I'm John Gleadall - teaching for 40 years and finding that bespoke material that matches and challenges the ability profile of the children is a good way forward. 20 years in 'socially challenged' schools, 10 years in a more leafy area and 10 years in junior school - it's a good mix and has resulted in a wide variety of musical material for children.
I'm John Gleadall - teaching for 40 years and finding that bespoke material that matches and challenges the ability profile of the children is a good way forward. 20 years in 'socially challenged' schools, 10 years in a more leafy area and 10 years in junior school - it's a good mix and has resulted in a wide variety of musical material for children.
The Shepherds meet the angels meet the wise men in a three part contrapuntal song with a Bollywood dance routine in the middle - just listen to it! Heavily influenced by Middle eastern music tradition with a splash of Bhangra.
Check out the You Tube demo vocal.
From ‘The Nativity Play’ also on the TES resources site. Any questions or request, please get in touch at kidzmusicals@icloud.com
A new song from ‘The Nativity Play’ (available on TES resources) which highlights the relationship between Joseph and Mary. This can be done as a boy girl duet or as a boy girl duet with all singing the chorus , or simply have all boys singing Joseph and all girls singing Mary.
Vocal demo at :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH7X02zhmUI&t=5s
A gentle piano accompaniment to heartfelt lyrics - see below:
Joseph (boys)
When you were lonely
I stood by your side
When you were frightened
I helped you decide
I watched you suffer
I hurt when you cried
I knew the truth
So I made you my bride ( And)
All
the baby’s a miracle
A sweet mystery
And we will help him show the way
Yes the baby’s a miracle
A new History
Begins from this moment today
Mary (girls)
Why I was chosen
I can’t say I know
Why you stayed with me
When I thought you’d go
We’re on this journey
My Heart is aglow
To know you are with me
Just to know we can show (that)…
kidzmusicals@icloud.com
Year three asked for a song about poetry for their class assembly.
We discovered that there is a worldwide dearth of poetry numbers so we made one up using the poetic
"vocab - u - lary " (listen to the demo) they are learning about.
You could do what we did and make up your own lyrics?
If anybody really needs a score then let me know and I'll make one.
kidsmusicals@icloud.com
musicals4kidz
Choral arrangement of I'll Think Of You - the children just LOVE this! Check out the video link - there are also tutorial videos on how to do the Epic Patty Cake Clapping,
It would be nice to get some feedback if you download this arrangement.
Featuring ‘The Button Box’ family. From the same author and composer of ‘The Button Box’ this is Complete Nativity Play with songs suitable for year 2 up to year 5. The parts range from VERY easy parts to more challenging parts, catering for the full ability range. The show comes complete with script, backing tracks and demo tracks. If you want to hack it about to suit your children, please do - the children are more important than the script.
Go to the You Tube link for a vocal demo of all the songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_8CBVWJf74
If you would like any key changes or extra bits - just get in touch, everything is possible. If you would like a school visit please ask .
Lots of speaking parts (literally dozens) so you can do this with a whole phase or a whole year group.
The ‘Stable Song’ can also be accompanied by ukulele.
Exciting eastern style dancing plus a variety of choral singing - written by a teacher to suit the demands of busy teachers.
Six brand new songs with an optional Megamix at the end. Please feedback your views - I’m thinking of putting a completely new finale song in instead of the megamix - would this be too much to learn? I don’t think so…
The price includes performance royalties - and you can make a DVD or CD if you want to - just let me know please.
John Gleadall kidzmusicals@icloud.com
A song written for year two pupils looking at seeds, sun, water, light etc. The year two children came up with the vocabulary they have learned whilst learning about seeds and how they grow. Feel free to add your own verses or get the children to write their own lyrics. The melody is quite 'bendy' and will adapt to different length phrases. Please feedback any good ideas!
A song sung by the families of three soldiers in the Gallipoli campaign - you'll have to listen to the song and read the full description in the downloadable document if you're interested - it's too complicated to explain in this space! It's 100 years since the Gallipoli landings. If you'd like to perform the song you'll have to get in touch and tell me what key - this is a challenging sing! I've demo'd it in Bm - but the score and backing track here is in Gm. This song is from my musical 'The Canterville Ghost'.
There's a version on You Tube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE40AGRWPAE
kidzmusicals@icloud.com
Whilst on a songwriting afternoon with the girls of a local junior school, we decided to write a song of thanks to the amazing Stephen Sutton. We thought we would record it and send it to him and his family. Sadly Stephen passed away before we could realise the plan, but the thoughts and ideas remained, so I have put them all together in this song - Make A Difference Every Single Day - which was his rallying cry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfJsA0k8weo
kidzmusicals@icloud.com
Irrestible contrapuntal melodies in this song about the 3 wise men travelling to Bethlehem complete with very easy harmonies - two tunes that are easily sung. There’s a middle eastern ethnic element to the ‘street beat’ rhythm. THIS REALLY WORKS AND THE CHILDREN LOVE IT!!!
