d'après la nouvelle de Guy de Maupassant-Isabelle Aboulker’s A Girl Called Dumpling for Mixed Choir Narrator and Instrumental Ensemble (Vocal score). “Choosing an opera libretto is always delicate particularly if the work is aimed at young adults or teenagers (performers and audience). Published in 1880 Guy Maupassant's short story 'Dumpling' contains all of the elements essential to the process fruition and purpose of my work. In 1870 France was conquered and occupied. The Prussians marched into Rouen. The analogies with contemporary history are numerous and offer choir conductors and teachers multiple sources of reflection and analysis. The dignitaries whoreadily give in to power and collaborate with the occupier contrast with a young prostitute who is brave generous and patriotic. The libretto was taken straight from the original text though some cuts were necessary in order to keep the rhythm and momentum required in setting Maupassant’s story to music”. -Isabelle Aboulker

A Musical for Young Voices-Can't get enough of this ?way out? school where everybody sings and everything's cool! It's the first day of school and new students Michael Michele and Junior are about to discover what the singing is all about. Theprincipal is quite cheery and loves to vocalize!? Everyone's a winner in Jim the Gym teacher's gym and those classical cooks of the cafeteria are always ready to dine. Even the students in detention are singing . . . the blues and the whacky Science class is really rockin'! Upper elementary and middle school performers will rock to ?Harmony High.? Clever original songs zany antics and creative script writing combine for a truly spectacularmoment on stage that will have everyone singing including the audience! Teacher Edition includes piano/vocal arrangements script choreography and helpful production guide. The script with over 20 speaking parts is adaptable togroups of varying sizes and teaching objectives linked to the National Standards are provided for each song. Singer book offers vocal lines and script parts and the performance/accompaniment CD features the highest qualityrecordings. The expanded Performance Kit provides all you need in one convenient package for extra cost-saving value. Available separately: Teacher Edition Singer 5-Pak Preview CD (with vocals) Preview Pak (1 Singer book 1Preview CD) Performance/Accompaniment CD Performance Kit/CD (Teacher 20 Singer books P/A CD). Duration: ca. 40 minutes. Suggested for grades 4-8.

Sir Terry Pratchett's enquiring adventure into time travel has its young teen hero Johnny Maxwell and his friends confronted with their own bomb-stricken street in WWII. Can they change history and avert the catastrophe? Matthew Holmes' script and song superbly support the plot in a musical for young people to perform and everyone to enjoy. Johnny and his friends travel back in time to their own street site of a bombing raid intended for a nearby industrial complex. 'Collateral damage' is not the only disturbing issue: what happens to the present if you try to save lives in the past? Serious subjects but with Terry Pratchett there's always the humour as well andthe musical includes a host of likeable characters. Matthew Holmes' script skilfully carries the plot along in Terry Pratchett style and his music swings to contemporary pop and the glorious sound of the forties Big Band. The complete performance pack with its photocopiable script and piano vocal score includes everything you need for rehearsing and presenting the final show plus there's full audio support on CD so you don't need to read a note of music.