Take Me Back (A New American Folk Song) - SATB, piano
This original folk song written in a style similar to Skip to My Lou and Bile Them Cabbage Down is a look back at our musical past. In a world of disconnectedness, people are looking for ways to connect. This song looks back at a time when people came together to sing and tell stories. By learning from our past, we can learn how to negotiate the future.
This song makes a great concert opener or closer! It is a raucous, galloping good time set for SATB choir and piano. The piece is also available for chorus and full orchestra (available here: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/21412551). Written for a high school choir, the piece has also been performed by the University of Washington Chorale and the Ensign Symphony & Chorus in Seattle, WA.
See and Hear the song by clicking here:
The Jabberwock - SATBB, a cappella
Your choir will quiver in their shoes at this rich setting of Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky" from Alice Through the Looking Glass and What She Saw There. Set for SATBB a cappella choir with word painting galore. Suitable for concerts or festivals for high school, college, or community choirs.
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Music Word Puzzles (eBook)
This collection of nearly 200 music word puzzles is a great activity for music students, casual music fans, or serious music lovers. Learn a multitude of musical terms in a fun new way! Downloadable PDF includes ten puzzle pages and an answer guide and glossary of terms.
If you like this item, also check out C is for Composer, the alphabet book of western art music composers.
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C is For Composer (eBook)
This fun alphabet book covers composers from A (Armstrong) to Z (Zwilich). Photos and brief descriptions help introduce children (and adults!) to the world of amazing compositions. Composer descriptions include photos, biographical information, as well as major works that the reader can look up later.
Also available to order as a physical book. Click here!
The Fellow That Looked Like Me - TTB, piano
The Fellow That Looked Like Me is a folk song remembered and recorded by Mrs. Carrie Grover. She was raised surrounded by song from both her mother and father. In a time when electronics were not a distraction, song was a means of entertainment and story telling. This song is from her father's side, from either Wales or England. In 1973, she published a collection of 140 of the songs from her memory in a volume called A Heritage of Songs. The book is currently out of print, but efforts are being made to transcribe each tune and make them available in the public domain.
Mrs. Grover states the following in the introduction to A Heritage of Songs: "The singing of songs played a large part in the daily lives of my family as no doubt it did in the lives of other families of that time. My grandmother sang at her spinning wheel and at her loom...I have heard my oldest brother say that she would spin and sing all day and never sing the same song twice. He said she knew more songs than anyone he ever knew.
"As I began to grow old myself, I came to a better realization of what these old songs meant to my parents and began working on my collection in real earnest, cheered on by the thought of how much happiness it would give them if they could know."
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Solus - SATB, div., a cappella
Solus - Alone - This piece was written to capture the feeling of being alone. Being alone is not
necessarily a bad thing.Most of us do our best thinking when we are alone. Sometimes being
alone can be the start of something beautiful. One girl alone in her room recording herself singing just the soprano line of a song brought thousands of people together to create visually stunning virtual choirs. Thousands of voices singing together, alone.
Being alone is different than being lonely.
This song is the second movement in the larger piece Semper Solus In Turba. This is a motto I came up with for myself in 2016 which translates to "Always Alone in a Crowd." I feel this way a lot - the feeling of being an outsider or lonely, even in the midst of a large group of people.As I thought more about this motto, I came to realize that it means a lot more than that.All of us have those qualities about us that make us unique in a crowd. Semper Solus In Turba therefore became a celebration of our individuality. Be proud of who you are and embrace what makes you...you!
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Watch a performance by the University of Washington Graduate Cohort Ensemble by clicking here.
Consider the Music - SATB, piano
See Seattle First Baptist Church perform this piece: https://youtu.be/PnggZ-Lrk_Q
Consider the Music
Steve Danielson
Consider the magic
Consider the wonder
Consider the hearts you touch with your sound
Creating the power
Creating the music
Reaching the crying soul, longing to be found.
Open your heart
Lift up your voice
Join with us in unity and song!
Reach out your hand
Lift up your head
Together, our music will be strong!
Sing to the one who’s filled with sadness
Sing to the one who’s filled with cheer
Like a hug, a kiss, a hand to hold
Give them warmth that they can hear.
Think of the weary
The long journey home
Think of the one who needs you most today
Consider the magic
Consider the music
Give the gift of all you have to say
Open your heart
Lift up your voice
Join with us in unity and song!
Reach out your hand
Lift up your head
Together, our music will be strong!
Open your heart
Lift up your voice
Join with us in unity and song!
Reach out your hand
Lift up your head
Together, you and me, our music will be strong!
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Also available for SAB.
Consider the Music - SAB, piano
THIS IS THE VERSION FOR SAB CHOIR. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SATB, CLICK HERE.
