Glow

Another new favorite, this bluesy tune is technically a song of peace, using light (candles) as the metaphor for connection to each other. That makes it a great piece to use in a holiday performance, but it is by no means limited to that usage. Peace is universal and timeless. At least we hope so.

Your older students will really enjoy this one, we think. The song starts with a duet that gives a couple of your own stars a chance to glow (pun intended). For us, those soloists were Megan Byers and Natalie Jaggers. We encourage you to let your soloists be a little free with their interpretations – scoops, vibrato, gentle pop embellishments, etc. – taking care to work together and keep it pleasant. The duet ends at 25 with the entrance of part 3, which while optional is a very nice addition to the song. For one thing, it's part of the whole "bell tone" feeling that occurs here and there. It's also musically satisfying for singers to have all parts covered. As always, we suggest bringing in helpers (older students, teachers, friends) to do this as needed. You'll note part 3 is in bass clef, but it's in the compromise range that works well for lower, changing, and changed young voices. Parts 1 and 2 join in at measure 26 after the duet to fill out the choir as well.

You'll note we did not label part 2 as optional this time. The song really needs at least two parts, we think. To give you an idea of what it sounds like with just these two, we have created a full version which you will find at our web site along with the isolated parts for learning.

Additionally, we have put together an a cappella version for listening, enjoying, or inspiring. Our accompaniment tracks are really fine (just listen to those sweet solo guitar licks our Sandy Williams lays out), but we know the joy of singing unaccompanied sometimes, too. So that's an option as well.

Given that this song is called "Glow," you might want to actually incorporate some light into your program. The use of battery powered candles or other small lights would be visually striking. Have each singer hold a single candle, possibly passing the "flame" along to each other as the song progresses. Dim the overhead lights to emphasize the peaceful nature. (If you're interested, you can find Kandle Lights™ at MusicK8.com)