd endings.

Follow the music as you listen to the performance track.

Special Graduation Presentation

Have each member of the graduating class provide their photo from Kindergarten plus a more recent photo.

Organize the photos in two-photo groupings showing the younger photo first and then reveal who that youngster is by showing their recent photo.

Use the performance track of Just Passing By as the background for your photo presentation for a memorable walk down "memory lane".

Cross-curricular Extensions

The Just Passing By cross-curricular extensions are provided in the following subject areas:

- Language Arts

- Personal Development

- Visual Art

- Memory Skills

- Social Studies

- Personal development

- History

- Math

Sequential instructions are provided for each activity. Preparation/supplies are indicated

View activities sample pages here

Download with your purchase of the unison versions of Just Passing By

Listen and discuss

Extend the song into a time of discussion and personal reflection.

Listen to the performance track (vocals and band) of Just Passing By
Read the lyrics and get to know the music.
Use Just Passing By to initiate and stimulate engaging discussion with students.

- How do the students feel about graduating?

- Discuss the emotions of ending one phase of life and beginning another.

- At what other occasions might people feel these same emotions?

12 cross-curricular activities

12 Cross-curricular activities are provided in the PDF download extending the focus of this song to other subject areas including:

Fine arts: music, visual art
Language arts
History
Math
Multi-curricular
Personal development
Social studies

Colouring Page - Download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song Just Passing By

Composer's Notes

Just Passing By

Just Passing By was written for a very special group of grade six students who were leaving my elementary school music program and moving on to grade seven in a different school. It was sad to see them go but we were all excited about the possibilities that were ahead of them.

The inspiration for the song came from my discovery of a quote made by famous Quaker missionary, Stephen Grellet (1773-1855):

“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I will not pass this way again.”

Not only did this quote inspire the writing of my song, but it was also good advice for being kind and making a positive difference in the world around us. I made a poster of this quote and had it on the wall in my music room for many years.

Over the years I have initiated discussions with my “graduating” students about their excitement and trepidation surrounding leaving elementary school and moving on to a different school with new possibilities and lots of unknowns. The bonds we form with our friends is a great source of strength as we grow together, and a source of comfort when we remember those who we may no longer see, but who have helped us on our journey so far.

Changing the final chorus of Just Passing By helped create a positive spin on this farewell song. “As we pass by, our memories will not let this end. If just in memories, I know we’ll pass this way again.”

You Are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song and doing the activities with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Please send us your performance video of Just Passing By - we might be able to post it on this page!

Send us your video of Just Passing By and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Just Passing By appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Call of the Ocean

Andy Duinker — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 01:04:28 +0000

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Call of the Ocean

by Donna Rhodenizer

Unison - Key Of E♭

Context Choir: elementary, middle school, high school, adult/community, vocal solo

Level Age 12 and up, middle school, high school, adult

Vocal Range B♭4-E♭5

Audio Sample Performed by - Kings County Academy (KCA) Choir

SSA - Key Of E♭

Context Choir: elementary, middle school, high school, adult/community

Level Age 12 and up, middle school, high school, adult

Audio Sample Performed by Annapolis Valley Junior Honour Choir (AVJHC) & Coastal Sound

SATB - Key Of E♭

Context Choir: high school, adult/community

Level High school, adult

Audio Sample Performed by Annapolis Valley Honour Choir (AVHC)

Unison - Key of C

Context Choir: elementary, middle school, high school, adult/community, vocal solo

Level Age 12 and up, middle school, high school, adult

Vocal Range G3-C5

Audio Sample Performed by - Donna & Andy

Composer Notes

Call of the Ocean

Andy Duinker and I perform together as the singing duo, Donna & Andy. We have performed together since 1996 and have done thousands of concerts for young audiences. We also sing and play traditional, original, and easy listening music for adults in a variety of settings.

We had a gig playing in Chester, a beautiful village in Nova Scotia that borders on the Atlantic Ocean. We were playing in a gazebo overlooking the water where we could see sailboats moored at the yacht club, children playing on the beach, and a view of the basin opening to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. We played for an hour or two, breathing the brisk salt air and enjoying the warmth of the sun. The sun was dipping its face into the ocean before disappearing below the horizon as we packed up and headed for home.

With all the sun and salt air, I was ready to drop into bed when I got home. However, sleep would not come. As I lay there reflecting on the day, phrases and word combinations started to form. I turned on the light, grabbed a pen and a piece of paper (I always try to have these things handy!) and I started to write. I wrote the words and melody at the same time. I jotted down the melody using solfege syllables and I wrote lyrics for two verses and a chorus. I returned my paper and pen to the nightstand, turned out the light, and finally drifted off to sleep.

In the morning I got up and went to the piano to try out the song that had “arrived” in the night. It still felt right and I spent some time inputting it into my music-writing program so it was in more usable form. I called Andy to let him know I had a new song for us to sing when he came to the next rehearsal at my house. I often discuss ideas for lyrics with Andy. We have joked that sometimes it seems like his main contribution to my lyrics is to take words out of the song. Regardless of taking words out or adding them in, it is a valuable asset to have someone with whom you can bounce ideas around. Andy suggested that he would be happy to help me finish the song when we got together. I assured him the song didn’t need any deletions or additions and that it was fine as written. When he arrived and we sang through the song, there were not really any spots to “fix” or change and we left it pretty much as it was written.

Anyone who composes knows that songs can be a lot of hard work as one takes the initial inspiration and then crafts and molds the song using a variety of skills and techniques. It is not often that a song “arrives” intact and complete in one swift, writing session. These songs seem to write themselves and composers talk about being open to receive the song that is being delivered. This is one reason why it is always a good idea to have a pen and paper close by! Call of the Ocean is one of those songs. I consider it a gift. I’m glad I was willing to put off sleep, turn on the light and write down what “needed” to be written.

Stream or purchase audio track

Stream or Purchase The Love of the Sea from many streaming sites including:

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

Andy's Fine Company CD (on which you will find Call of the Ocean) is available for download or physical CD on this website.

You Are Invited

You are invited to send us your performance of Call of the Ocean. Maybe your video will be featured here on this page.

Please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Call of the Ocean - SSA

Performed by:

Annapolis Valley Junior Honour Choir

Coastal Sound Children's Choir

Call of the Ocean

SSA & SATB combined

Performed by:

Annapolis Valley Junior and Senior Honour Choirs

Coastal Sound Children's Choir

Call of the Ocean

Performed by:

Andy Duinker & Donna Rhodenizer

Please send us your video of Call of the Ocean. Perhaps we can post it here.

The post Call of the Ocean appeared first on Donna & Andy.