Sing Books with Emily, the Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Sing Books with Emily’

Older Entries

Sing Books with Emily at “Reading: A Family Affair” (RAFA) for Literacy Council of Northern Virginia (Sat. Mar. 2, 1-1:45pm)

Posted by: on: March 1, 2013

Come join the fun with Singable Picture books…

Sing Books with Emiy at “Reading: A Family Affair” (RAFA) for Literacy Council of Northern Virginia

Saturday, March 2, 2013
1 pm – 1:45 pm

Please note that the performance time has changed since first publication.

James Lee Community Center
2855 Annandale Rd.
Falls Church, VA 22042
Room 112

More info and a printable flyer to help you get there, here:
http://www.lcnv.org/events/rafa

Link to the printable PDF poster:
http://www.lcnv.org/sites/default/files/2013%20RAFA%20POSTER.pdf

More info, here:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/sbwe-at-reading-a-family-affair-rafa-for-literacy-council-of-northern-virginia/

**********************

SBWE at “Reading: a Family Affair (RAFA)” for Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, Saturday, March 2, 2013 from 1-1:45 pm at James Lee Community Center (Room 112) (Please note that the performance time has changed since first publication)

**********************
Related Posts

*
EMILY’S UPCOMING (AND PAST) PERFORMANCES
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/emilys-upcoming-performances/

Tags: , ,

Sing Books descriptions and write-ups

Posted by: on: January 28, 2013

I’ve had the occasion lately to write up a few profiles and bios explaining what Sing Books is and why I’m doing.  I’m posting a couple of them here so that I can see them in print and maybe provide a few perspectives on what I’m actually doing here!  To me, the best way to explain it, is to DO it!

With Sing Books what matters most is the DOING.  But sometimes one must use words of explanation to get folks to come along for the experience.

Here are a couple of my latest attempts:

*
A bio for “LOVE STORIES: IT TAKES ALL KINDS: A Valentine Cabaret at Maggie’s Cabaret” on Friday, February 1, 2013:

Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus is thrilled to be at Maggie’s again singing with dear friends. Emily’s live-performance program and blog SING BOOKS WITH EMILY synthesizes Emily’s experience in musical theater, cabaret, recital, motherhood and teaching and her love for research, song, and picture books. Emily performs her SING BOOKS WITH EMILY program many times a week at local schools and libraries and daily explores and chronicles the wonderful world of Singable Picture Books in her blog: www.SingBooksWithEmily.wordrpess.com.

*
A bio for “SING BOOKS WITH EMILY at Reading a Family Affair (RAFA), Literacy Council of Northern Virginia” on Saturday, March 2, 2013.  This bio was written by one of the event organizers, but I liked it not written by me, using words to describe my program and experience that what I generally use:

The mission of Sing Books with Emily is to share the wonderful world of Singable Picture Books which combine the magical wonders of music, text, and illustration. Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus has been nominated for a 2010 Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) ”Wammie” in the “Cabaret Artist” category. She premiered her show “Oh, What a Beautiful Day: Sing Books with Emily, the Cabaret” in June of 2011. In August of 2011, Emily returned to the Kennedy Center to perform in a Staged Reading of the new musical “Kris Kringle, the Musical” as part of the Page to Stage Festival.

*
My new write up for the DC Cabaret Network Newsletter:

“SING BOOKS WITH EMILY” IN PERSON AND ONLINE AT SINGBOOKSWITHEMILY.WORDPRESS.COM
Emily Leatha Everson shares her unique program SING BOOKS WITH EMILY, synthesizing live performance, educational discussion, music and song through the vehicle of the Singable Picture Books.

