For Narrator Children's Choir And Instrumental Accompaniment (Piano Version)-Following on the success of her two operatic works for children and teens – Douce et Barbe Bleue Les Fables Enchantées Little Thummie and Cendrillon (based on Perrault) as well as the adaptation of Maupassant’s short story The Dumpling (2014) – Isabelle Aboulker once again hits the bull’s eye with Myla And The Boat-Tree a commission from the Villecroze Music Academy. In 2015 this musical tale for Narrator Children’s Choir and Instrumental Accompaniment was awarded the “Music for Young Performers Prize” by the French Music Publishers Association. Both in the French version and MarciMeth’s excellent English translation it provides the material for an enthralling educational adventure in which children between the ages of five and eight are invited into their first experience of opera and choir singing. With her trademark finesse and sensitivity the composer tells the story of a little girl dealing with the death of a person she’d cherished above all: her grandfather. Written for choir in unison this tale wafts shimmering melodies over an instrumental accompaniment suffused in turn with gentle melancholy and light humour. An art that speaks from an open heart. The work was written in three versions: for Narrator Children’s Choir and Piano (AL30732) for Narrator Children’s Choir and Trio (Clarinet in Bb Cello and Piano: AL30733) for Narrator Children’s Choir and Instrumental Ensemble (Flute Oboe Clarinet in Bb Bassoon Horn Trumpet in C Trombone Percussion 2 Violins Alto Cello Bass: AL30734) Choral score: AL30743 Listen to Isabelle Aboulker talking about “Myla and the Boat-Tree”:

An attractive short piece for Nativity which makes an ideal concert item for unison voices and piano (with words by George Mackay Brown) commissioned by The Times for Christmas 1993.

This selection of rounds has been arranged with care and is a welcome addition to the very familiar set of carols and popular songs of the season.Round singing is one of the simplest forms of polyphony and is an effective tool in teaching music in the classroom as each line can be taught by rote then assembled quickly into harmonies. Music educator Kenneth Simpson was a proponent of the Kodaly Method of music pedagogy and while this book of charming rounds is not a Kodaly publication it certainly fulfills the Method’s goal of using high quality music in short simple forms.

The “Hymnz4Kidz” series burst forth last year with considerable fanfare led by one of the brightest new names in sacred music Heather Sorenson. Now comes the latest release: Holy Holy Holy. Traditional hymnsdressed in fresh and snazzy outfits that captivate young singers and teach them our legacy of hymnody is grabbing everyone's attention. The series offers a host of correlating products: Accompaniment Tracks Orchestral Score andParts and a downloadable Digital Toolkit (including a short skit director's resources activity sheet and much more). Teaching old hymns has never been so much fun!