Season Of Celebration

It was our goal to create a song that could serve as an overall theme for almost any type of winter performance you are assembling. We wanted one that was upbeat and contemporary, one that could be performed by schools regardless of their seasonal restrictions (or the lack of them) and one that could be sung by younger singers while still offering interest for grades 5 - 8. This song should offer opportunities for movement, as it could be an opener for the performance or for a segment of it, and it should give the singers a chance to showcase their voices. With these concepts in mind, we offer this song which can serve as the theme, opener and/or closer for your show or as a high-energy song for one or more of your singing groups.

One thing that you will notice immediately is the low second part in this song. It enters first on the chant-like statements of the words "Season Of Celebration". This part is written so that it can be sung by male voices, changed, unchanged or changing, as well as by many of your girls with lower ranges. It can also be sung by treble voices 8va, and with the exception of the first and second endings after bar 9, it can be omitted entirely.

The song is constructed to offer several short options for movement. The introduction and variations of it recur punctuated by "Sing it out!", "Clap it out!", etc. To the clapping on beats 2 and 4 you may want to add simple group movement such as turning to face a different way every two bars, by clapping high then low, or by adding simple steps as space and rehearsal time permit.

The "almost a cappella" section at bar 43 can be an extremely effective part of the song. Even with the quiet guide piano part on the cassette, it will seem unaccompanied to most listeners. Start as quietly as possible and build as you add singers and/or divide parts. As mentioned earlier, this section will work with just the top part (or just 2 or 3 parts) if you prefer. For added effect, have singers placed so that as you add each part you are moving across the stage or around the room. Simple movement will enhance the effect.