See Seattle First Baptist Church perform this piece: https://youtu.be/PnggZ-Lrk_Q
Consider the Music
Steve Danielson
Consider the magic
Consider the wonder
Consider the hearts you touch with your sound
Creating the power
Creating the music
Reaching the crying soul, longing to be found.
Open your heart
Lift up your voice
Join with us in unity and song!
Reach out your hand
Lift up your head
Together, our music will be strong!
Sing to the one who’s filled with sadness
Sing to the one who’s filled with cheer
Like a hug, a kiss, a hand to hold
Give them warmth that they can hear.
Think of the weary
The long journey home
Think of the one who needs you most today
Consider the magic
Consider the music
Give the gift of all you have to say
Open your heart
Lift up your voice
Join with us in unity and song!
Reach out your hand
Lift up your head
Together, our music will be strong!
Open your heart
Lift up your voice
Join with us in unity and song!
Reach out your hand
Lift up your head
Together, you and me, our music will be strong!
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here. (SATB version)
Save the Dream - from Rogue One: A Star Wars Musical, TBB, piano
The hit song from the non-existent musical, Rogue One: A Star Wars Musical. Inspired by the hosts of the podcast, Star Wars Minute, this piece is sung by Saw Gerrera after Jyn Urso has seen the hologram message from her father that awakens her to the cause of the rebels.
Written in the style of a power ballad that can make sense outside of Star Wars setting, this TTB version will be a hit with your men's ensemble whether they are Star Wars fans or not.
Also available as a vocal solo:
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Save the Dream - from Rogue One: A Star Wars Musical (Vocal Solo)
The hit song from the non-existent musical, Rogue One: A Star Wars Musical. Inspired by the hosts of the podcast, Star Wars Minute, this piece is sung by Saw Gerrera after Jyn Erso has seen the hologram message from her father that awakens her to the cause of the rebels.
Written in the style of a power ballad that can make sense outside of Star Wars setting, this solo version will be a hit with your audience whether they are Star Wars fans or not.
Also available for TBB choir
Hear Steve perform this solo by Clicking Here.
Different Paths - from Rogue One: A Star Wars Musical
This duet from the non-existent Rogue One musical takes place at the end of Act I as Jyn and Galen Erso are reunited right before Galen dies. They sing this duet as a way to say goodbye.
Hear and See the sheet music by clicking here.
Moscow Nights - SATB, piano
This Russian song speaks of the love of one's home as one of the most beautiful places on earth. Home brings memories of childhood, love, and family. Perfect for high school concert festivals, or perhaps a community choir concert about home or community.
Moscow Nights
Music by V. Solovyev-Sedoy
Lyrics by M. Matusovsky
Arrangement by Steve Danielson
Performed in Russian
(English Translation by Jerry Silverman, used with permission)
Stillness in the grove, not a rustling sound,
Softly shines the moon clear and bright.
Dear, if you could know how I treasure so
This most beautiful Moscow night.
Lazily the brook, like a silvery stream,
Ripples gently in the moonlight;
And song afar fades as in a dream
In the spell of this summer night.
Dearest, why so sad, why the downcast eyes,
And your lovely head bend so low?
Oh, it's hard to speak, and yet not to speak
Of the longing my heart does know.
Promise me, my love, as the dawn appears
And the darkness turns into light,
That you'll cherish, dear, through the passing years,
This most beautiful Moscow night.
Hear and see the sheet music by clicking here.
Pomp and Circumstance in 7/8 - piano solo
Once upon a time, I was challenged to write an arrangement of Pomp and Circumstance in 7/8 and in a minor key. This short little piece was the result of an afternoon of work. I hope you enjoy it!
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Be Still - piano solo
I wrote this piece with a specific scene in mind. I was picturing the storm with Christ asleep on a boat and his Apostles frantically trying to save their own lives. As the storm reaches a climax, Jesus rises and rebukes the storm, "Peace, be still." One of the most beautiful soprano solos I know comes in the third to last movement of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, so I quoted that music as the transition to the Peace.
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Dream a Dream - Three Part Mixed
In 2015, my daughter graduated from Appling Middle School in Bartlett, TN. During the ceremony, the principal read a poem written by one of the graduating eighth graders, Katelyn Clemmer. I was moved by the poetry and contacted the principal to get in touch with Katelyn to ask permission to set the poem for choir. I then contacted Nick Wammack, the excellent director of the AMS Honors Choir (of which my daughter had been a part and my son would be a part of the following year) to ask if I could write a piece specifically for them. He was delighted to have the opportunity to premiere a new piece and helped give me parameters for his middle school voices.
