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Blue Psalm
John Burge
Categories: Vocal Solos
Levels: Advanced - Levels 9, 10, Diploma
Blue Psalm is a setting of a poem written by Canadian poet, Dennis Lee that is about 7-8 minutes long. The text is a modern-day slant on the biblical Psalms of David, even making reference to the unstrung harp that is now hanging silently. The viewpoint in Lee’s poem is of someone looking back on their life and finding their values and ideals have been compromised too much in a lifetime of consumption. This present-day angst is given a musical voice in the blues inspired harmonies that slowly unfold beneath the melody. While originally written for low voice and piano, the piano part was subsequently rescored for an ensemble of four or more cellos.
This composition was written in 1999 and is dedicated to baritone, Bruce Kelly. For many years, Bruce taught voice students at Queen’s University in the office directly beside John Burge’s office. The combination of Bruce’s penetrating speaking voice, John’s constant piano playing, and lack of sound proofing in the wall made for close colleagues. When Bruce moved to a different office, this piece was written as a kind of parting gift and to let Bruce know just how much the composer enjoyed hearing his resonant vocal projection, jokes and pep-talks to his students over the years.
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Florals for Med. High/High Voice and Piano, 44 pgs
Martha Hill Duncan
Categories: Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Advanced - Levels 9, 10, Diploma
FLORALS was written for Soprano Elizabeth McDonald in the fall of 2009 while I was away with my husband in Cambridge, UK. Thanks to a keyboard donation from a London astronomer and Elizabeth's e-mail comments, encouragements and careful warnings, I was off and running. M.H. Duncan
DOUBLE-RED DAISIES, poetry by Robert Graves, Level 10 - the antics of a jealous gardener
FIRE-FLOWERS, poetry by E. Pauline Johnson, CSCalg Level 10 - grief and joyous rebirth.
THE DAISY, poetry by Rennell Rodd, CSCalg Level 9 - a hypnotic miniature.
WILD ASTERS, poetry by Marjorie Pickthall, Level 10 - written in Ediburgh, so an interesting mix of Canadian and Scottish landscape
FLOWERING, poetry by Carla Hartsfield, CSCalg Level 10 - a tango of betrayal.
CSCalg: Contemporary Showcase Calgary
Individual E-Pieces available at http://marthahillduncan.com
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How Will the Rain Fall? Four Songs of Reflection for Med. High/High Voice, 40 pages
Martha Hill Duncan
Categories: Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Late Intermediate - Levels 7, 8
These songs were composed over several years with all of the beautiful and thoughtful texts written by my friend and frequent collaborator Janet Windeler Ryan. She never fails to inspire me with her poetry and these four, in particular, truly moved me. M.H.Duncan
WALTZ FOR A FRIDAY EVENING, CSCalg Level 8
“Always thinking that the world should
be moving much slower
as music moves so our lives should too”
CLEAR SHINING MOMENT, RCM, CSCalg Level 8
“Always in my heart there’s a memory like a photograph…”
THE WAR MEMORIAL, CSCalg Level 8
“And with the dawn we shall remember…”
HOW WILL THE RAIN FALL?, CSCalg Level 8
“How will the rain fall upon my garden?“
RCM: The Royal Conservatory of Music
CSCalg: Contemporary Showcase Calgary
Individual E-Pieces available at http://marthahillduncan.com
Life Songs for Voice and Piano
Teresa Richert
Categories: Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Beginner - Introductory, Level 1, Level 2, Junior - Levels 3, 4
Three vocal solos for medium high voice with piano accompaniment. Featuring The Maple Tree, winner of the 2010 Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations Call for Scores. Performance of The Maple Tree by Arriana Ervin, former student of the Judith Bergthorson Academy of Musical Arts, Maple Ridge. Recording by Autumn Music, Maple Ridge, Fall 2010.
This E-Book allows one copy for each performer (i.e., the vocalist and pianist) one piece at a time. See Hardcopy vs. E-Book vs. Studio License at the end of Sound Samples & Scores below.
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My Bird Is Singing
Colleen Athparia
Categories: Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Advanced - Levels 9, 10, Diploma, Beginner - Introductory, Level 1, Level 2, Intermediate - Levels 5, 6, Junior - Levels 3, 4, Late Intermediate - Levels 7, 8
Description for “My Bird is Singing”
Pug- Wuddy- Wuddle (For Thimble)
Range C to E
This fun song is about a little dog who loves to splash and to sing when he finds a laughing flea! It features clapping, snapping, or tapping by the singer and pianist as well as spoken syllables with the fun words “wuddy-wuddle”! Level 2
Sometimes in the Dark
Range C to F (soprano)
A very lyrical song set to the ambiguous words “Sometimes you can hear more clearly in the dark.” Level 3
I love the Wind’s Song (available in 3 keys)
A major Range D to G (soprano)
G major Range C to F (mezzo-soprano)
F major Range Bb to Eb (contralto)
This beautifully lyrical song features many rising and falling intervals of 4ths. Level 4
Lost and Found
A beautiful poem of Love that lies “balanced between hope and loneliness” portrayed by a major/minor/major melody that expresses the surprises that Love may bring to all of us.
How the Leaves Play
Primarily based on a pentatonic scale with fluttering grace notes in the piano accompaniment, this poem portrays Leaves Playing, “seemingly happy, unknowing their freedom will make them die.”
Raindrops – Teardrops
Raindrops and Teardrops are represented by many falling 3rds and aspirated “p’s” as in drop-p-p-p, accompanied by a beautiful shimmering textured piano accompaniment.
Let us Leave behind this Day
This song was written Jan.6, 2024, after hearing of the unexpected demise of the poet, Robert Greenwood, who wrote this mature poem: “Let us snore our way toward death… and leave no sound, no footprint…” It ends with a beautiful melisma that weaves melodically with the piano.
