Calling all pop music buffs or music teachers. Music for a junior school orchestra?

[smartiejake]

Ok I am a music co-ordinator in a junior school and have responsibility for the school orchestra which I love doing.

I have another thread at the moment about an arrangement of a song for my orchestra to play that I spent all weekend doing which I now cannot use.

SO come on music buffs/ teachers. I need a well known pop song not too fast or rhythmical for 8-11 year olds to play (but one that their parents in the audience would know- not ABBA)

The instruments are mainly windy (recorders, flutes, tenors, trebles, sax, with some xylos and a few guitars.

I don't need the sheet music as I can work this out but a youtube link might be good!

Any ideas? I am so fed up I can't be bothered to think about it!

are the guitarists playing chords or melody?

I feel it in my fingers (Wet Wet Wet)

Reach for the stars

You are on fire little fish I feel it in my fingers is a really good one- I love that song!

debs the guitars play tunes (guitar teacher not cool enough to teach them chords!)
I will e-mail you shortly thanks

[simle]

Glad to help - I run a school choir and I know what it's like trying to find suitable repertoire!

Is it more important to have something the children know, or something the parents know?

Why don't you make a list of all the bands/groups the children like and then see if there is any cross over with bands that the parents will have heard of, or who have been around for at least 25 years.

This one will have all the parents going!

Only want to be with you

The parents are quite youngish so something from the last 10 years or so would be good. Or something that has been covered recently.

WHat was the first link you suggested "This one will have all the parents goin" it didn't work?

I have already found a MIDI file for the wet wet wet song will suggest it too my kids tomorrow.

It was A-Ha - Take on me. However, if they're young parents, they probably won't know it. I just has such a catchy tune at the beginning

Dreaming of you - The Coral has a great ostinato running through it, but it's probably not well known enough.

Something by Take That?

Have been listening to "Love is all around me" on you tube and have down loaded the midi file into my sibelius software. Think it might be the one -you are a star.

But still want to do the one I spent 20 hours arranging this weekend! (Take that- Rule the world)

AHHH cross post.

I love Take That they are perfect for my orchestra (sobs) Did patience 2 years ago (which sounded just great)

Why can't you use the Take That one?

Have you hear "The Coral" one above) - I know it's no good for this one, but I think it would be great for a school orchestra - a real toe-tapper!

Hope the children like "love is all around me".

The reason I can't use the take that song is explained here on the thread I started earlier.

By the way debs- thank dh for the file! I love mumsnet!

Oh that really is crappy, isn't it!

Keep the Take That song and use it next year though.

Yes I will but problem is that the parts are written specifically for the kids I have this year especially the flutes who are stunning (one just passed her grade 1 with 140!)and a great little sax player I have. They were going to play the main part of the tune between them.

Unfortunately they are in year 6 and I have no other players who would cope with their parts!

Oh crap! That won't work then, will it.

I've got some wonderful singers in y6 and almost no-one from y5 in the choir, so things are going to fall apart at the end of the year.

It's always the way, isn't it. You get thing just the way you want them, and the buggers up and leave .

Just looked at your photo's on your profile littlefish- do you think there is a link between musicality and an ability to decorate cakes? That's one of my hobbies too!

Definitely a link! Must be all that creativity looking for a quiet outlet

Great news!!

The organiser of the music festival e-mailed me today and against the odds managed to find a school to swap nights with us so I can play the Take That song after all.

But I do need a second solo item so I will do the Wet wet wet song too!

Oh that's fantastic news! I'm so glad your 20 hours preparation wasn't in vain! Now, have you got time to spend 20 hours on Wet Wet Wet?

Actually I really enjoy arranging music for my orchestra (bit of a hobby really as well as work) so I don't mind doing spending lots of time on it (as long as I can actually use it!)

But hopefully won't take me quite so long as the take that son. Hope not as, besides two solo items, I also have to arrange three accompaniments for my orchestra to play along side the massed choirs that also take part in this festival!