Delve into the wonderful world of Singable Picture Books on Emily’s blog: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/

I’m thrilled to share SING BOOKS WITH EMILY in many Elementary School classrooms each week, but I have a few public performances at local events and libraries coming up and would sure love so see you and the young ones in your life at these events:

      • SBWE at “Reading: a Family Affair (RAFA)” for Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, Saturday, March 2, 2013 from 1-1:45 pm at James Lee Community Center
      • SBWE at 3 Prince William County Neighborhood Libraries in Summer 2013: Wednesdays at 10:30 am: June 26, 2013 (Lake Ridge Neighborhood Library), July 10, 2013 (Dumfries Neighborhood Library) and July 24, 2013 (Dale City Neighborhood Library)
      • SBWE at Independent Hill Neighborhood Library in Manassas, VA, Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at 10:30 am

If hyperlinks did not make their way to you through cyberspace, click here for venue addresses, links and additional info:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/emilys-upcoming-performances/

**********************
Related Posts

*
SBWE at Reading a Family Affair (RAFA) for Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/sbwe-at-reading-a-family-affair-rafa-for-literacy-council-of-northern-virginia/

*
LOVE STORIES: IT TAKES ALL KINDS: A Valentine Cabaret at Maggie’s Cabaret
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/emilys-upcoming-performances-love-stories-it-takes-all-kinds-a-valentine-concert-at-maggies-cabaret/

*
EMILY’S UPCOMING (AND PAST) PERFORMANCES
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/emilys-upcoming-performances/

*
ABOUT SING BOOKS WITH EMILY
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/about/

Tags:

Memory Lane and the Road to Sing Books

Posted by: on: July 14, 2012

I found a little stash of performance photos the other day (posted on 3/12/2012) and that find sent me on a trip down memory lane and I just kept going.  But the reminiscence leads me to muse on how each person’s unique experience can combine to make something new and useful for the world.  This is how many facts of my life have combined to create my Sing Books with Emily program and blog.

I got to thinking about how I’d ended up Singing Books and realized that most of my life experience has led me here and prepared me for this project.   My theatre experience as a student and professional performer, experiences in training and as a professional vocal and cabaret performer certainly prepared me for Sing Books.

But there’s a lot more to it than just that. My Paternal Grandmother (Grace Evangelyn Morgan Everson, who I called “Penny”) was a second grade teacher at John Strange Elementary School in Indianapolis, IN for THIRTY YEARS!  Penny taught me to love stories and books and she read many wonderful books to my sister and I.  Also, my Maternal Great Aunt (Florence Geisler, who I called “Aunt Flossie”) was a career elementary school educator and Professor at Butler University.  Penny and Aunt Flossie were fantastic teachers!  Education is in my DNA.

In my first two college summers, I worked at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.  It was an incredible experience that has informed quite a few things for Sing Books.  One vital experience was that I got my first introduction to the art of story telling.  One of the exhibits in the museum was about how many cultures around the world practice the art of oral story telling and the museum needed someone to tell stories for visitors.  I jumped at the chance.  The exhibit curators gave me a packet of stories to learn and then I got to call groups together within the exhibit and tell the stories, many of which required audience participation.  It was so easy to learn in that situation how a story ENGAGES people (regardless of creed, race or anything else).  We should not underestimate the power and importance of story-telling, especially when done in a live personal experience (and especially, in my opinion, when set to music).

Post University, I got to spend a great couple of years performing in Indianapolis theatres (Indiana Repertory Theatre and Starlight Musicals Indianapolis).  Then, I moved to NYC late in 1992.  I did end up performing a little and took classes at the amazing HB Studios on Bank Street in the Village.  But, I’ve come to realize that my time at Microsoft Corporation NYC (in my first office job ever starting in early 1993) as an Administrative Assistant and as an Events Planner (at Microsoft and later at AIG) helped me learn to organize and document this vast subject of Singable Picture Books in this blog and to create my own SPBs using my PC.  I had no idea what to do with a computer before I started working at Microsoft.  Also at Microsoft, I became very involved with the local community, facilitating heaps of dollars worth of software donations (to organizations like The New York Public Library, Children’s Friends for Life, Crossroads Theatre Company, and many more), and working with young people in the community by organizing Microsoft’s participation in events like “Take Our Daughters to Work Day,” “Cooks for Kids (Children’s Friends for Life)” and as President of the World Wide Plaza Student Outreach organization.  Kudos, of course, to Microsoft for its company giving policy to allow for these donations!  These community efforts have always been very important to me, “acting locally” and using my skills and talents to improve the community for young people.

