I Love The Autumn

by Teresa & Paul Jennings

We feel certain that this song is a soon-to-be classic in our already excellent library of autumn tunes. Set in a laid-back big band swing style (a la Count Basie), it's just so much fun to sing! And as always, Paul's stellar jazz orchestration on the recording does not disappoint.

The topic, is of course, the real focus of the tune. There's just something about the array of rich, beautiful colors in the autumn that lifts our spirits and makes us want to smile. And sing! Whether you use the student parts or the lyric pages, the best and easiest way for kids to learn this one is to sing along with the recording. It's all unison, fairly easy, and, by the way, reinforces their ability to swing whether they know it or not.

Introducing visuals to your performance would certainly enhance it. You could use photos, projections, drawings, even actual examples of fallen leaves that kids hold up as the corresponding colors are mentioned.

Dancing in the autumn

Obviously our talented choreographer Melissa Schott thinks this song is a good one, too, as she has chosen it for creating this issue's featured dance piece. She offers suggestions your students can learn for a performance or just for the fun of it. You will find information about her ideas which include a video and PDF tutorial on our web site, free of charge.

Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.