On New Year's Eve
by John Riggio
It happens to all of us. It's December 31st. We stand up at a party, a small gathering of friends, or maybe we're just by ourselves. We make New Year's Eve resolutions-glorious words which promise a change in our lives. Sometimes these resolutions fall by the wayside and sometimes they don't. Either way, making resolutions has certainly become a tradition.
On New Year's Eve addresses this subject on a kid level. You know-mowing the lawn, doing the dishes, being polite, etc. It goes from silly to serious as singers proclaim their resolutions, with a positive focus in the last chorus.
The melody is unison and repetitious, so it shouldn't be too much of a challenge for your students. It should be noted, however, that the yells between the verse and chorus sections may occur too closely together, so you may want to select some students to yell at those times. Sort of a kids' Greek chorus.
As a performance tip, you may want to have your performers conceal some noisemakers and party favors for the big finish. If you have the P/A recording, you'll hear an Acme siren whistle, followed by some party effects (the aforementioned party favors, noisemakers, and a ratchet). Feel free to add to the celebration with your performers. If you have the freedom to do so, you might even add some confetti to your party. It's messy, but visually gratifying.
Have fun with this, and Happy New Year!
Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.