Another important effort for me was for two years serving as a lunchtime reader with the “Everybody Wins” program.  What a fabulous organization that is, with a charming and vitally meaningful mission.  I read with a little girl named Lumi at PS 111 for two years at lunchtime, once a week.  It was fun and a great experience for the both of us. The experience also solidified my belief and understanding of the benefits of reading (or singing) books with children.

Things changed and I moved onto a new job as Events Planner at AIG, which is where I met my husband Charlie.  We soon got married and set up house in Washington, DC and not long after that Mo and Eloise were born.  Beginning to collect picture books for them, I accidentally noticed that a few were created from songs when I started singing books to my children. Going to look for more, snowballing the efforts over the years to collect and sing the songs, along with my need to know everthing possible about the songs and books in order to feel qualified to sing them, led to the creation of the blog.  I started the blog to house and share the info and personal experience I was able to gather about the songs contained in the books.

Around the same time that Charlie and I moved to DC, I began to take voice lessons again and study the art of cabaret through the DC Cabaret Network (and serving as a member of the Board of Directors from 2005-2012) and learned about telling stories with song, singing directly to the audience in a kind of conversation, singing from a personal point of view (instead of from a character) and singing honestly and authentically (as opposed to “selling” the song as I’d often been advised to do).  I found the medium of performance that was so in tune with how I wanted to perform and one that fit my needs as a stay-at-home mom.

And then it all came together, Sing Books has turned out to be a joyous synthesis of everything:  children, education, community, theatrical-cabaret-vocal performance, and books.  What fun it all is and I’m so grateful for the chance to share it all.

**********************
Related Posts

*
Sing Books with Emily and the DC Cabaret Network (and What the DC Cabaret Network Means to Me)
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/sing-books-with-emily-and-the-dc-cabaret-network/

*
TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC AND THE INDY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM CAROUSEL
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/teddy-bears-picnic-a-singable-picture-book/

*
CHARLES NELSON REILLY AND MY FIRST CABARET (AT HB STUDIOS)
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/charles-nelson-reilly-and-my-first-cabaret/

*

Tags: , , , ,

Sing Books with Emily and the DC Cabaret Network (and What the DC Cabaret Network Means to Me)

Posted by: on: July 6, 2012

I feel so deeply, so passionately about my program Sing Books with Emily.  In many ways my entire life experience has come together in it.  Everything from babysitting, substitute teaching, working at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis to being a parent and performing in plays, musicals and cabaret have helped facilitate the effort.  And, importantly, being an active member of the DC Cabaret Network (DCCN) and serving on its Board of Directors was (and continues to be) essential to the creation of the Sing Books project.  I am incredibly grateful to DCCN for the opportunities it has given me to learn and perform.  DCCN has also given me the chance to meet, work with and learn from a fabulous group of talented people.  And, thanks to the DC Cabaret Network’s offerings, my ideas for Sing Books with Emily were able to germinate and grow.

I was on the board of the DC Cabaret Network for nearly 7 years and will, of course, continue as an active member.  Thinking back over the years that I have studied the Art of Cabaret (and will continue to study and will always consider myself a student), reminds me of what an incredibly important role the DC Cabaret Network has played in my life as a performer and the indispensable role DC Cabaret Network played in helping me create Sing Books with Emily, which has miraculously turned into something special for my community.  I believe in my heart that the program is not just entertaining and enriching for the children, but that it is also important for conveying and enlivening musical heritage.

Without the DC Cabaret Network, Sing Books simply would not be. The Sing Books “experience” involves me sitting, Singable Picture Book in hand, before a group of children and performing songs LIVE, singing directly to the children (or any person of any age who happens to be there), from a personal point-of-view, sharing the words and music and everything I know and understand about the songs.  Factual information and my own life experience combine to give me something to say in introducing the songs and, of course, inform the performances themselves. In other words, in my mind at least, Sing Books is in many ways a “cabaret” experience but which also just happens to employ Singable Picture Books and is most often performed in classrooms.

