Celebrations 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.

The post Deo / Sing Together / Winter, Winter appeared first on Donna & Andy.

It’s Christmas Time + It’s Winter Time

Andy Duinker — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:29:30 +0000

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It's Christmas Time

It's Winter Time

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for It's Christmas Time & It's Winter Time.

Part of a song collection

It's Christmas Time is one of 11 songs from the award-winning song collection It's Christmas Time. Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels in both French and English for singers age 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 146-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 11 songs. Enjoy!

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

It's Christmas Time song collection is also available on Amazon.

Stream and purchase audio tracks

Stream or Purchase the It's Christmas Time tracks from many streaming sites including: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

Donna & Andy have yet to record It's Winter Time.

The It's Christmas Time CD and tracks (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental tracks - 22) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teaching Tips

Use this song to work on expressive singing.
Discuss the necessity of clear diction to present the text in the rapidly moving eighth note sections.
In a choral setting, use staggered breathing to accommodate the long, uninterrupted phrases indicated in the music.
Solo singers need to plan breathing spots that will satisfy the need to breathe while accommodating the flow of the phrases. Add breath marks to the score to assist with consistent practice.
When working on the long phrases, have singers move their hand in an arc to show the shape of the phrases.
Decide what to do during the instrumental verse. In addition to the option of including a solo instrument, this section can include gentle movement using scarves or humming the melody line.
If using an accompanist (rather than the recorded instrumental track) it is also acceptable to skip the instrumental section from rehearsal letter D – rehearsal letter E.

Colouring page - download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song It's Christmas Time.

See more free colouring pages below

Composer's Notes

It's Christmas Time

I have been inspired to write many of my compositions to fill repertoire needs for my students throughout the school year. I wrote this song for one of the many, many school Christmas concerts I planned and presented with my elementary school students. It is a lot of work to put on a school concert with over 500 students, but it was one of my favourite things to do during my 35-year career as a music education specialist. The grade 4-5 elementary choir was the group that took on this challenging piece of music with its plethora of lyrics and quickly moving eighth note passages that required extra attention to diction. I am pleased to recall that they did a super job at the concert. As the years progressed, Christmas concerts often included more winter-themed songs to accommodate students who didn’t celebrate Christmas. New lyrics were created and “It’s Winter Time” found its way into concert rotation. I am always pleased to offer my teaching colleagues options so that my music is as versatile and useful as possible. Giving teachers the option to choose either Christmas or winter lyrics is one way to offer this versatility.

In 2006, when recording our Donna & Andy CD: It’s Christmas Time, my son Benjamin and Andy’s niece, Oriana played French horns for this song. These two young players did such a super job adding that magical horn sound to our recording. It has a special place in my heart as one of my favourite Christmas songs.

You're Invited

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

Send us your video of It's Christmas Time or It's Winter Time and perhaps we can post it here.

Free - download coloring pages for lots of Christmas Fun!

Free Download - 3 Christmas Coloring Pages

The post It’s Christmas Time + It’s Winter Time appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Hanukkah, Hanukkah

Andy Duinker — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 12:37:51 +0000

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Hanukkah, Hanukkah

by Donna Rhodenizer

Background Information

See background information for the song Hanukkah, Hanukkah

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Hanukkah, Hanukkah.

Teaching Tips

Discussion

Use Hanukkah, Hanukkah as a discussion starter.

Read aloud the lyrics and explore the vocabulary:

Menorah
Dreidel
Nun, Gimel, Hei, Shin

For context and to add some fun, bring a dreidel to class and let students try playing this Hanukkah game.

Add instruments

Add unpitched percussion instruments to augment the feel of the strong, percussive accompaniment.

A sections: Add a steady stepping/stamping beat on beats 1 and 3 and add a tambourine strike on beats 2 and 4. Players must listen carefully to the accompaniment in the final A section when the accelerando affects the speed of the song.
B sections: Create a contrasting percussion addition. Continue using the tambourine, but shake it every time the word “dreidel” is sung. The jingling of the tambourine will be a different and contrasting sound compared to the percussive strike used in the A section.
Add a vibraslap every time the word spin or spinning is sung.

