ME = Moderately Easy
M = Medium
MD = Moderately Difficult
D = Difficult
Being Who You Are (E. Alexander & Students from Waunakee School)
SA, piano, misc. small percussion instruments - SEA-003-00 - $1.75/copy2 minutes - E
Commissioned by Waunakee Elementary School (Waunakee, WI)
Winner of the KidSing 2000 Composer's Competition
Honorable Mention in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest 2000
Although I think of most of my choral music as "Art Songs for Choirs," a few of my pieces are just plain fun, like this song I wrote with students at an elementary school. The lyrics of this lighthearted romp include such unlikely compadres as the Ugly Duckling, Rudolph the Reindeer, Susan B. Anthony, the Wright Brothers and Shakespeare. Small percussion instruments punctuate the syncopated chorus of this delightful affirmation of our own diversity. (Originally the students used sandblocks, claves, sleigh bells, slide whistles, and castanets, but creative performers may substitute any instruments they can find or create!)
Technical issues? Other than rounding up a batch of percussion instruments and getting kids to remember when they're supposed to play them, I honestly can't think of any thorny performance problems. Just have fun! Soprano: c-f ', Alto: c-d '
Rudolph the reindeer took a lot of flak
'Cause his nose was different from the rest.
The ugly duckling had a scrawny neck
So the others kicked him from the nest.
These two, to name a few, did what they had to do.
Like you, this they knew: "To thine own self be true!"
Rudolph was a great phenomenon,
Soon that duckling turned into a swan,
You'll do fine if you just keep on being who you are.
Susan B. Anthony fought for women's rights
Even though folks said she shouldn't try.
And no one would believe the brothers Wright
When they said that they were going to fly.
These two, to name a few, did what they had to do.
Like you, this they knew: "To thine own self be true."
Susan B., stand up and take a bow,
Airplanes are a dime a dozen now,
When you try, you'll succeed (and how!), being who you are.
So if you wear glasses on your nose,
If you're bald or have eleven toes,
You will find that your best side shows,
(There's no reason to strike a pose!)
You'll do fine, everybody knows, being who you are.
Copyright 1992 by Elizabeth Alexander
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