Little Bird: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Words and music by Wayne Dauer
Item: 00-PO-0007589
$2.20
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
Pickup currently not available
Description
This expressive partner song offers easily learned, artful melodies that will allow choirs to focus on phrasing and musicality. A short bridge with stacked harmonies adds contrast and richness before the two tunes combine, creating a charming performance that invites singers to "soar high among the clouds."
Little Bird: 2-Part Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0007589
More about this title
About the Composer: Wayne Dauer
Wayne Dauer is an Australian composer and educator whose career centers on making music accessible and joyful for young singers. Since 1997, he has worked primarily with elementary-age students, developing comprehensive curricula across guitar, ukulele, and percussion while composing hundreds of children's songs that reflect the personalities and experiences of his students.
Dauer studied piano at university with secondary training in voice, classical guitar, and choral conducting, and pursued composition studies with leading Australian composers including Mary Mageau. In recent years, his focus has shifted toward writing choral music for younger ensembles. His belief that music develops students mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally drives both his teaching and his compositional choices.
Why we love this
Dauer's understanding of young singers shines through in the way he balances accessibility with genuine musicality. The partner song structure gives your singers room to develop phrasing and expressive singing without wrestling with complex rhythms or ranges, and that bridge moment with stacked harmonies provides exactly the kind of musical payoff that builds confidence and joy in performance.
What to expect
The music captures a sense of lightness and wonder, with easily singable melodies that soar without demanding extensive range. The combination of the two tunes creates an immediate sense of harmonic richness, and the imagery of birds and clouds invites singers into a world of gentle, uplifting lyricism.
Who it's for
This octavo works well for developing choirs and upper elementary groups who are ready to handle partner songs but still benefit from straightforward, engaging melodic material. It suits singers who are beginning to think about phrasing and expression beyond note accuracy.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the melodic phrases with attention to the text's imagery; encourage singers to visualize the bird's journey before marking breath points.
- Rehearse the two-part sections separately first, then layer them gradually so singers can hear how their line relates to the other part before performing together.
- Spend time on the harmonic bridge to ensure singers understand their role in the stacked texture; this moment deserves clarity and blend.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to establish tempo and support intonation, particularly during the combined section where both melodies sound simultaneously.
How to use it
Program this as a concert opener or as part of a spring or end-of-year celebration where the charming, accessible nature sets a warm tone for your audience. It pairs naturally with other Dauer pieces or lighter repertoire, and its brief length (8 pages) makes it an ideal addition to a program featuring longer works.
Skills your students will build
- Singing two independent melodic lines simultaneously
- Phrasing and expressive singing with attention to text painting
- Blending within a harmonic texture
- Partner song independence and listening to another part