Invite students to explore different instruments and combinations to accompany the song. Encourage them to make musical decisions to create their own unique accompaniment.

Add Visual Interest

Add colourful scarves or ribbons to the performance.

Choose two different scarf movements to coordinate with the A and B sections of the song.

When adding instruments or visual elements to a performance, it is a good time to discuss with students how to use sound/no sound and movement/no movement combinations to create a musically interesting performance. Encourage them to include variety when adding rhythmic or visual elements: change the rhythmic pattern or movement for different phrases or sections, add elements to only selected sections, vary the instruments that are used, etc. Think of it like adding spice to a recipe – a little goes a long way!

Composer's Notes

I was working with a teacher to create a school concert program with a multi-cultural focus. The teacher wanted songs to address a variety of holiday observances and traditions of students in her school. I had great fun doing online research and using information provided to me from the school and I learned a lot! I ended up writing four new songs which were sent off to the music teacher to use in the concert.

Hanukkah, Hanukkah is one of the songs I wrote during the process of working on the multi-cultural concert repertoire. It mentions two of the most common symbols associated with this holiday, the menorah and the dreidel. Working on this song brought back a memory of playing a game of Dreidel with my students. A Jewish colleague on staff at my school explained how the game was played and provided enough dreidels for an entire class to play in small groups. I remember that the two best things to land on are “Nun” which means you don’t have to do anything (a position of safety) or “Gimel” which means you win ALL the items contributed to the winner’s pot throughout the game to that point. It created much excitement in music class that day!

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 Hanukkah, Hanukkah and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Hanukkah, Hanukkah appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Celebrate Diwali

Andy Duinker — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:37:21 +0000

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Celebrate Diwali

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Celebrate Diwali.

Background Information

See background information for the song Celebrate Diwali

Teaching Tips

Discussion

Discuss with students the traditions they observe for holidays or special occasions.

Are there any unique activities or traditions observed by the student’s family?

What are the student’s favourite parts of these traditions?

Invite students who celebrate Diwali to share some of the activities that are meaningful to them that are connected with this important part of their culture.

Read aloud the lyrics of Celebrate Diwali

Discuss the four activities that are presented in the lyrics (one per verse).
Do any of the students take part in these same kinds of activities even if they celebrate a different holiday that is not Diwali?

Add instruments

Add instruments to the performance of Celebrate Diwali.

Choose an instrument to play every time you sing the word celebrate.

Use a triangle, finger cymbal, vibraslap or other similar instrument.

Choose another word in the song. Add a different instrument to be played on this word.

Play the different instruments on one selected word per verse, or use a combination of all the different instruments playing all of the selected words. Make a musical decision regarding how you will add the instruments to your performance.

Is it too busy to include all the instruments in every verse?
What words do you want to accent by adding an instrument?

Be sure that the instruments do not detract from the most important part of the song – the singing!

Performance suggestion

Add scarves to the performance for visual interest.

Have students wave their scarves every time they sing, “Celebrate Diwali”.

Two scarf options:

For the final verse have students gently throw their scarves into the air and let them fall to the ground (without interfering with their descent!) to simulate the fireworks.
Divide the class into three groups. Have one group throw their scarves the first time “fireworks” is sung. The second group will wait until the second time “fireworks” is sung. The third group will throw their scarves on the final beat of the song.

The voice of experience when dealing with falling scarves. This works best if all students know that they are NOT to impede the falling scarves, and to let them lie where they fall. At the end of the song, a designated scarf collector can quickly manage the scattered scarves more safely than to have a scrambling group of children trying to accomplish that task!

