Age 8 and up Archives - Donna & Andy

Hummy Hummingbirds

Andy Duinker — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:28:30 +0000

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Hummy Hummingbirds

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Hummy Hummingbirds.

Teaching Tips

Teaching Tips

Explore the Score

There is a complete descending scale in this song.

Can you find it in the song? (Bar 19)

It also appears again in the outro. (Bar 22)

Can you sing it using solfa syllables?

Sign it as you sing!

There is an octave jump in the song. Find it in the score (bar 6).

Do some octave warm ups to prepare.

Sing a Duet

Sing this song with a friend or with your teacher singing the echo/harmony part.

Improvising

Improvise your own humming melody in the four humming spots.

Hummingbird Facts

I had the idea for the lyrics for this song before I checked to see if hummingbirds make any sound. I was relieved to discover that they do chirp, but they don’t have a vocalized melody. Phew! I can keep the lyrics as I have written them.

Here are other hummingbird facts:

Hummingbird wings can move in a figure 8 pattern and are built for optimum speed and agility.
They are the only birds capable of sustaining hovering, flying backward, and upside-down.
Hummingbird brains are approximately 4.2% of their body weight – the largest of all bird species.
Hummingbird hearts beat about 250 beats per minute at rest, and 1,260 beats per minute in flight.
Hummingbirds have long, thin bills that allow them to reach deep inside flowers.
Hummingbirds are very curious and will fly close to humans to check them out and figure out who they are.

Composer's Notes

Hummy Hummingbirds

I enjoy watching the birds coming and going in my backyard. I have seeds in feeders and a special hummingbird feeder with sugar water. From my kitchen window I am able to see the birds come and go and I find this very entertaining. The hummingbirds are a special guest. They are very tiny and they fly quickly to the feeder and zip away after only a brief few moments. If you want to see a hummingbird at my house you have to watch closely and be in the right spot at the right time. When I am working in the garden or sitting in my lawn chair I can hear the humming of their wings as they flit by. I usually stop what I am doing and stay still so I don’t frighten them away. I also say hello and by the end of the summer, they will stick around even if I am nearby. One year I had a pair of hummingbirds who visited my feeder with their babies!

I was thinking about these tiny birds and the fact that they make a little chirping sound but they don’t “sing” like other birds. I am always interested in unique ways of thinking about things. I wondered if hummingbirds hummed because they didn’t know the words! That was a funny thought and as much inspiration as it took to decide it was worth exploring as a song idea.

I wanted to compose a gentle melody to represent the hummingbird. I created the choruses with humming, which I thought was amusing as well as a good vocal technique for young singers to try. I worked on the words and the melody at the same time and when everything was crafted to my satisfaction, I realized that the phrases could be sung as call and response for most of the song. This is a great way to introduce early part singing to young singers and for them to sing the song as a duet. There are a few spots where true harmony is included, but these sections don’t last long and are quite natural feeling so I think it is still very accessible for young singers. The song works equally well as a solo or as a duet which offers teachers and students a few performance options.

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 Hummy Hummingbirds and perhaps we can post it here.

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It’s a Pirate’s Life for Me

Andy Duinker — Fri, 23 May 2025 19:22:08 +0000

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It's a Pirate's Life for Me

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio Sample

Listen to melody + accompaniment for It's a Pirate's Life for Me as you follow along with the lyrics.

Part of a song collection

It's a Pirate's Life for Me is one of 12 songs from the award-winning song collection "Blue Skies and Pirates". Donna Rhodenizer and Andy Duinker have 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 112-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 Blue Skies and Pirates CD (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (24) are available as download or physical CD on this website.

Teaching tips

Introducing the song

Read the lyrics aloud.
Discuss any unfamiliar words.
Have a discussion

Do students think it would be fun to be a pirate with a talking parrot and the ability to sail a ship wherever they want to go?
Has anyone ever seen or heard a talking parrot?

Lyric options

Two options for lyrics are provided for line two of verse three.
Decide if you want to sing about a pirate with a sword, or if you prefer to have the pirate sleeping.
The teacher may make this decision before introducing the song, and two separate lyric sheets are provided to accommodate this lyric choice. It is also an option to have the students vote on their preference.

Performance suggestions

Add simple props – striped shirts, bandanas, toy parrots and fake tattoos (An eyeliner is a great tool for creating temporary tattoos).

