To All A Merry Season

by Teresa Jennings & John Riggio

'Tis the season to be, well... merry! And so we are with this very lively piece set in a spirited Celtic style. We can very easily hear this as an opening song for any seasonal performance, whether it's winter, Christmas, holiday, or whatever your school prefers. Because while it does not mention any specific focus, it certainly has that special time of year feeling.

You will note that this song has two parts. The second part is optional as usual, but it adds a lot of fun and challenge, especially for older groups. If you wish to use it but are limited, consider inviting a select group of older students, teachers, friends, or even parents to join in and cover this part. We have isolated the audio for learning it and put it on our web site for free. You can find details for accessing this in our Downloadables Quick Reference Guide.

We have also chosen to start our version of this tune on the Performance/Accompaniment recording with a soloist. Again, this is optional, but it is awfully nice and sets up the impact of everyone joining in on the repeat.

Speaking of the recording, be sure to crank up the volume, especially in performance. You will want your students and audience to hear the wonderful accompaniment using John's signature blend of Celtic sounds – drums, fiddles, penny whistle, and so on.

Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.