A Scottish Riddle: Choral SoundTrax CD

Name: A Scottish Riddle: Choral SoundTrax CD
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-51518
Price: 29.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Words and music by Mary Donnelly and George L. O. Strid

Item: 00-51518

$29.99

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"Oh good heavens, so many sevens!" You don't need a calculator to enjoy this humorous piece, inspired by a nursery rhyme. Featuring independent voice parts and back-and-forth singing, this number-crunching novelty travels swiftly through different keys and tempos for dramatic effect. And even if you lose count along the way, on the last page, the riddle is solved!

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Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

UPC: 038081590189

SKU: 00-51518

More about this title

About the Composer: Mary Donnelly

Mary Donnelly's path to music education began unexpectedly. A Nevada native with degrees in English and French, she discovered her passion for teaching music through organizing children's choruses while still in college. She returned to school for music certification and earned a Master's in Education from Lesley College, where she studied arts integration across the curriculum. Over thirty years in the Washoe County schools, she taught general music and choir to elementary and middle school students.

In 1985, Donnelly met composer George L. O. Strid while team-teaching a sixth-grade class. Their principal challenged them to write a musical for Reading Week, launching a prolific partnership that has produced more than two hundred songs and twenty-five stage works. Both are active members of ACDA and ASCAP, and their collaborative output reflects decades of direct classroom experience.

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Why we love this

Donnelly and Strid understand how to weaponize humor in a way that actually teaches. The modulations and tempo shifts aren't random flourishes; they genuinely serve the comedic timing and the riddle's narrative arc. Your choir gets to crack jokes with their voices while managing independent parts and rhythmic precision, which makes the challenge feel like play rather than drill work.

What to expect

Playful arithmetic meets musical storytelling. The piece bounces from key to key with the energy of a children's game show, complete with the satisfaction of finally solving the riddle when all the pieces click into place. It's the sound of voices having fun while actually pulling off something musically sophisticated.

Who it's for

This works for elementary and middle school choirs ready to handle multiple voice parts and harmonic independence. It's ideal for singers who enjoy text-driven humor and can sustain focus through tonal shifts without losing their bearings.

How to get the most out of it

Exaggerate the back-and-forth exchanges like you're bouncing a joke back and forth across the stage. The energy in the space should telegraph that something funny is happening before the audience even catches the math.
Map out the key changes on a whiteboard before rehearsal so singers see the roadmap. This isn't a piece where they discover modulations by accident; the shifts need to land with intention.
Lean into the recorded accompaniment's tempo choices rather than fighting them. The rhythm section and harmonic support are mixed to drive the piece forward, so match their momentum rather than trying to shape it differently.

How to use it

Open a concert with this to signal that the next hour will surprise people. It pairs well in a family concert or school assembly where you want to remind the room that choral music doesn't always mean reverence. The humor also makes it memorable for students to perform and audiences to take home, which extends the educational impact beyond the concert itself.