Most of what I learned about cabaret and the personal style of reaching out to others with song (conveying personal experience while simultaneously participating in the history of our musical heritage) came to me in one way or another though the funnel of the DC Cabaret Network.  DC Cabaret Network provides many benefits to its members, including performance opportunities at Open Mics, a newsletter with information about cabaret performances and classes, salons, workshops, and the chance to establish relationships with other performers, directors, musicians, and teachers.

The DC Cabaret Network is facilitated by a group of 5-7 volunteers who are steeped in the world of professional musical performance and who bring to the table their passion, time, energy, experience and considerable skills and talents, talents which are not exclusively musical.  Other skills frequently employed include the ability to cooperate as an ensemble and establish consensus, the ability to be forward thinking, resourceful and creative in solving problems, as well as skills like perseverance, organization, communication, writing, and technology.

It is important to note that the DC Cabaret Network is FACILITATED by the Board of Directors, but the organization itself is not just the Board of Directors.  The DC Cabaret Network is a NETWORK of people who all have similar interests, and in the sharing of those interests they find ways to grow, experience, explore and learn about their craft TOGETHER.  People in the network don’t just wait for things to be provided, they work and play together inside and outside the structure of the network and its membership to make new things happen.

Like so many things in life (including the artistic adventure of the art of cabaret itself), the DC Cabaret Network is exactly what each person makes of it for him or herself.  It is exciting to see what so many of its members have done using experience and relationships gained through DCCN as a launch pad to create new projects.  Many shows, workshops and performances would not have happened unless DC Cabaret Network had been there.  The Sing Books with Emily project (the blog, performance program and the cabaret) is just one example.

I stepped down from the board a few months ago in order to devote more time to my Sing Books with Emily projects, but my heart will always be IN the Network.  I give the DC Cabaret Network (the organization and all its members) my deepest gratitude and I look forward to participating more and more in the many opportunities to stand up and perform and learn and associate with so many like-minded, cabaret-loving friends.

**********************

*
Web Page for DC Cabaret Network:
http://dccabaretnetwork.org/

*
SONGSPEAK, the blog of the DC Cabaret Network, here:
http://songspeak.wordpress.com/

**********************
Related Posts

Tags: , ,

Sing Books with Emily in Prince William County Public Libraries this Summer!

Posted by: on: June 26, 2012


Art by Alex, Kindergarten 2011-2012

Dear Friends,

This has been a wonderful year for Sing Books with Emily, but you may not know it since the singing mostly took place with approximately 175 Sing Books gatherings at Tuckahoe Elementary School in Arlington, VA. I also wrote daily posts for the Sing Books with Emily blog, increased the Sing Books repertoire with new songs in Singable Picture Books, wrote a couple little tunes, made a few new books, and got to visit homes and other schools in DC and VA. The whole year was joyously filled with song and the beautiful growing spirits of young ones.

I’m thrilled to bursting to share some of the new songs and books (and lots of the good old favorites) with friends at Prince William County Public Libraries this summer.

Come along and join in the musical fun with songs like “Grandma’s Feather Bed,” “Hippopotamus Song,” and “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

The first library visit is tomorrow:

*
Wednesday, June 27 at 10:30 am

Lake Ridge Neighborhood Library

New Location:
Tackett’s Mill Shopping Center (Upper Level)
2239 Old Bridge Road
Woodbridge, VA 22192-3007
703-792-5675

For more information, visit the library website at:
http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/library/Pages/Lake-Ridge-Neighborhood-Library.aspx

*
Wednesday, July 11 at 10:30 am

Dumfries Neighborhood Library

18007 Dumfries Shopping Plaza
Dumfries, VA 22026-2356
703-792-5678

For more information, visit the library website at:
http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/library/Pages/Dumfries-Neighborhood-Library.aspx