Include special pirate “soloists” to present the spoken response, “To the sea!” Invite soloists to give different interpretations of the “to the sea!” response.

Loud / soft
High pitched/ low pitched
Changing their natural voice to sound more gruff, or silly, or…..

Small group classes, elementary music classroom singers or choirs may be divided into small solo groups to sing the verses as small solo sections. This helps lighten lyric memorization demands for younger singers.

Home schoolers

Create a ship by organizing a group of chairs, turning a table upside down, or using a cardboard box.

Pretend to be pirates as you listen to the song and sing along.

Have fun!

Colouring page

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song It's a Pirate's Life for Me

Composer's Notes

Some songs seem to “arrive” without much fuss. This is one of those songs. I don’t remember what sparked my imagination and got me started writing, but it was a simple process to include all the clichés associated with pirates as I wrote lyrics for the verses. It is great fun to include participatory bits in a song that I know the students will love to sing. The exuberant call, “To the sea!” is that kind of fun element that draws kids into the singing experience. Often the songs I write reflect the fact that I am the mother of three energetic boys. If I could write lyrics and keep my own three livewires interested, it was a good indication of how it would go for the general child population that eventually sings my songs.

The recording process for this song was also a blast. Our Donna & Andy recordings have all been recorded using the talents of the best musicians we can find. It’s a Pirate’s Life for Me was recorded for the CD: Bue Skies and Pirates, with lots of blues and jazz influenced tunes. The “heavyweights” we hired to record our tracks were high-end, well-known jazz musicians and musical monsters who are able to play with incredible skill. We took courage in hand and requested each of these highly respected musicians to add a spoken response, “to the sea!” to include on this track. At first, we thought nobody would agree, but as each musician contributed their pirate interpretation, their inner child became very evident. As the voices started accumulating, efforts were made to stand out in the group of voices. they tried to be louder, they laughed at each other, they asked to re-do their part if they thought they could do a better take. They were silly, they were earnest and they had fun!

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!

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

Send us your video of It's a Pirate's Life for Me and perhaps we can post it here.

The post It’s a Pirate’s Life for Me appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Mister Santa, I’ve Been Good + Winter Time is Lots of Fun

Andy Duinker — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 23:10:59 +0000

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Mister Santa, I've Been Good

+ Winter Time is Lots of Fun

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Mister Santa, I've Been Good or Winter Time is Lots of Fun.

Part of a song collection

Mister Santa, I've Been Good 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 Mister Santa, I've Been Good (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

This song has multiple versions all using the same melody:

Christmas – Mister Santa, I’ve Been Good
Winter – Winter Time is Lots of Fun
General rhythm activity – Rhythm Echo Song

The various options provide versatility and the opportunity to use this song in general classroom or vocal studio settings throughout the year. It can be helpful when a Christmas song is needed and the melody is already familiar to students because they have already heard it as part of the rhythm echo activity. Conversely, if students enjoy learning the Christmas version, the variants can be used at other times of the year, extending the use of the melody that has already been learned.

Actions

The short four-bar verses alternate with 4-bar instrumental sections. Add a clapping pattern during the instrumental section when using the song in a performance.

Included in the PDF download is a sample of the clapping sequence I used with my students.

NOTE: My grade 2 students loved the clapping pattern, but many classes of practice were required for everyone to master the sequence. The singing is the most important part of this song - make up your own rhythm sequence that works for you!

Accidentals

Look at the notes in the final bar of the song.

The flat that is added to the B and the natural that is added to the C change the feel and tonality of these final notes. Sing or play the final bar several times to get the pitches well established before singing the entire song.

Contrasting sections

Bars 21-24 act like a “bridge” in this piece of music. The bridge has slower, legato notes, creating a contrast to the jaunty, staccato notes of the melody in the verses. Pay close attention to the presentation of these four bars to be sure the legato notes are smooth and connected.

Also listen carefully to the notes in bar 24. They are moving toward a key change. The final two verses are one whole tone higher than the first two verses.

Expressive singing

The melody and accompaniment of the song are light and staccato (except for the bridge section which has a slower, legato feel). The overall mood of the piece is jaunty, confident and cheery, and it should sound like the singer is having fun!

Rhythm Echo Song

Use the Donna & Andy band instrumental track for Mister Santa, I’ve Been Good.