There was a Time
This uplifting and nostalgic song is the longest (8 pages) in the collection. “There was a time when people loved, people were missed. There was a place of earth where people hugged, were full of mirth. There was the earth, it had a face, a place of grace for every race.” This folk-like waltz Refrain is contrasted with “But now the times have changed, and people seek and try to blame.” The Refrain returns with words of hope “to feel the spirits heal the earth…”
Mister Tree
This song portrays and ancient tree who “stood looking at the anguished angles of his people’s minds. He stood here, gnarled but not broken.” It uses onomatopoeic consonants in words like “cracking cracking crevices” and “the licking licking liquored glames.”
My Bird is Singing
The title song for this book is based on a lovely poem about the joys of singing. “Forget your wounds, open your ears, hear your eyes see, open your mouths and sing and sing!” This song develops flexibility in the voice with many 16th note melismas imitating the song of birds.
Ghosts fog the Mountains
This is the most challenging and contemporary piece in the collection, featuring many upward vocal glissandi spanning intervals of 7ths accompanied by piano tremolos and strumming the strings inside the piano. This creates a mystical aura of “snow sugared evergreens weaving faded tapestries among the pinecones.”
Porch Songs Light-hearted laments for High Voice, 36 pgs
Martha Hill Duncan
Categories: Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Advanced - Levels 9, 10, Diploma
These “Light-hearted laments” were inspired by the playful but thought-provoking writing of my friend and frequent collaborator, Janet Windeler Ryan. Sitting on the Porch was definitely the inspiration for the set, and Janet was generous in allowing me to pick the other two poems from her amazing collection. Janet is an avid gardener, and her affinity with the earth, light and the seasons is threaded throughout her work. M. H. Duncan
Level 9, CSCalg: SITTING ON THE PORCH, SOUTHERN FRIED
Level 10: THE RELUCTANT ARMCHAIR
CSCalg: Contemporary Showcase Calgary
Individual E-Pieces available at MarthaHillDuncan
Saskatchewan Songs for High Voice, 56 pgs
Martha Hill Duncan
Categories: Opera, Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Advanced - Levels 9, 10, Diploma, Late Intermediate - Levels 7, 8
Working with contralto and poet Bonnie Cutsforth-Huber has been extremely rewarding for me and I hope that my music has fully showcased her evocative, imaginative and nostalgic poetry about growing up in Saskatchewan. Thanks to Clarisse Tonigussi for her suggestions in the nigh transpositions. M.H. Duncan
Level 8, RCM, CSS: SASKATCHEWAN LESSONS
Level 9, CSS: PRAIRIE LILY
Level 10, CSS: OUTSIDE TO PLAY ON A WINTER'S DAY, BIKE RIDE IN THE COUNTRY, I AM A FARMER'S DAUGHTER
RCM: The Royal Conservatory of Music
CSS: Contemporary Showcase Syllabus
Contemporary Showcase Calgary Staged Works: Opera - all
Individual E-Pieces available at http://marthahillduncan.com
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Saskatchewan Songs for Low Voice, 56 pgs
Martha Hill Duncan
Categories: Opera, Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Advanced - Levels 9, 10, Diploma, Late Intermediate - Levels 7, 8
Working with contralto and poet Bonnie Cutsforth-Huber has been extremely rewarding for me and I hope that my music has fully showcased her evocative, imaginative and nostalgic poetry about growing up in Saskatchewan. M.H. Duncan
Level 8, RCM, CSS: SASKATCHEWAN LESSONS
Level 9, CSS: PRAIRIE LILY
Level 10, CSS: OUTSIDE TO PLAY ON A WINTER'S DAY, BIKE RIDE IN THE COUNTRY, I AM A FARMER'S DAUGHTER
RCM: The Royal Conservatory of Music
CSS: Contemporary Showcase Syllabus
Contemporary Showcase Calgary Staged Works: Opera - all
Individual E-Pieces available at Martha Hill Duncan
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Singing in the Northland, Volume 2, 44 pgs
Martha Hill Duncan
Categories: NFMC (US), Vocal Collections, Vocal Duets, Vocal Solos
Levels: Advanced - Levels 9, 10, Diploma, Intermediate - Levels 5, 6, Late Intermediate - Levels 7, 8
A celebration of Canadian poetry in song for voice and piano featuring poetry by Charles G.D. Roberts, E. Pauline Johnson and Bliss Carman.
GREY ROCKS AND GREYER SEAS: RCM, CSS Level 9, a jazz-inspired song of love lost. LADY ICICLE: Level 6, vocal storytelling full of special effects. RAINFALL: Level 9, a whipping and whirling summer rainstorm, won 3rd place in the 2005 Diana Barnhart American Song Competition. SEVERANCE: RCM, CSS Level 8, a dramatic tale of separation and longing. Honorable Mention in the 2005 Diana Barnhart American Song Competition. WHERE LEAPS THE STE. MARIE: RCM Level 6, sweeping vocal and piano lines imitate the St. Marie River. BE QUIET, WIND: a vocal duet with wind chimes in the piano background. ROADSIDE FLOWERS: a two soprano duet that works well for many performance occasions. M.H. Duncan
CSS: Contemporary Showcase Syllabus
Contemporary Showcase Calgary: Choose one
Downloads available from http://www.graphitepublishing.com
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When We Were Very Young
Janet Gieck
Categories: Vocal Collections, Vocal Solos
Levels: Intermediate - Levels 5, 6, Late Intermediate - Levels 7, 8
A set of three humorous pieces based on poetry by children’s author A. A. Milne (author of Winnie the Pooh). Originally composed for the Gala Trio from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (soprano, french horn and piano). This version is for Soprano and Piano.
I. Independence
II. Politeness
III. Happiness