*
Wednesday, July 18 at 10:30 am

Dale City Neighborhood Library 

4249 Dale Boulevard
Dale City, VA 22193-2414

For more information, visit the library website at:
http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/library/Pages/Dale-City-Neighborhood-Library.aspx

*
Wednesday, July 25 at 11:30 am

Independent Hill Neighborhood Library

George Hellwig Memorial Park
14418 Bristow Road
Manassas, VA 20112-3932
703-792-5668

For more information, visit the library website at:
http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/library/Pages/Independent-Hill-Neighborhood-Library.aspx

********************
Related Posts

*
Article about the July 2011 “Sing Books” gathering in the LakeRidge-Occoquan Patch Online News Service:
http://lakeridge.patch.com/articles/sing-books-with-emily-brings-classic-tunes-to-life

*
The Songs We Sang, 7/13/2011, Lake Ridge Neighborhood Library
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/the-songs-we-sang-7132011-lake-ridge-neighborhood-library/

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Sing Books with Emily – Informational Flyer

Posted by: on: March 24, 2012

I made up a flyer for sharing info about the Sing Books with Emily program and blog and thought it would be fun to share.

If you are a fan of Sing Books with Emily or an educator who would like to spread the word about this unique cultural and educational enrichment for kids, I’d love it if you would forward this flyer (or blog post link) to anyone who would appreciate the information.  Or, please feel free to print and hand them out.

To view or print this flyer, click here:
sbwe flyer portrait 2012 03

Tags: , , , ,

Memory Lane

Posted by: on: March 13, 2012

I ran across some performance pictures from my past and decided it would be fun to add them to my blog.  These are from Indiana University Theatre Department productions, Brown County Playhouse (in Nashville, IN, run by IU) and Indianapolis Starlight Musicals from 1989-1991.

*

Starlight Musicals Indianapolis 1991 production of “Bye Bye Birdie”
I wish I knew the names of the girls in the picture.  I played Kim’s friend Ursula.

Kim was played by Pauline Frommer who has taken on her father’s business and become the queen of Pauline Frommer’s Travel Guides.

*

Starlight Musicals Indianapolis 1991 production of “A Little Night Music.”  The wonderful Broadway veteran Walter Charles played Fredrik Egerman, I played Fredrika.  I had such a crush on Mr. Charles!  It was a treat to see him play Herr Schultz in DC, Arena Stage 2006 production of “Cabaret,” which was music directed by my dear friend George Fulginiti-Shakar. Desiree was played by the fabulously formidable Lainie Kazan.

*

I played “The Little Nun” in Indiana University’s 1990 production of “The House of Blue Leaves.”  I’ve always LOVED the costume part of being in any production, and that big dress was such great fun.

Pictured L-R:  Dianne Timmerman Webb, David Barnes, Emily Leatha Everson (me!), (I don’t remember her name…sorry!), Tom Sonnek.

*

That’s me in the corner as Lettie the Saucy Maid in “Something’s Afoot” at Brown County Playhouse, Nashville, IN in 1989
(From Left:  Emily Leatha Everson, Dan Proctor, Heather Hertling, David Barnes)

*

Here’s the cast of “Something’s Afoot” at Brown County Playhouse in 1989.  What fun that was!  It’s a musical based on a mystery.  Each of the house’s occupants gets killed off one at a time and I got to get eaten up, blender style, every night, inside an enormous vase (you can see it there in the background).

Pictured L-R: Heather Hertling (who would become Miss New Jersey 1992), (I don’t remember her name…she was terrific, though!), Thor Steingraber, Chris Martz, Emily Leatha Everson, Dan Proctor, Joe Wilson, Nichole Brown (just her back).

*

My friend Joe Wilson and I sang the song “Teeny Little Dingy” together in 1991 Brown County Playhouse (Nashville, IN) production of “Something’s Afoot.”  We had a lot of fun.