The teacher will sing the verses for the students (that could be fun!) and then clap rhythm patterns to be echoed during the instrumental verses.

Rhythm pattern options are provided to give examples, but teachers are encouraged to create their own rhythm combinations.

Either have the students echo what they hear, or use flash cards and have students read and clap the rhythms during the instrumental breaks.

Extension

French

Mister Santa, I've Been Good has been adapted into French (J'attends Père Noël). Singers may enjoy learning both the English and the French versions as a language study.

Composer's Notes

Mister Santa, I've Been Good + Winter Time is Lots of Fun

I am writing these composer’s notes for Mister Santa, I’ve Been Good more than 20 years after the song was written so I cannot say for sure what made me think of the lyrics. I do remember that the song was a hit with my students from the first year I introduced it. I have included it in multiple school Christmas concerts over the years.

A few years after it was written and performed by my students, we decided to include this song on a Donna & Andy Christmas recording: “It’s Christmas Time.” When I was writing the arrangements, I knew I wanted a cheery banjo sound included in the accompaniment track. I love the sound of the banjo and it always makes me smile. When we got to the recording studio and ran through some sample tracks, the banjo part was every bit as delightful as I had imagined it would be. The original song was only two verses, but the banjo part was so much fun, we decided the song needed to be longer. We planned for two double verses with a bridge and a key change in the middle. The way the recording process works, the instrumental tracks are recorded first and then vocals are added to that. We had back-to-back recording days booked, so we recorded the instrumental track on one afternoon and then we were scheduled to return the next day to record the vocal tracks. With a time deadline looming, I needed to write my two new verses for the next day!

I worked very hard to keep the song lyrics focused on the singer’s behaviour rather than letting the song get into a “gimme, gimme” song. It really was about having exemplary behaviour for the whole year. As I recall, I was still writing verses on the drive to the studio the next day. Somewhere I have a hefty envelope with many pages of verse ideas that I worked on in the short 24 hours between recording the instrumental bed tracks and recording the vocals. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but necessity may also drive a composer to finish a set of lyrics in time to get them recorded (which I did!).

Fast forward to 20 years later…I was searching through a notebook of song ideas and found lyrics I had created for a rhythm echo song using the melody of Mister Santa. I was excited to think that this fun melody would have a longer shelf life than the short Christmas season. Then I decided I should have more than just Christmas lyrics so I created non-Christmas, winter words. Suddenly there are several options to facilitate use of this jaunty melody throughout the year. You never know, one day there might be a summer version – that’s how a composer works sometimes!

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 videos of Mister Santa I've Been Good

Winter Time is Lots Fun and perhaps we can post them here.

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27 New Singing Games for Young Singers

Andy Duinker — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 17:43:32 +0000

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New Singing Games

for Young Singers

by Donna Rhodenizer

Vol. 1 Grades K-1, ages 5-7

New Singing Games for Young Singers Vol. 1 Grades K-1, ages 5-7

Donna Rhodenizer has written twelve original singing games for Kindergarten and Grade 1 students, singers ages 5-7. These songs focus on the early skill development of emerging singers including galloping, action songs, fast and slow, as well as songs with simple tone sets (mainly s-m-l combinations). Individual singing opportunities are built into many of the singing games. Students have the opportunity to work on discerning differences in pitch and pitch matching, leading to singing in tune with others. All of the singing games provide young singers with a play-based learning experience, inherent to their innate learning style and crucial to their skill development. All songs include scores and game instructions, plus adaptations for small group and individual instruction.

Vol. 2 Grades 2-3, ages 7-9

Donna Rhodenizer’s second volume of singing games focuses on singers in grades 2-3, ages 7-9. Eleven original singing games focus on providing practice for skills learned earlier and adding songs and skills with expanded tone sets and more complex rhythmic elements. Individual singing games are still a mainstay as students continue to hone their ability to sing in tune with others. Repetition is a key element of singing games, creating opportunity for internalizing musical concepts for labelling and practicing in future lessons. Games with movement, guessing games and even a few chasing options make these singing games interesting and motivating for students. All songs include scores and game instructions, plus adaptations for small group and individual instruction.

Vol. 3 Grades 4-5, ages 9-11

The third volume of Donna Rhodenizer’s singing games is created for singers in grades 4-5, ages 9-11. Ten original singing games delve into more complex musical elements such as minor tonalities, wider tone sets and complex rhythms. Singing games with individual responses include singing as well as rhythmic and melodic improvisation. Musical challenges for this age group are offered using a play-based learning style that creates a relaxed atmosphere for exploring and learning without pressure. All songs include scores and game instructions, plus adaptations for small group and individual instruction.

Print copies Available on Amazon

Print copies are available on Amazon.

Go to Donna's Amazon Author Page to purchase your print copy.

Also, click the "Follow" button to get notified when additional new books become available.

Composer's Notes

New Singing Games for Young Singers

My music classroom has been singing based from day one. Everything we did hinged on singing, and the best way to get kids to sing is to make it a game. Singing games were part of my music education courses and my approach was influenced by my training in the Kodaly teaching method, also founded on the use of singing games to teach concepts to children.

Over the years I have had certain singing games that I enjoyed sharing with my students. I knew they liked those particular games, it was exciting to play them, and they were motivated to participate. As time and political correctness became an issue in our classrooms, some of the singing games from decades (centuries?) ago began to come into question. Old singing games that were based on less than favourable past-times and ways of doing things began to be considered inappropriate and needed to be removed. Song context aside, the games that went with some of those songs were favourites of my students (and of mine as well) so I set about to create new songs that would fit the games that went with the old songs. I had collected quite a few singing games by the time I was chatting with Nikki Loney (Full Voice Music) about doing a question and answer online session with teachers about singing games. With my collection already started (sort of) it seemed like an opportune time to put together an official version of these songs.

What started out as a single collection across grade levels (K-5) started to get too large and unwieldy for a single book. We decided to split the book into K-2 and 3-5. Then THAT got too big so we revised and split the book into 3 volumes. Now there were not quite enough songs to make a reasonable sized book (in my estimation) so in addition to the songs I already had, I designed some new ones. Trying to figure out games that would work for each of the songs had us galloping, passing sticks to the beat, counting bars to match dance steps and having lots of fun! I also needed to think outside of my elementary classroom focus and create adaptations for singing games that could be used by private vocal teachers with small groups or just one student. That was a fun challenge!

I ended up writing six new songs in a week to insert into various age groupings. I was reminded of my days in the classroom when I needed songs for specific events and I ended up writing them. It was an intense, productive two weeks and I was exhausted but creatively energized by the whole process.

You Are Invited

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

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

New Singing Games - Vol. 1 - grade 1-2 (age 5-7)

New Singing Games - Vol. 2 - grade 2-3 (age 7-9)

Also found in New Singing Games - Vol. 1

Also found in New Singing Games - Vol. 3

New Singing Games - Vol. 3 - grade 4-5 (age 9-11)

More Singing Games

Send us your videos of these New Singing Games and perhaps we can post them here.

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Garden Symphony

Andy Duinker — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:44:24 +0000

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Garden Symphony

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Garden Symphony.

Teacher Tips

Pre-Song Activity - Create a sound composition

Close your eyes and listen.

What sounds can you hear that are created by the things that are around you?
Are any of the sounds created by you?
Do any of the sounds sound like music to you?

Use sounds to make musical patterns. Use the sounds you heard when you were listening or create your own (e.g. tapping a pencil, clicking of computer keys, jingling earrings, etc.). Organizing sounds into patterns is making music!

Create a sound composition.

How will you write down the sounds you use in your composition? Pictures, words, symbols, etc. help you remember the sounds you are using so you can re-create your composition on another day, or give it to someone else to play.

Pre-song Discussion

Discuss sounds you might hear if you were outdoors.

Are those sounds music?
Do you have a favourite sound that you like to listen for when you are outdoors?

What are some things you might see if you were outdoors?

Are those things a symphony for the eyes?
Do you have a favourite flower, or something you enjoy seeing when you are outdoors?

Music Vocabulary

Read the lyrics of Garden Symphony to discover what the composer was hearing and seeing. Do you know what all those things sound like and look like?

Sing the song together.

A symphony is a large piece of music for an orchestra.

The word symphony can also mean a beautiful blend of sights or sounds.

What other words are used to label music? (e.g. melody, tune, song, concerto, duet, solo, concert, performance, recital, etc.)

What other words are used to label art? (e.g. painting, collage, drawing, mural, sculpture, etc.)