Composer's Notes

Celebrate Diwali

I love celebrating holidays with my family. As a child, I have many memories that include large family gatherings, laughter, lots of food and great fun. Although each culture celebrates different events, be they religious, cultural or based on heritage, every culture shares this bond of gathering with loved ones to share meaningful traditions.

I was asked to assist with the creation of a concert program that represented a combination of celebrations and traditional observances across a variety of cultures. The songs I ended up creating are in no way to be deemed as “cultural” offerings. Rather they are a stepping stone providing context and some of the elements that are included in those cultural activities. The simple song I composed for Diwali was to provide an opportunity for young singers to sing about this celebration, learn more about it and present that information to an audience. Hopefully it will allow children to showcase their familiar traditions presented in the concert in which they are singing. It may even spark discussion about the songs that are sung in the homes and as part of true Diwali celebrations. I consider it a privilege to be part of the ongoing building of community offered to all of us through music.

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 Celebrate Diwali and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Celebrate Diwali appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Ramadan is Coming

Andy Duinker — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 20:56:02 +0000

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Ramadan is Coming

by Donna Rhodenizer

Background Information

See background information for the song Ramadan is Coming

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Ramadan is Coming.

Teaching Tips

Discussion

Discuss with your students the traditions they observe for holidays or special occasions.

Are there any unique activities or traditions observed by a student’s family?

What are the students’ favourite parts of these traditions?

Invite students who observe Ramadan to share some of the activities that are meaningful to them that are connected with this important part of their culture.

Read aloud the lyrics of Ramadan is Coming

Find the three Ramadan activities highlighted in the song (one each in verses 1-3).
Discuss each of these activities and their impact on the people who are taking part in the activity, and also how this affects those around them.

Score Study (for students in grades 2-3, ages 7-9)

The melody of Ramadan is Coming is composed using familiar tone sets.
Sing the first bars of the song using solfege names for the notes.

How many times is that tone set repeated to create the verse of the song?

The final phrase of the verse begins the same way as the opening phrase. However, look for the difference in the ending of the phrase.

Sing the entire song with solfege names and using hand signs.

Add Instruments

Add instruments to the performance of Ramadan is Coming.

Play on the first beat of each phrase.

Use a triangle, finger cymbal or pitched instrument such as a handbell (playing a D sounds good with the chord structure) and let the sound ring until it naturally fades away.

Use a different instrument for each of the first three verses and then combine all the instruments for verse 4 as it repeats the lyrics from verse 1.

Create a concert that presents a cultural mosaic

Research the various cultures and observances / holidays that are represented by students in your school or vocal studio.

Invite family members of your students to contribute songs and culturally significant traditions or tenets that are part of their observances.

Include narrations that give a brief but meaningful explanation of each of the cultural observances associated with the songs being sung to give context to the performance.

A cultural mosaic concert can also be used to introduce students to other traditions and cultures with which they may not be familiar. In our present-day climate of instant access to a variety of cultures through online avenues, learning about other cultures can be informative and bridge building.

Performance suggestion

Include battery-operated lights to the performance of Ramadan is Coming.

Two options:

Lights are turned on and held high for verses 1 & 4 and hidden for verses 2 & 3.
Turn on a few lights for each verse, cumulatively adding lights until all are lit for the final verse.

Composer's Notes

I spent some time with music teacher, Carolyn Duerkson brainstorming ideas for a multi-cultural concert music presentation for her school. Carolyn’s student population is diverse and she wanted to create a concert that was meaningful for students from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. As we discussed song options, it became evident that there were “gaps” in the repertoire available for cultures represented by her students. Particularly difficult was finding meaningful songs for the youngest students in the school while also addressing their need for simple lyrics and simple melodies to ensure a positive performance outcome.

Ramadan is Coming was created using notes Carolyn compiled in consultation with a fellow staff member with cultural experience with Ramadan. She passed on her notes to me and we determined the grade level for which the song was intended. I take seriously Carolyn’s trust in me to craft words into a song for her inclusive concert program. I consider it a privilege to use my composing skills to fill a need that benefits young singers in their school concert.

