Three Poems (from A Child's Garden of Verses): 2-Part Choral Octavo

The Perrys have transformed Stevenson's beloved poetry into music that respects both the text and the singers. Each poem receives its own distinct musical personality without requiring advanced vocal technique, making this set ideal for building a young choir's confidence while maintaining genuine artistic merit.

These settings capture the whimsical, nostalgic spirit of Stevenson's verses while grounding them in accessible musical language. The collection moves from the playful energy of childhood games to moments of quiet reflection, creating a small journey that feels complete despite its brevity.

Young 2-part choirs preparing for concerts, festivals, or adjudication who want repertoire that sounds more advanced than it is to sing. These pieces work equally well for middle school choirs building foundational skills and upper elementary ensembles ready for slightly more sophisticated material.

• Attend to the rhythmic precision in The Swing's back-and-forth motion; the piece gains its charm from clean, crisp articulation of the alternating phrases.
• Balance the parts carefully in Looking Forward so the precocious melody emerges clearly without the second part fading into accompaniment.
• Let the piano's river-like accompaniment in Where Go the Boats? breathe; resist rushing, and allow the piano to shape the phrase arcs.
• Consider performing these pieces in order as presented, since the emotional arc from playful to wistful creates a satisfying concert statement.

Program all three as a unified suite to showcase your choir's range and musicality, or select individual pieces to complement a thematic concert. The sophisticated yet approachable character makes them especially effective for adjudication or as part of a family concert where both young performers and audiences will feel engaged.

• Singing sustained lines while maintaining phrase shape
• Balancing two independent melodic lines
• Text expression and interpretation of poetry
• Ensemble cohesion through rhythmic precision
• Dynamic contrast and shaping across short-form pieces