This was premiered in May 2016 by the Appling Middle School Honor Choir.
Lyrics: Dream a Dream, by Katelyn Clemmer
Dream a dream today
And forget of yesterdays.
Dream a dream you never let go
for God who knows.
Dream a dream that
keeps you alive
For it lies ahead of us
for something that strives.
Dream a dream like you
never did before.
Dream a dream that
opens many doors.
So allow God to turn you
into a dreamer today.
For through this he can use you
In a mighty way.
Dream a dream that will last a lifetime.
The ones that come from above
For God will plant these dreams
In our lives as a way
to show his love.
Dream a dream today.
See and hear the sheet music by clicking here.
Bwana ni Mchungaji Wangu - SATB, a cappella
Kenyan Swahili Praise and Worship Chorus Music by Reuben Kigame arr. by Steve Danielson Performance on Feb 16, 2020 at Parklands Baptist Church in Nairobi, Kenya. Commissioned by the Jobel Chorale in Nairobi. Performed by the combined chorus: Jobel Chorale, the Renewals Chamber Chorus, and the Golden Tones Chorale. Lyrics: Psalm 23 (The Lord is My Shepherd)
Hear the combined choir performance by clicking here.
Hear a performance of the Jobel Choral by clicking here.
Hear and see the sheet music by clicking here.
Sing to the Lord - SATB div., a cappella
This bouncy piece for SATB div. choir is very exciting. It is complex rhythmically, but rewarding to perform. Text based on Psalm 98. Great for festivals, concerts, or general worship. Your choir and audience will love it!
Hear and see the sheet music by clicking here.
The Croppy Boy
About the Song
The Croppy Boy takes place during the Irish uprising of 1798. The rebels, inspired by the French Revolutionaries, cropped their hair short, thus earning the nickname "croppies."The bulk of the fighting happened in Wexford Town. In this song, a young rebel is captured and taken before Lord Cornwallis (Cornwall in the song), commander of the British forces. He is sentenced and sent to Duncannon, a government prison on the Wexford side of the Waterford Harbor, to await his sad fate. The green he wears is a symbol of Irish nationalism and for refusing to denounce the "green," he is charged with treason, a capital crime.
About this Arrangement
This is a popular Irish folk song which can be found in many sources and with varying tunes. This arrangement is a conglomeration of five of these variations. Each was written in triple meter and with a similar rhythmic impetus so combining them creates a seamless setting.
For further study, the melodies can be found in the following sources:
Verse 1 and 3, A Heritage of Songs by Carrie Grover, Norwood Editions, 1973
Verse 2, The Voice of the People, Ed. by Michael Mulcahy and Marie Fitzgibbon, O'Brien Press, 1982
Verse 4, Old Irish Folk Music and Songs: A Collection of 842 Irish Airs and Songs Hitherto Unpublished, by P.W. Joyce, Hodges, Figgs, and Co., Ltd., 1909
Verse 5. Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folk Songs, Ed. by Maud Karpeles, Oxford University Press, 1974
Verse 6 and 7, Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, Ed. by William Cole, Doubleday & Co., 1961
Using a comparison of the lyrics of all the versions (12 possible verses), a new set of lyrics was created melding elements from all five variations.
Hear and see the music by clicking here!
The Seller of Dreams - voice/piano
Lyrics by L.M. Montgomery
from "Emily Climbs"
I've always considered myself somewhat of an optimist. This song speaks to my optimistic nature in the midst of COVID-19 scares, worries, and disheartening news. "The Seller of Dreams" is offering you any vision or invention you can dream. Dreams may not always end up as we expect, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't still dream.
This was one of those moments where I was struck by a text and knew I had to set it to music. It took me the better part of a day to write this one (hooray for quarantine!) and then I premiered it on YouTube that evening. It's a composed with a lively lilt set to lift the heart and soul.
Hear and see the sheet music by clicking here.
Angels We Have Heard on High - TTBB
To view a score video for this arrangement, click here.
Good Samaritan (Vocal Duet)
Good Samaritan tells the story from the New Testament from the perspective of the victim and the Samaritan. Told in a way that can be applicable to modern singers. Written for two male voice, it can be adapted to any two singers.
Watch the score video of this duet HERE.
Lead Kindly Light/Poor Wayfaring Stranger (recorder, piano)
This arrangement is for soprano recorder and piano, though the solo part could really be played on any C instrument. My son recently performed it on a tenor recorder and the mellow sound of the tenor was lovely!
Score video, click here!
These I Can Promise, SATB, div., a cappella
This beautiful short piece about marriage helps us realize that, though life together may not be perfect, it's worth it. Consider this piece for a concert about love, relationships, or understanding. High School +
See and hear the score by clicking here.