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 Ramadan is Coming and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Ramadan is Coming appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Où est le cadeau

Andy Duinker — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 19:46:21 +0000

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Où est le cadeau

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Où est le cadeau?

Teaching Tips

Speak the words of Où est le cadeau? before learning the music. The repeated words make this song seem like a tongue twister.

The words will require clear diction.

Use expressive singing to tell the story.

How will you show that you are excited?
How will you change your vocal presentation when you receive your gift?
How will you use your voice and face expressively to show that you really like your gift?

The words in parenthesis are optional. If you include them, you may use a speaking voice to say them. How will you use expressive speaking to deliver those words?

If you are singing in a small group or class, you may want to choose some solo speakers to say the words that are in parenthesis.

Colouring Page - download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song Où est le cadeau?.

Composer's Notes

Où est le cadeau?

I needed a song for my young primary students to sing in the December Christmas concert. These young students were in their first year of school in a French immersion program. They needed a song that was melodically simple and they had a limited French vocabulary after only three months in school. I wrote J’ai un cadeau, playing with the feel of repeating the word “cadeau” multiple times. The students enjoyed singing the song and their performance was well received by the audience.

As sometimes happens with songs, I decided to tweak the lyrics of my original song and create slightly different lyrics to stretch the song to three verses. Eventually all the elements settled and the title became Où est le cadeau?

I was approached by Nikki Loney at FULL VOICE Music to see if I would be interested in my “cadeau” song being translated into Spanish. This was done by Tracey Ford and her sister, Andrea. I also wrote an English translation so the three translations could be used as a language study for young vocal studio students.

The need for a simple French song has turned into a 3-song language study, as well as three songs that stand on their own as good repertoire for young, beginning singers to perform at their first recital or concert. It always amazes me that such simple things can turn into much larger things!

English Version

Try out the English version of this song entitled A Gift for Me.

English / French / Spanish - Language Study

Où est le cadeau? / ¿Dónde está el regalo?, A Gift for Me by Donna Rhodenizer with Spanish lyrics by Tracey and Andrea Ford.

This secular holiday language study celebrates the excitement and anticipation of holiday surprises. The download includes lyrics in French, Spanish and English. A great song for young singing students or choir!

Go to Full Voice Music to get this fun language study.

You Are Invited

You are invited to send us your performance of Où est le cadeau?

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 Où est le cadeau 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.

Christmas Recipe

Andy Duinker — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 01:43:24 +0000

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Christmas Recipe

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Christmas Recipe

Simple Melody

Advanced Melody

Teaching Tips

Introducing the song

Introduce Christmas Recipe by discussing with students what they (and their families) do to prepare for Christmas.

Structure/form

This song has two verses with the second half of each verse using the same lyrics, providing singers with a longer song without adding a lot of words to memorize.

For young, emerging singers use the simple melody of Christmas Recipe.

The advanced melody for Christmas Recipe is more suited for elementary students who have had at least two years of music class singing experience, or for solo singers who are able to accurately match pitches and who are able to sing notes that are affected by accidentals.

Expressive Singing

Read the lyrics aloud before learning the melody.

Discuss words that will be emphasized to create an expressive performance.

What consonants need to be crisp and clearly enunciated to tell the story most effectively 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?

Actions
Adding actions helps young singers remember the words and the sequence of events in a song. Actions for Christmas Recipe are provided with the lyrics in the PDF download

Composer's Notes

Christmas Recipe

I have always had to scramble to find songs for my “Littles” to sing for school Christmas concerts. With only a few months of school experience, they need a song with a simple melody because many of them are still struggling to match a pitch. They also need a song with lyrics that they can easily remember, preferably one that can be reinforced by adding actions. I decided I would write them a song for the concert and I needed a theme for the lyrics. I started thinking about preparing for the holiday season. Adults do shopping, baking and cleaning to prepare for the holiday season. A child also would have things to prepare: writing a letter to Santa, behaving really well, going to bed early, and listening to their parents. Christmas Recipe was the result of my thought process. I introduced the song to my students who learned to sing it and added actions for their performance in the school concert. Sometimes necessity is a good incentive for a composer to get to work and create a piece of music!

