SONGS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 2022

SCHOOL SONGS/ANTHEMS
Welcome to the schools page. I have taught in secondary schools for over 38 years as head of music/performing arts. During this time I have arranged and composed music for choirs and ensembles, directed concert bands and orchestras and school musicals. I have written two major musicals and co-written another six. As well as this I have composed ten school anthems/songs from lyrics supplied by the schools or simply by studying a school’s prayer or creed and setting these to music. This service is available by contacting me here on the contact page.If you are interested lets have a chat. Recordings are done here in my studio Hotel Sorrento WA.

Below is a sample of anthems written and recorded here at Rodmusic Productions for St John’s School Scarborough, Hammond Park Catholic Primary School, St Thomas Primary School Claremont and Sacred Heart College Sorrento.

PUBLISHING

This is Rodmusic Publishing company where clients can access my original compositions in sheet music form online. They can also listen to and purchase original music composed for theatre, television, film or documentaries, advertising jingles, original contemporary music tracks and virtual soundtracks for a variety of soundtracks and projects. A wide variety of choral music and songs for schools are a feature of this site. I also can represent client’s music and publish and promote their works if necessary. I am currently arranging music and lyrics for three separate stage musical authors.

Rodmusic Publishing will handle and distribute sheet music and production music. Here, you submit f original songs and arrangements or ideas you may have where music or instruments need to be arranged for a variety of musical genres. You can also access large orchestral works such as Uluru Suite and other film scores and incidental music I have arranged and recorded.

SONG NUMBER ONE: Song for Western Australia

The Mt Pleasant Primary School Choir with Director Ms Jenny Coleman and Composer Rod Christian

Year 4/5 Class Poseidon Primary School with Marie Paragelli and Rod Christian Composer.

Hello Primary and Secondary music teachers. I am now publishing a variety of music for schools, catering for all age groups from Primary to Secondary and beyond.

The first song, Song for Western Australia is gaining momentum and popularity in WA schools and choirs. Recently, a number of primary schools, Leeming Primary School, Mt Pleasant Primary School, Creaney Primary School, Burrendah PS, Poseidon Primary and St John’s Albany. Western Australia was performed at their assemblies, concerts and Eisteddfods. The reaction was amazing, so much so, I have decided to publish the work so that all schools and colleges and choirs can access the song. You can now purchase the song in single or two part harmony complete with piano score and full backing track. In a few instances I have created specific arrangements including piano, flute and strings for the song. The package now available is. 1. A full backing track. 2. A complete piano/ guitar/vocal score. 3. Specific arrangements on request. 4. A video of the song that can be projected on an AV screen while the song is performed.This appears below featuring extracts from the video.

Total cost is on application, depending on your requirements. This also covers the copyright for reproducing multiple copies of the score. Please contact me here directly for more details: rodmusic@bigpond.com

I will invoice your organisation and send the package to you on receipt of payment.

These are samples of my choral publications and some links to the videos or sound files

I have completed a recording of the choir at Mt Pleasant Primary School singing ” Song for Western Australia” under the direction of Ms Jenny Coleman. View the video below:

Click here to view the first two pages of the score.

WA Song SAMPLE Pages 1-2

Lyrics reproduced below:

Listen to and watch excerpts from the video featuring Courtney Murphy on vocals. This video is available to play at your assembley/ concert while your choir sings the song.

Rod Christian directs his Virtual Choir during Covid 19 Pandemic in June 2020. This is the SATB arrangement.

SONG for WESTERN AUSTRALIA Lyrics

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is WESTERN-AUSTRALIA-Lyrics-Copyright-2007-Rod-Christian-724x1024.jpg — The lyrics here are from the song Song for Western Australia

**SONG NUMBER TWO**:

**ULURU SUITE for ORCHESTRA and SSATB CHORUS**

I Rod Christian, composer of the composition ULURU SUITE for ORCHESTRA and CHORUS, acknowledge the Anangu people, Traditional Custodians of this sacred land titled Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, their language Pitjantatjara and their culture and pay my respects to their Elders past and present.

This new work was started on 12 December 2016 and completed on 8 September 2020. I have re-written movement 1 to include full orchestra and SSATB Chorus. The second and third movements feature an SSA Chorus but the third movement or Finale introduces the SSATB Chorus in the finale section. This work depicts Uluru from its early beginnings. The Anangu people unique to this vast area in Central Australia summon the spirits along the Songlines many thousands of years ago. We then hear the orchestra change key to reveal the spectacular sunrise over Uluru, the often harsh conditions during the day, the bird life, the thunder, lighting and rain, the creatures and legends but, above all the tranquility and peaceful ness of this Sacred place in Australia.

The Second movement pays tribute to Kata Tjjuta, the area in which Uluru is situated, the tranquillity and beauty, the sunsets and bird life.

The Third and final movement sums up the sentiment expressed in the opening movement and ends with the words sung by full choir, “Uluru, Tjukuritja – the Ancestral beings, Crossing the landscape to follow their dreams. Uluru.”