Create a poster, a word wall or a dictionary of music words and/or art words.

Expressive Singing

There are many descriptive words in Garden Symphony.

Use clear diction and expressive singing to make the story more interesting for your audience.

There are long phrases in Garden Symphony.

Decide where you are going to take a breath to create the best long and lyrical phrases possible.

Score Study

Garden Symphony is created using simple rhythmic elements. Because of this simplicity, it makes a great rhythm sight-reading exercise.

How many different rhythm elements are there in the song?

(Quarter note, eighth note, half note, dotted half note, quarter rest)

Clap or say the rhythm duration syllables that create the melody of this song.

Clap the rhythm in canon with another student or the teacher.
Create a simple ostinato using only 2 rhythm elements and divide the class with one group tapping the ostinato and one group clapping the rhythm.
Use instruments to play the rhythm and ostinato patterns.
- Is it better to have the ostinato louder or the rhythm of the lyrics louder? Try it both ways and make musical decisions about what you think works best.

Composer's Notes

Garden Symphony

Between 2020 - 2022 I had the opportunity to stay at home with no expectations that I needed to be anywhere or see anyone. This 2-year period provided me lots of time on my hands to be creative. I had time to sit and reflect, and time to sit at the piano and “noodle” and I wrote over 150 songs! Garden Symphony was one of the songs in this large influx of ideas and collection of songs. I was playing with a stream of consciousness as I thought about things that I hear in nature that create “music” if I only stop and listen for them. There are also things to see. Being forced to stop and take some time certainly turned into a productive period for me as a composer. It is a good idea to stop rushing around and being busy all the time. Garden Symphony is a little song with a big message!

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 - we might be able to post it on this page!

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

The post Garden Symphony appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Jolly Sailors

Andy Duinker — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 23:43:40 +0000

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Jolly Sailors

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Part of a Song collection

Jolly Sailors is one of 10 songs from the Donna & Andy CD "A Jolly Bunch Are We".

Bonus Audio Tracks / CD

Stream or purchase from many music streaming sites including:

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

A Jolly Bunch Are We (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (20) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teaching Tips & Strategies

Structure/Form

Jolly Sailors supports young singers with developing voices.

Jolly Sailors is a three-verse song, making it most suitable for young singers who have had previous experience.
A short re-intro is included between each verse providing a bit of “breathing space” and the opportunity to prepare for the upcoming verse.
Vocal range of an octave (D4-D5) with most of the song well placed in the mid range and only one short reach into the upper range.
Jolly Sailors is a great length for use at a summer music theatre camp or for teachers looking for songs that are a bit shorter to use throughout the year.
The three-verse structure can work with younger students in group classes, assigning different verses to different combinations of students within the group.

Teaching Strategies

Expressive Singing

Encourage singers to read the lyrics out loud before learning the melody.
Discuss the story of the song.

Have the singers ever wished they could sail around the world on a ship?
Would they like to be the captain in charge of all the crew?
How do they feel about eating lumpy stew or sleeping in bunk beds near other crew members who snore?

Discuss which words the singer will emphasize to create an expressive performance.

What consonants need to be crisp and clean to clearly tell the story for the listening audience?
Look for the word groups that provide a chance to emphasize similar sounding vowels or consonants (funny, bumpy lumps and loud, snorty snores).

Add dynamics or other musical contrasts to sing the song expressively.
Jolly Sailors is a high energy, humorous song. Have fun with it!

Vocabulary

Understanding the meaning of the lyrics helps the students when they are presenting the “story” of the song.

Have students read the lyrics and find any words that they do not understand.

Tongue Twister warm-ups

Jolly Sailors has some tricky lyrics to master (check out bars 6 and 10).

To help your singers warm up and have some fun, try the tongue twister:

Seven sassy sailors sailed the seven salty seas.

(This is included with the PDF download.)

Say the tongue twister using crisp consonants.

Set a metronome at a slow tempo and say the tongue twister.
Say the tongue twister multiple times and gradually increase the speed each time.

Sing the tongue twister warm up.

Sing the whole tongue twister on each note of the scale.
Add actions: hold up seven fingers for the number 7, salute on the word sailor, and make wave motions with your hands on the word “seas”.
Eliminate the words with actions, but continue to do the action associated with the missing word. (This is a challenge!)