*

One of my favorite roles EVER was as Emily in “The Marriage of Bette & Boo.”  I loved playing that fake cello and saying that I was sorry all the time.  Poor Emily. The show was agonizing in a way, though, because it was so incredibly funny that staying in character was one of the most difficult things I ever did.  It was so hard not to laugh.  And I’ll never forget how much trouble we had with the gravy scene.  The gravy was never right.  It was either too runny or too thick and would spill on the audience or it would not spill at all and we had to pretend.  One night after it spilled on someone in the front row, I wrote them a  note as Emily in the show and said “mia culpa.”  Ha!

Pictured L-R: Sheila Doherty, (I don’t remember his name), Erika Stoner, Emily Leatha Everson, (I can’t remember her name!), (I can’t remember his name), Robin Abbott, (I can’t remember his name!), Chrissy Sonnek (who, by the way, is one of the funniest women I’ve ever known).

I put these pictures in the Sing Books with Emily Photo Gallery:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/photogallery/

Tags:

Singable Picture Books of the Great American Songbook and Michael Feinstein’s Foundation for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook

Posted by: on: September 10, 2011

Michael Feinstein, cabaret artist great, concert performer, club owner, recording artist and most inspirational Great American Songbook evangelist has created the Michael Feinstein Foundation for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook which is HQ’d in Carmel, Indiana, a stone’s throw from my hometown of Indianapolis.

Michael Feinstein Foundation for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook
http://www.michaelfeinsteinfoundation.org/page.aspx?pid=354

Using the Michael Feinstein Foundation definition,

“The “Great American Songbook”, sometimes referred to as “American Standards”, is the uniquely American collection of music, lyrics, culture, and history, of Broadway and other musical theatre, Hollywood musicals, and Tin Pan Alley from the 1920s to 1960.

…this page is a celebratory listing of Singable Picture Books which illustrate songs from the Great American Songbook.

From Broadway to Tin Pan Alley Pop, each of these songs is an essential component to our musical, artistic, and cultural heritage.  Each song deserves celebration and how better to preserve and celebrate than to sing them to others?

Celebrate and Sing!

(Titles in blue are hyperlinked to posts wtih info and resources about that song and Singable Picture Book)

***

100 Years of Popular Music, 20 – Volume 2
Published by International Music Publications Limited

***

Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney’s)
Original Story by Lewis Carroll
Retold by Jon Scieszka
Illustrated with Art by Mary Blair

***

All American Car-I-Oke
Music and Lyrics by Various Artists
Written by David Schiller
Published by Workman Publishing Company
(This book features “You’re a Grand Old Flag” with printed music, a sing-along track, and historical information about this song)

*

A-Tisket, A-Tasket
Words and Music by Ella Fitzgerald and Van Alexander
Illustrated by Ora Eitan

***

A-You’re Adorable
Words and Music by Buddy Kaye, Fred Wise and Sidney Lippman
Illustrated by Martha Alexander

*** ***

A-You’re Adorable
Words and Music by Buddy Kaye, Fred Wise and Sidney Lippman
Illustrated by Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus
This item is for classroom, home, or library use only.

*** ***

The Big Bell and the Little Bell
Words and Music by Martin Kalmanoff
Illustrated by Alastair Graham
(This book is packaged with a CD with two recordings of the song!)

*

The Big Rock Candy Mountain
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by John Kanzler
(This song has been attributed, with some dispute on both sides, to Billy Mack and Harry McClintock. This book features printed music arranged by Kathy Boyd and Mark Gensman)

*** ***

The Christmas Song: Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
Words and music by Mel Torme and Robert Wells
Illustrated by Doris Barrette
A YouTube video with “The Christmas Song” song history, here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyfl04_TQ78

*

Dites-Moi
Words (in English) by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated with Artwork by Student of Tuckahoe Elementary School
Book Assembled by Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus
To view or print this booklet, click here:
dites-moi SPB eng SBWE ELEG 07 2011

*
“Dites-Moi,” found in:

