Lovely World

There is so much beauty around us and so much good in people, we need to help kids focus on that positive view rather than dwell on the negativism that is all-too-prevalent in the news, social media, everywhere really, even music. The song, "Lovely World" attempts to do just that with its uplifting music, lyrics, and message. If taken at face value, it's also a wonderful complement to your Earth Day program. The world can be truly lovely.

Vocally, this is presented as an optional 2-part song, but only during the choruses. For rehearsal help, audio of the extracted part 2 vocal lines can be found on our web site. However, it works every bit as well as a unison piece if that puts it within your choir's reach. Have your singers focus on blending with one another for a smooth sound. But it is equally important for them to "move their mouths" for good pronunciation, otherwise the lyrics can easily be lost.

The first intervals of the song aren't as tricky as they may sound. We were able to lock it right in with the studio singers by playing the C#, D, A, and F# over and over on the piano to plant it into their minds' "muscle memory," then switching to the different landing note, E, for the second two phrases. Your kids will catch on quickly, then it's really a pretty easy learn from there, even with the modulation.

The accompaniment on the recording is particularly nice on this one. We took a tender approach to the orchestration, relying heavily on the strings, supported by the fine rhythm players underneath.