Theatrical Elements

Add actions to enhance the theatrical presentation of Jolly Sailors. Remember, the musical presentation is still the focal point of the performance. Actions need to support the song, not “take over” or detract from the singing.
When presenting Jolly Sailors for a recital or school performance, add a few props or costumes to add visual interest to the performance.

A mop and pail
A bowl of fake stew
A hat or uniform (captain or crew!)

Other Performance Options

Younger students may sing Jolly Sailors as a unison group performance. Assign each student one of the verses to learn to be the “anchor” for their verse, although all students will sing all verses.
Singing the entire song with a small group in unison may be enough support for younger students to manage the lyrics for all three verses.
Add hearty spoken “Heave ho’s” to the performance. "Heave! Ho! Hey, heave ho!" fits in the first two bars of the musical interludes between verses and before singing the final two bars.

Composer's Notes

Jolly Sailors

I like to write sea songs. Jolly Sailors is a jovial glimpse into the life of a sailor. I had fun playing with words that either repeated or that had similar structures such as the captain who is a “jolly jolly soul”, the cook who makes a “yummy, runny stew” with “funny, bumpy lumps” and the tribulations of sleeping in tight quarters with “comfy cosy bunks” where “loud and snorty snores” can be heard throughout the night. On a ship, one must make the best of it as there isn’t anywhere else to go! I wanted to keep the sailors happy with their lot in life and they do decide that “adventure is our job” which sounds pretty exciting. I originally envisioned a brass quintet kind of vibe for this song, but as it went along, it turned out to be more of a jolly “oom pah” kind of sound. As a composer, one of my tasks is to shape a song and sometimes that means changing my preconceived ideas of how it should be and letting the song develop its own path. This was a fun song to write and it is also fun to sing! We included it on our Donna & Andy CD A Jolly Bunch are We (released September 2023) and had the pleasure of including our studio musicians as the sailors working the ropes on the ship with a gusty “heave ho” or two. They really got into the spirit of the task and their exuberant vocalizing is an entertaining part of the recorded track.

You Are invited

You are invited to send us your performance of Jolly Sailors.

Maybe your video will be featured here on this page.

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

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

Composer, Elementary Music Specialist

Donna Rhodenizer

Donna Grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada, where no matter where you are, you are never more than 56 kilometers (approximately 35 miles) from the ocean! This might be why Donna is inspired to use the ocean as a theme in some of her songs. Jolly Sailors is a great example of the high energy, humorous songs Donna enjoys writing for upper elementary school singers (age 8-12). Over her 37-year career as an elementary music educator, Donna has written many songs in this style which have been premiered by her Grade 4-5 choir. Adding costumes and a few props and letting the students bring their unique energy to the presentation, creates a fun performance for both the singers and the audience.

Donna has written over five hundred songs including repertoire for solo singers, choirs, and school groups, as well as songs for recorder, violin, handbells, piano, and organ. Donna’s music has found a place in the hearts and music libraries of music teachers and students around the world.

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My Treehouse

Andy Duinker — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 02:44:46 +0000

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My Treehouse

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Teaching Tips

Use the 1-verse option of My Treehouse for younger singers. The song itself will be accessible, but lightening the lyric load may be helpful for younger, less experienced singers.

Add a few props to enhance the performance.

Use this song for expressive singing. Discuss which words will be emphasized to create an expressive performance. What dynamics can be added for dramatic effect?

See more detailed teaching tips and strategies in the PDF download.

Structure/Form

My Treehouse supports young singers with developing voices.

Descending, step-wise patterns create the opening section of the song.
The opening phrase is repeated with a slight variation to create the second phrase. The melodic repetition helps the students quickly learn the music for the song.
The swinging eighths add to the cheery character and “musical theatre” feel.
Vocal range of an octave plus one (C4-D5) has only short reaches into the upper range.
My Treehouse is a 1-verse option for this song to accommodate younger singers and a 2-verse option for singers who are able to manage more lyrics and a longer song.

Teaching Strategies

Expressive Singing

Encourage singers to read the lyrics out loud before learning the melody. Ask if students have ever had a treehouse or a special fort. Discuss things the student would like to include in a special treehouse.
Find words the singer will emphasize to create an expressive performance. What consonants need to be crisp and clean to clearly tell the story for the listening audience?
What dynamics or other musical contrasts can be added for the repeated rhyming words in the second half of the song?
Give the singer the option to sing expressively or speak the final lyric, “You’ll see!”