Getting to Know You
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated by Rosemary Wells
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 2002
ISBN 0-06-626845-5

*** ***

Easter Parade
Words and Music by Irving Berlin
Illustrated by Lisa McCue
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers, New York
ISBN 0-06-029125-7

*** ***

Emma’s Poem (The Voice of the Statue of Liberty)
Book Written by Linda Glaser
Illustrated by Claire A. Nivola
This book features the poem “The New Colossus”
Poem by Emma Lazarus
Music by Irving Berlin

*

The Family Car Songbook (Hundreds of Miles of Fun!)
Words and Tunes by Various Artists
Compiled by Jason Tharp
Illustrated by Michael Gelen
(“Camptown Races” is included in this volume)

*

Fifty Nifty States
Words and Music by Ray Charles
Book Assembled by Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus
This item is for classroom, home, or library use only.

*

Flying to Neverland with Peter Pan
(A Lyric Journey with Songs from the Broadway Musical)
Lyrics by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Carolyn Leigh
Music by Mark Charlap, Jule Styne
Paintings by Amy June Bates

*

Frosty the Snowman
Words and Music by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey

*

Frosty the Snowman
Words and Music by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
Illustrated by Lydia Halverson
(This version is lots of fun.  The pages are printed and folded like an accordion, so you can pull it straight out to see a looooooong Frosty scene)

*

Getting to Know You
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated by Rosemary Wells
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 2002
ISBN 0-06-626845-5

*

Give My Regards to Broadway
Words and Music by George M. Cohan
Edited by Barbie Heit Schwaeber
Illustrated by Carol Newsom
This book features pages of historical information and printed music.

*

Glorious American Songbook (A Classic Illustrated Edition)
Words and Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by Various Artists
Compiled by Cooper Edens

*

God Bless America
Words and Music by Irving Berlin
Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
(This book features printed music)
Sing along with Kate Smith on this YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnTD7EEzp5E
(This video includes the rarely heard verse at the beginning of the song)

*

God Bless the Child
Words and Music by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr.
Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

*

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Words and music by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane
Illustrated by Liz Murphy
(This book comes with a CD with Bernadette Peters singing this classic Christmas song)

*

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
Words by Allan Sherman and Lou Busch
Illustrated by Jack E. Davis
(This wonderful novelty song is set to the tune of Amilcare Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours.”)

*

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
Words by Allan Sherman
Music Adapted from Amilcare Poncielli’s “Dance of the Hours” by Lou Busch
Illustrated by Syd Hoff
Published by Puffin Books, New York, 1964
ISBN 0-14-240638-4

*

Here Comes Peter Cottontail
Words and Music by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
Illustrated by Pamela R. Levy

*

Here Comes Peter Cottontail
Words and Music by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
Illustrated by Wendy Rasmussen

*

Here Comes Santa Claus
Words and Music by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman
Illustrated by Bruce Whatley
May I Suggest: Sing About Santa: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/may-i-suggest-sing-about-santa/

*

How Much is that Doggie in the Window
Words and Music by Bob Merrill
Words Adapted by Iza Trapani
Illustrated by Iza Trapani

*

I Can’t Dance
Words and Music by Allan Sherman
Illustrated by Syd Hoff

*

I Love the Mountains
Traditional Words and Music
Words Adapted by John Archembault and David R. Plummer
Illustrated by Susan Swan

*

I Love You a Bushel and a Peck
Words and Music by Frank Loesser
Illustrated by Rosemary Wells

*

In My Own Little Corner
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated by Katherine Potter

*

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
Words and Music by John Rox
Illustrations by Bruce Whatley

*
“I Whistle a Happy Tune“ from

Getting to Know You
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated by Rosemary Wells
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 2002
ISBN 0-06-626845-5

*
  
I Whistle a Happy Tune (second verse poster card)
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
From the Musical THE KING AND I
Illustarted with Artwork by Students at Tuckahoe Elementary
To view or print this card, click this link:
whistle second verse card