The vocal performance features Chelsea J Gibson, Soprano and Alto parts, Perry Joyce Tenor/ Baritone/ Bass and Justin Freind, Tenor. All orchestral parts were performed by Rod Christian using East West Symphonic Orchestra on Logic X Pro.

You can also purchase a copy of this work by filling in the contact form on this website.

Listen here to extracts from ULURU SUITE Movements 1, 2 and 3:

I have also included a Piano/ SSATB arrangement for the First Movement

ULURU Suite for PIANO and SSATB CHORUS P2

ULURU Suite for PIANO and SSATB CHORUS P3

AUDIO of EXTRACT HERE:

Enquiries: rodmusic@bigpond.com

SONG NUMBER THREE:

OH SUSANNAH!

OH SUSANNAH, a traditional song composed by Stephen Foster in 1840 is a song that lends itself to choral part singing. I arranged this in a jazz style as I have a real interest in unusual chords and the jazz genre.
The setting is for five parts, Soprano 1 & 2 with splits; Alto 1 and Alto 2. There is also an SATB setting of the song. The two arrangements are available here.

Review: This stunning treatment of the 1848 Stephen Foster classic was crafted by Rod Christian, one of Western Australia’s most talented composers and arrangers of choral music. Featuring tight jazz influenced chords and interesting harmonies, Christian achieves an uplifting, reflective, almost spiritual sound. The arrangement contains an optional piano part and is available for treble SSAA or mixed SATB choirs.

Click here to hear OH SUSANNA performed by the Iona Presentation College Chorale.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Iona-College-Chorale-with-Rod-Sept-2012.jpg — Rod with the Iona Presentation College Senior Chorale

Audio File OH SUSANNAH! SSAAOH SUSANNAH Audio recording

Sheet Music sample pages 1 -2.

Contact me on the contact page to find out how to order your music or to discuss any music questions.

SONG NUMBER FOUR:

AUSTRALIAN ANTHEM FOR UNITY

Australian Anthem for Unity is a special song – one that represents our unique culture with all of our diverse backgrounds.In writing Anthem for Unity, I set out to show that we are all members of society. We need to strive as one voice to live in peace and harmony. The song asks for reconciliation amongst the turmoil we are experiencing in today’s world.

Versatility is an important feature of this anthem. It is available in either SATB format or SSAA format. This should cater for the vast majority of school and community choral groups.

There is also Piano/Guitar vocal sheet music available for the song.The chord symbols chords are visible above the piano line.

This version of the song was recorded in 2001 by Nicole Wheatley, Rod Christian and the Born to Sing SATB Choir. The solo vocal line here is shared with a male vocalist. The backing track and arrangement with the drums bass keyboards guitar and strings are available on request.

Nicole Wheatley sings Australian Anthem for Unity

Listen to and view the Rejoyce Choir singing Australian Anthem for Unity in SATB style under the direction of Perry Joyce and accompanied by Rod Christian at UWA Perth 2012

Links to Youtube here:

SONG NUMBER FIVE

KIMBERLEY SUN

Released on a CD KIMBERLEY SUN

Listen Here:

Now available for choirs.

RELEASE INFORMATION Luke and Dan Riches are Indigenous West Australians born at One Arm Point in the Kimberley. In 2014 Dennis Bird, then CEO of Abmusic, approached me to mentor the guys in vocals and performance. I had composed a number of songs but felt that these artists would enhance some of these songs as they related to the Kimberley and the particular culture. As time progressed we began recording the songs and I produced an album in my recording studios in Perth, Hotel Sorrento. The boys became inspired by the sound they were producing so we branched out and wrote a couple of “pop” and rap tunes which are now included on the album. Eventually, Luke and Dan composed a song each for this album which I was honoured to include. Dennis helped in the production of the songs. Various Perth musicians were selected to take part in the recording including Richard Walley who provided the didgeridoo and clapping sticks in the title song “Kimberley Sun.” Kelly Green, Paul Millard, Paul Reynolds, Mark Underwood, Mike Nelson, Jenny Wrenn, George Janicki and Tony Celiberti were contributing musicians. I recorded, mixed and mastered all tracks at Rodmusic Productions and played bass guitar and guitars.
The album release date was Thursday October 1 2020. I know you will thoroughly enjoy this eclectic mix of songs.
Rod Christian Writer/Producer << Less

School and Choir Versions: Kimberley Sun is now available to sing in primary and secondary and community choirs. Here are pages 3/4 of the arrangement.

SONG NUMBER SIX

THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY

This is a very popular song composed in 2016 and featuring the Haze Showband from Perth Western Australia. Rod sings the lead vocal backed up by drummer Nigel Ridgway, Sax/Trumpet?Guitar and vocals, Bazz Clarke and Robbie Jones, Lead Guitar and vocals.

The song is available on Spotify and SoundCloud

Check out the video here: