A Complete Children’s Show

for Narrator and Orchestra


Music and Stories

by Yvonne Gillespie

Poetry by Peter Gillespie

Presenting a fun-filled show

for Dramatic Voice and Orchestra

for your Children’s Series!

Cluck, cluck, what do you hear?  Listeners have an opportunity to guess that the animals being described in a short piece of music are chickens.  


Look up, way up, and watch the HULLABALOO in the clouds; wonderful descriptive poetry and music will let the listener’s minds soar as they remember warm summer days on the farm and imagine many different farm animals up in the fluffy clouds.  But watch out, for these farm animals are creating quite a ruckus.


Next, the children will enjoy hearing a flock of sheep grazing in the pasture.  Did they hear the wind?


Then along comes the amusing story of CLYDE, the Horse who can’t seem to keep out of trouble when he visits an old town out West.  If the orchestra has access to any young children, the music to this story can be complemented by ten budding musicians who play some very unusual instruments out in front of the orchestra (no previous musical experience necessary).


It has really been an exciting day at the farm but before everyone heads home they get to clap and stomp to the arousing finale which finishes the show with a holler!


Child Tested and Guaranteed!


All of the material in A DAY AT THE FARM show has been child-tested and is guaranteed to please children aged four to fifteen but will be enjoyed by all those who are young at heart!  Your listeners will be completely captivated as they listen to the wonderful original music and engaging narration!


The descriptive music has been written to enhance the exciting stories and poetry by complementing the action and moods.  Many of the different instruments of the orchestra are highlighted in the music, especially the percussion section, and this gives the children an opportunity to learn about the orchestra.


Instrumentation


These are all very engaging and highly animated works which have been scored for narrator and Full Orchestra (double woodwinds, two French horns, two trumpets, two trombones, tuba, 8/8/6/6/4 strings, timpani and two percussionists)  OR  for Chamber Orchestra (single woodwinds, two French horns, a trumpet and trombone, 4/4/3/3/2 strings, timpani and two percussionists).  The show is one hour in duration.


The conductor’s score and narrator/instrumental parts are available for rental from the Canadian Music Centre (416) 961-6601 or visit http://www.musiccentre.ca.  Feel free to request a perusal score from the composer, Yvonne Gillespie via email, gillespie@zeal.ca or by phone (250) 701-3324.  The extra instruments required are also available from the composer.


Extras!

The concert begins with a lively PRELUDE full of foot-stomping rhythms to help jump-start the children’s musical imaginations as they begin their day at the farm.  This is a clever set of variations on, you guessed it, Old McDonald Had a Farm!  


The story of HENRIETTA, the Cow follows and the children will love her laughable antics as she paints the rumps of the farm animals blue.

Fun puzzle pages, delightful colouring pictures, crafty word searches relating to the stories and poetry from the show are available free of charge for publication in the performance program or educational package.  A CD is also available where the composer discusses the composing of HENRIETTA, The Cow.