I’ve rescored this with easy guitar chords.
The children can practice at home with the You Tube demo and the learning aids on my website.
Get in touch if you need help or more information, or wish to comment about the song.
Here’s the old spiritual ‘Dem Bones Dem Dry Bones’. Lyrics and backing track provided - provide your own apostrophes though! Handy song if you’re ‘doing’ the skeleton.
kidzmusicals@icloud.com
It's that time of year and here's an easy arrangement for a bizarre collection of instruments.(The ones available in my junior school!) It's in C - dead easy in the verse and something more challenging for the more advanced children in the middle eight. If you need any other instruments JUST GET IN TOUCH. There's a demo track and a backing track of just bass and drums.
It would be lovely to get some feedback if you download this arrangement.
kidzmusicals@icloud.com
A wonderful new Christmas song by John Gleadall. A reworking of ‘Away in a Manger’ in a Gospel style with a great contrapuntal chorus with three melodies coming together to finish the song. This is a challenge - but totally worthwhile, the end result is superb! There is a short musical interlude in the middle, ready for an appropriate reading as a voice over. I’ve done this from year 3 to full church choirs. It’s my favourite composition!
You have the demo, the backing track and the lyrics and score in this package.
As a ‘home learning aid’ I’ve recorded the parts individually and put them on my website, also on You Tube - so you can send your choir home and ask them to learn part 1, 2 or three at home - there’s NEVER enough rehearsal time. Please let me know if this is helpful.
Also there’s a You Tube demo of the song
By the way you should obviously get your sweetest, dearest child to sing the ‘Away In A Manger’ solo at the top of the song!
This is from ‘The Nativity Play’ - also available on TES resources.
A different kind of Christmas song from John Gleadall. It takes some effort to get this right, but I promise you it totally works; the children want to sing it and play it. It’s a one finger ukulele song and a quirky arrangement with exchanges between boys and girls. I’ve been told it’s not ‘normal’ enough for juniors but I do it every year with year 3 and they just love it. Listen to the demo - you’ll smile. kidzmusicals@icloud.com
A really catchy new Christmas song from John Gleadall, with an infectious tune and beat - you’ll be sick of it by the end of term! Easy to learn and sticks in the brain. Just listen through to the demo and imagine the actions. This song is from ‘Nanny’s Nativity’ - also available on TES resources. If you would like the score or backing track just get in touch - I can provide scores for any instruments you have available: kidzmusicals@icloud.com
This song is by John Gleadall and is from ‘Nanny’s Nativity’ (also available on TES resources) but it works just as well as a stand alone song - as it incorporates ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ you can get the very youngest children to join in. Get in touch if you would like instrumental parts : kidzmusicals@icloud.com
A song written as a songwriting project with year 5 children. Every child in year five wrote a couple of lines using a vocabulary and ideas bank we created through discussion. Then every child sang their own (or somebody else’s ) short phrase. I edited and glued it all together with accompaniment. This is now an assembly song - I think it’s lovely! The demo is sung by the children who wrote it. Get in touch with me, John Gleadall, if you would like the backing track or have any queries: kidzmusicals@icloud.com
A practical project to make a note finder (great Home learning task!). Just follow the instructions on part one (note that you really need to use a craft knife to make this successfully) and then cut out part two and insert into part 1 - slide the notes onto the line or space you want to identify, then just read off the pitches (on treble or bass clef) through the small windows. Part 2 is best on thin card. Once made, use the note finder to solve the musicals code story worksheet. musicals4all.com/contact/
Please leave feedback if you download.
John Gleadall
A ‘Gospelled Up’ version of this song with a new four part bridge section which is totally mesmerising when you get the four year groups singing a part each.
Totally doable and totally good fun - plus you get the whole school doing contrapuntal part singing!!!! The sound on the chorus is amazing when you get the handclaps going……:
John Gleadall
kidzmusicals@icloud.com
A new really good fun song for the Harvest festival written in a Gospel style. This song has proved very popular so I’ve added parts for different year groups. There are now parts for each year group. Check out the audio demo and backing track. If you like this song please comment.
Also please check out ‘Harvest Hoe Down’ which is in a country style complete with line dance! kidzmusicals@icloud.com
plus! REGGAE REGGAE HARVEST! See the You Tube link to this new song.
A simple band arrangement which makes “Twinkle Twinkle” swing. Each section of the band is featured. Check out the demo track - there is also an accompaniment track for those with no bass and drums. If you need more parts or a midi file to drop into Sib. just get in touch kidzmusicals@icloud.com