Vocabulary

Understanding the meaning of the lyrics helps the students when they are presenting the “story” of the song.

Have students read the lyrics and find any words that they do not understand.

What is the meaning of bona fide, fortified and glorified?
Look up any other unfamiliar words and discuss their meaning.
Discuss what it means to “wile away the days” (found in the second verse of the song).

Theatrical Elements

Add actions to enhance the theatrical presentation of My Treehouse.
Make sure the musical presentation of the song is still the focal point of the performance. The actions need to support the song, not “take over” or detract from the singing.
When presenting My Treehouse for a recital or school performance, add a few props or costumes to support the performance.

A hammer and a paper bag (presumably containing nails)
Give a final thumbs up at the end of the song following the words, “You’ll see!” Add a very visible bandage to the thumb to add a bit of humour. (We are not always successful hitting the nails when we do building projects!)
Other costume ideas could include: a tool belt, baseball cap or hard hat, overalls/coveralls and a rope or other easily portable building supplies.

Musical Elements to Highlight

There is an accidental F^#in bars 18 and 22. Isolate and review the pitches in these two bars to become familiar with the melody before singing the whole song.

Two verses / Two options

My Treehouse was created with 1-verse and 2-verse options to cater to students of varied age and skill levels.

Younger students may find two verses of lyrics too difficult. To accommodate younger singers, choose the 1-verse option.
Use My Treehouse as a song for a younger singer and then revisit the song when the student is older and able to add the second verse. Bonus – the student will already know the melody from the previous year!
The “B” section functions like a chorus, remaining the same for both verses.

Other Performance Options

Younger students may pair up and sing the 2-verse option of My Treehouse as a duet. Assign each student one of the verses to learn and both students can sing the “B” section together.
Singing the entire song with a small group in unison may be enough support for younger students to manage all the lyrics for both verses.

Composer's Notes

My Treehouse

Some songs are written purely from my imagination, but My Treehouse was inspired by an actual event when my three boys were ages 8, 10 and 12. We had a small pile of lumber left over from a renovation project and a small grove of trees. I went to the hardware store and bought three hammers and a five-pound bag of nails (which were in a paper bag). I presented the boys with these tools and they headed out to the lumber pile. They had a great time pounding nails into wood and created the foundations of a fort. Upon inspection the next day, they decided the fort was crooked, so they tore it all apart and started over. They needed more nails, so I returned to the hardware store to purchase another three pounds of nails. That is a LOT of nails in two days!!! The fort was declared a success and it included a small sapling which would bend enough to gently lower them down to the ground from their tree house fort. They had fun learning about building stuff and the fort was used for many fun activities when it was completed. I regret not taking a photo of that fort!

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I’m Gonna Build a Snowman

Andy Duinker — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 15:08:47 +0000

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I'm Gonna Build a Snowman

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Teaching Tips

Introduce the song by discussing things that students enjoy building out of snow.
What is the biggest snowman, snow fort or snow structure they have ever made?
Read the rhythms for the song using rhythm duration syllables.
Clap the rhythm of the first verse while listening to the melody guide track.
Use expressive singing to present this song.
Use clear diction (watch for lots of ending “t” consonants).

Performance tip

Add a “snowball” to your performance. Crumple a half sheet of paper that you can hide in your hand and throw it at the end of the second verse. NOTE: My students decided to be REALLY tricky and hid a snowball in each hand. They threw one after the second verse and the other one at the end of the song. The audience was surprised BOTH times!

Composer's Notes

I’m Gonna Build a Snowman

As children, my siblings and I would anxiously watch the accumulating snow to see if it would be “packy”. That would mean the snow was wet enough to be just right for building a snowman. There was no difficulty for our mom to encourage us to get our snow gear on and go outside when a snowman was the intended activity. One year we made a huge snowman with the assistance of our oldest sister’s boyfriend who was 6’ 4” tall. In addition to being able to reach much higher than we could, we also found a long piece of wood and used it to roll the snowman’s head to the top of our magnificent creation. This was a four-ball snowman – quite a spectacular sight in the middle of the lawn (or so we thought).

