This is a collection of a cappella arrangements of Queen songs for advanced senior mixed voice choir. Most are AATBB as I wrote them for an all male group, but they couls easily be sung by females with a good range. Enjoy!
I’ve transcribed/edited/updated a skit from “The Axis of Awesome” who are a comedy rock trio which can be found on youtube. Be careful as it contains a bit of swearing!
They perform a mixture of many songs, arguing that you only need 4 chords (I, V, VI, IV or G, D, Em, C) to perform (nearly) any pop song…ever.
My version lasts about 6.5 minutes and is a great party piece that will make students (and adults) aware of how easy it can be to write a song, and that so many existing hit songs are related.
I’ve included a demo, a script, piano, vocal and small ensemble parts. To help the audience, I also produced a list of the songs and turned it into a flip book that one of the performers turned as each song was sung.
Enjoy!
An actual first hand account of my father's experience crossing the English channel and landing on Sword Beach. Derek N James was in the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) and was mentioned in dispatches by the king. He has since worked as an aircraft engineer, commentator and aviation journalist and author.
I've orchestrated Aladdin Jr for a small group, and also have backing mp3s for your cast to rehearse with. Instruments written for:
Violin 1, Violin 2, Flute, Trumpet, Alto Sax 1, Alto Sax 2, guitar (just notated chords), piano, up to 3 keyboards (including bass guitar keyboard) and up to 3 percussion instruments.
If you download, I'd really appreciate a comment or feedback!
Here are 7 songs from Frozen, which I arranged for our Year 6 show this year. I did it on Sibelius 5 but have shared them here as PDFs, and am happy to send the Sib files directly. I'll also upload midi files of these arrangements.
Please could you give it a rating and maybe a comment (constructive or otherwise) as I'll probably have to do more of these, which I will, of course, share!
I arranged some Matilda songs for a Year 6 show and would like to share them here for free. I have each song on Sibelius if you’d like to edit it, and you’re welcome to email me directly at bdj179@hotmail.com . If you DO email me, and don’t get a response within a couple of weeks, do write again as your message will have gone to my spam folder and I may have missed it… thanks!
Hi I've orchestrated Aladdin Jr for a small orcherstra and have also uploaded these as PDFs. Here they are as Sib files if you'd like to edit them for your ensemble. Any questions to bdj179@hotmal.com.
I arranged this for an intermediate level Year 6 band. You'll see I've started to write the tune in the vocal just as an indication but haven't bothered to notate the whole thing. Hopefully it should follow the same structure as the original. I can provide individual instrument parts if you contact me directly bdj179@hotmail.com or give a review and comment there. Enjoy!
This goes with the other folder of 7 Frozen songs that I've orchestrated. The parts vary in challenge. The violins are grade 4 level, the flute is higher, the brass is grade 1, the pianos are grade 5, the ukulele and guitars are mostly chords. Contact me at bdj179@hotmail.com for more resources
A song written for an assembly which featured Year 5 childrens’ literacy work on alternative endings, based on the book ‘The Lost Happy Endings’ by Carol Ann Duffy. This combines the unit of work from Year 5 class band (all children learn the ukulele primarily the chords C, Am, F, G), and the pupils’ own ideas for alternative endings. In the event, I played the guitar lightly in the background to support half the class who sang the song, and the other half played the uke. I’ve also included a demo but haven’t notated it.
I wrote a parody of ‘It’s My Life’ for a Year 5 assembly that focusses on Maths. The year group is obsessed with the ‘TTRockstars’ app (that builds knowledge of the times tables) so the teacher wanted to do a song at the end incorporating this theme. In music we’ve been leaning how to play chords on the ukulele so I taught them the song (transposed to Am) and changed the words. I also did a silly video to introduce the song. Enjoy!
A simple arrangement of the pop hit 'Wake me up' for alto sax, trumpet, trombone, piano (chords but simple) and bass (optional)
I arranged this for Year 5 students who have been playing for 5 months, and wanted to start their own band. It's an instrumental arrangement, but you could add the vocals yourself.
Here’s the Mary Poppins script with my arrangements of most of the well known songs. It was arranged for Year 6 players, so some are more challenging that others. I can send you a specific Sibelius 5 file and you’re welcome to email me directly at bdj179@hotmail.com . If you DO email me, and don’t get a response within a couple of weeks, do write again as your message will have gone to my spam folder and I may have missed it… thanks!Enjoy!
For an assembly about the Sun/Solar System, I adapted 'The Sun's Travels' and wrote music for it. I've uploaded the words and a simple recording of the kids singing it. If you like it, I can make a backing track for you and send it directly or upload it here. I never got round to notating it.