Songs for a Chinese New Year. Four songs for Piano and Singers

Songs for a Chinese New Year is an original suite of four songs for young children to celebrate aspects of the Chinese New Year. A pentatonic scale is used to give the songs an oriental feel, however the songs are not slaves to that scale.

Each song can be used as a stand-alone piece or performed together as a cohesive unit. It is very possible to create you own actions around this music.

The four songs are:

1. Come, Know the Flowers.
2. Fire Crackers.
3. Lanterns.
4. The Dragon.

The Audo PREVIEW file is the first 30 seconds or so of each song.

The Video PREVIEW file is a live (encore) performance of Fire Crackers. I admit to
a few wrong notes and taking it faster than the MP3, but to be fair, it is an exciting song... wheeeee!!

Other videos of two of the songs being performed are available on YouTube

• Click here to watch "Lanterns"
• Click here to watch "The Dragon"

What's in the pack?

• MP3 files with a flute playing the melody, which is a great help while learning the songs,
• MP3 files (with no flute) to act as backing or performance tracks.
• The Piano and Vocal Score
• A Melody line part
• Lyric sheets in full colour (or color)

*Guitar chords are available on request.

Additional Notes

The piano part is not difficult to play, despite the (scary?) six flat key signature. The notes should just fall under the fingers, especially in Fire Crackers, which sounds more difficult than it actually is.

This is just one of many works we’ve written for children and adults alike. If you would like something written for you, then we are always also open to composing with any ideas that you have.

Why. Why! Why!! Such rotten keys?

I have agonized over this but different keys do have different sounds, so writing these in (say) E or B minor would alter the character of the pieces. Also, different accompaniments would be required as the runny patterns would actually become tricky to play. As written, the notes just fall under the fingers and besides, Gb is a wonderfully sonerous key.

If you really want to play these a semi-tone higher, then just imagine a one or two sharp key signature and whenever you see a natural, play a sharp.