I’m Gonna Build a Snowman explores snow building options such as a snowman, a snow dog and a snow house. It was written for a group of grade 2-3 students for a school concert. The students enjoyed the humorous idea of using Grampa’s clothes for the snowman. Do you think Grampa noticed that his hat and scarf were missing BEFORE he needed to go out into the winter weather? Do you think he was cross to find those items missing? Oops, sorry Grampa! The snow dog chasing “snow balls” was also included as a “joke”. The children were delighted to find out that their performance included hiding a paper snowball in their hand and throwing it out at the audience at the appropriate spot in the song. At the age of 8-9, they are starting to enjoy being in on a joke.

After I wrote this song, Andy was inspired to build us a snowman in the front yard. Like that snowman from my childhood, Andy’s height (6’5") enabled him to create a snowman that was so large, cars slowed down as they drove by, then stopped and people took pictures! The snow dog was not quite as successful. Maybe we will try again when there is another batch of snow.

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Four Snow Friends

Andy Duinker — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 01:27:25 +0000

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Four Snow Friends

by Donna Rhodenizer

Vocal Range

Story 1: C4 - D6, Story 2: C4 - G5

Audio & Lyrics

Teaching Tips

Four Snow Friends can be sung as a solo/unison song or as a partner song. For a solo or unison performance, learn the two stories and decide which one you will repeat for the final section of the song.

If you are learning this song as a partner song, once you have learned your part, sing along with the melody guide track for the OTHER story. You will hear the music for the other part while you are singing your own part.

How many different sounds are used to create the melody for story 2? Use solfege syllables and/or hand signs as you sing the simple Story 2 melody.

Performance tip

For a fun recital presentation, sing this song with four students. Sing the first two sections as written and then repeat Story 2 for the final section. As the students sing, have them “disappear” one by one until only one person is remaining at the end of the song.

Composer's Notes

Four Snow Friends

My five-year-old grandson, Judah, was singing about one little snowman singing a song. I started singing along with him and adding characters to the song. It was a good idea and I jotted down some notes for later. After Judah went home, I started working on the song, starting with four snowmen that kept disappearing for various reasons until only one snowman was left. The song was very simple with only three notes. I decided to add a counter melody that was more complicated. The lyrics for the second melody told more of the story of the snowmen, setting up the scenario of how they were playing and having fun when the sun started giving them some trouble.

The two melodies fit together as a partner song. I also decided to use the lyrics “snow friends” to be more neutral and inclusive. I try to be very conscious of creating lyrics that connect with young singers. I often write with young boys in mind (a carry over from being the mother of three boys) but I also think singers should change the pronouns in the lyrics if they wish, so the song has personal meaning.

Four Snow Friends turned out to be a great story, a great song to sing as a partner song with another singer, and Judah is delighted to have been the inspiration. That’s what happens when your grandmother is a composer.

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Purchase option

Four Snow Friends is also available through Full Voice Music

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Seven Sassy Sailors

Andy Duinker — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:59:10 +0000

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Seven Sassy Sailors

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment + melody guide (and accordion bonus accompaniment) for Seven Sassy Sailors.

Donna had fun adding an accordion to the accompaniment track. Use this accompaniment track (included in your download) to add flair to a performance of Seven Sassy Sailors.

Full Blog Post

Read more about Seven Sassy Sailors in the extensive blog post created by Donna to support teachers with teaching tips and strategies, additional tongue twister activities, and suggestions for adding dramatic flair to the performance.

Composer's Notes

Seven Sassy Sailors

I had just created the song Jolly Sailors and I thought a tongue twister warm-up would be a good way for my students to get ready to sing the song. “Seven sassy sailors sailed the seven salty seas” is a common tongue twister that many people would know. I decided to write a few more verses for the sassy sailors. First the sailors enjoyed slipping salsa in their soup. Next they were sorry when their schooner sank and they suddenly found themselves swimming. After they sent an S.O.S., the soggy sailors were extracted from the sea so the song could end on a happy note! When the sailors start out on their salty, sailing adventure, the melody is in a major key. I had fun changing the third verse to a minor key while the sailors were involved in the sinking of their schooner, but I got to return to the major key for the happy ending.

I couldn’t resist adding some accordion to the accompaniment for this song. It has such a jaunty sound to add to the cheery, major-key verses and it could be made to sound quite melancholy in the minor key. I hope you enjoy my salty, sassy, saucy, sorry, soggy song!

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

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