Ice Skating

John's inspiration for this song came from watching his wife, Janet, ice skate with their niece, Kailey, who not long ago put on ice skates for the very first time. (Seriously cute...) That, and watching professional skaters over the years make it look so easy.

The vocals are syncopated for much of the song, but it feels very natural. You will also notice that there are a lot of accidentals and no reminder accidentals. (Our general rule is to use reminders if accidentals are cancelled in the next measure in the same part, such as the vocal part.) If you're not sure about how anything should sound, just listen to our singers on the CD for help. While the song sounds great sung by a group, it also works well for a soloist.

This piece is very pianistic, and lays naturally under the hands as you play it. The only thing to watch for if you attempt it live is four bars from the end. (These bars bring to mind a princess spinning on the ice as her performance comes to a close.) It's pretty much impossible to play without a third hand. Feel free to adapt as you can. And don't forget to use the pedal throughout freely.

There are alternative versions of this song available as MP3 downloads on our web site. (See box below.) We thought a rendition with piano and soloist would be lovely, and we were right. Pianist Steve Potts and vocalist Holly McDaniel are our featured artists. We also have a version with Holly singing over the full instrumental tracks, and a piano only mix so those of you with your own soloist can use this option. (Note: To learn more about Holly, you can visit her web site at www.hollymcdaniel.com)

Online extras - The free, downloadable tracks can be found under the "Graphics and Extras" for Volume 17, No. 2 at MusicK8.com