You Are Invited

You are invited to send us your performance of Christmas Recipe.

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 Christmas Recipe and perhaps we can post it here.

Composer, Elementary Music Specialist

Donna Rhodenizer

I have always loved the magic of the Christmas season. Some of my earliest performing memories are singing Christmas carols and taking part in the local church Christmas pageant (often directed by my mom). Trying to behave and excitedly anticipating the arrival of Christmas morning were also part of the family traditions. When my oldest sister was old enough to “supervise”, my siblings and I were allowed to creep downstairs (without waking sleeping parents) to find the treasures that had appeared in Christmas stockings overnight. However, this privilege came with the definite rule that no one was allowed to make the journey downstairs until after 6:00. Parents would show up at some point before breakfast (at 8:00) and then it was time for opening gifts that had been left under the tree.

I would like to point out that I am often on the “nice” list. As a young girl, I thought I had made it to the big-time, top-tier, reindeer list. My hopes were dashed when I realized that Santa called his reindeer “Donner” and not “Donna” as I had initially misunderstood it to be pronounced. To this day, “Donner” has a special place in my heart as my favourite reindeer.

I enjoy writing songs that reflect the happy feelings I associate with Christmas as a young girl. I have written many Christmas and winter songs over the years for my students as part of the school concert in December. My collection of Christmas songs is extensive and continues to grow as the season rolls around each year.

The post Christmas Recipe appeared first on Donna & Andy.

A Gift for Me

Andy Duinker — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 02:07:22 +0000

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A Gift for Me

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for A Gift for Me.

Teaching Tips

Speak the words of A Gift for Me before learning the music. The repeated words make this song seem like a tongue twister.

The words will require clear diction.

Use expressive singing to tell the story.

How will you show that you are excited?
How will you change your presentation when you are sneaking to the tree in verse 2?
In the final chorus, be sure the audience believes that you DON’T want underwear or socks!

The words in parenthesis are optional. If you include them, you may use a speaking voice to say them. How will you use expressive speaking to deliver those words?

If you are singing in a small group or class, you may want to choose some solo speakers to say the words that are in parenthesis.

Discuss the meaning of the word catastrophe.

Are there any other words in the song that need to be explained?

Colouring Page - download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song A Gift for Me.

Composer's Notes

A Gift for Me

I was approached by Nikki Loney at FULL VOICE Music to see if I would be interested in translating my “Cadeau” song into English. I agreed to do that and then we partnered with Tracey Ford and her sister, Andrea who also did a Spanish translation so the song could be used as a three-language study for young vocal studio students.

Like the French version, A Gift for Me plays with repetitious words, like a tongue twister of sorts and the words are fairly simple. Because direct translations don’t work well, my English version of this song ended up with a different “story line” than the French one. There is still the excitement of going to “the tree, the tree, the tree” to see lots of presents. However, there is a bit of humorous ending when the receiver of the gift hopes the gift is NOT underwear or socks!

French Version

Try out the French version of this song entitled Où est le cadeau?

English / French / Spanish - Language Study

A Gift for Me / Où est le cadeau? / ¿Dónde está el regalo? by Donna Rhodenizer with Spanish lyrics by Tracey and Andrea Ford.

This secular holiday language study celebrates the excitement and anticipation of holiday surprises. This is a great song for young singing students or choir!

Go to Full Voice Music to get this single song download. The download includes lyrics in English, French, and Spanish.

You Are Invited

You are invited to send us your performance of A Gift for Me.

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 A Gift for Me and perhaps we can post it here.

The post A Gift for Me appeared first on Donna & Andy.