*

Julie Andrews’ Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies
Selected by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton
Illustrated by James McMullan
(This anthology contains nearly 40 singable poems, songs and lullabies, including:  “All Things Bright and Beautiful” by Cecil Frances Alexander,  “Not While I’m Around” by Stephen Sondheim, and “Nature Boy” by Eden Ahbez.  For an alphabetical index of the Singable Poems in this book, click the title to reach the posting of 12/25/2009)

*

Lady Liberty (A Biography)
Book Written by Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Matt Tavares
This book features an excerpt of the poem “The New Colossus”
Poem by Emma Lazarus
Music by Irving Berlin

*

Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Words by Beth Slater Whitson
Music by Leo Friedman
Illustrated by Amanda Haley

*

Little Drummer Boy
Words and Music by Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati, and Harry Simeone
Illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats
(“Little Drummer Boy” is featured in the Scholastic Video Collection)

*

Love Me Tender
Words Elvis Presley, Vera Matson (credited),  Ken Darby (uncredited)
Music by George R. Poulton
Illustrated by Tom Browning

*

My Favorite Things
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrations by Renee Graef

*

My Favorite Things
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated by James Warhola

*

Ogden Nash’s Musical Zoo
Poems by Ogden Nash
Music by Vernon Duke
Illustrated by Frank Owen

*

Ogden Nash’s Zoo
Poems by Ogden Nash
Illustrated by Etienne Delessert
(See “Ogden Nash’s Musical Zoo” for tunes by Vernon Duke)

*
“Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from

Getting to Know You
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated by Rosemary Wells
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 2002
ISBN 0-06-626845-5

*

Over the Rainbow
Words and Music by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg
Illustrated by Eric Puybaret
Published by Imagine Publishing Inc.
ISBN 978-1-936140-00-8

*

Over the Rainbow
Words and Music by E. H. Harburg and Harold Arlen
Illustrated by Julia Noonan

*

Puff the Magic Dragon
Words and Music by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton
Illustrated by Eric Puybaret

*

Reading Lyrics
Edited by Robert Gottlieb and Robert Kimball

*

A Real Nice Clambake
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrations by Nadine Bernard Westcott

*

Rhode Island is Famous for You
Words by Howard Dietz
Music by Arthur Schwartz
Book Assembled by Emily Leatha Everson Gleichenhaus

*

Riding in My Car
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie
Illustrated by Scott Mechin

*

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Words and Music by Johnny Marks
Published by World International Publishing Limited, Great Britain, 1989
ISBN #: 7235-8891-0

This is the only copy I’ve ever found of “Rudolph” the SONG.  All other Rudolphs I’ve found have been the original story book by Robert L. May (the story upon which the song is based).  It will be great fun to sing the song with the youngsters.  They are going to love it!

To view or print this book, click here:
rudolph spb
This book is for home, library or classroom use only.

*
 
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Original Story by Robert L. May
Written for Montgomery Ward Department Store in 1939
Illustrated by Denver Gillen
Set to Music by Johnny Marks (1948)
(I created a sing-along book for Johnny Mark’s tune with the Denver Gillen Illustrations.  Fun to sing!)

To view or print a Singable Picture Book with these vintage pictures and the text of the song, click here:
rudolph song with original story pix (2)

This book is for home, library or classroom use only.

*

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
Word and Music by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie
Illustrated by Steven Kellogg
May I Suggest: Sing About Santa: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/may-i-suggest-sing-about-santa/

*

Scholastic Video Collection
(Videos Listed Feature Singable Picture Books)
Ezra Jack Keats’ The Little Drummer Boy…and 4 more holiday stories
(This video features “Little Drummer Boy“ and “Twelve Days of Christmas“)

*

Silver Bells (a Musical Pop-Up Book)
Words and Music by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Illustrated by Robert Steele, Iain Smyth, James Diaz

*

Sing a Song of Friendship
Words and Music by Irving Caesar
Musical Arrangements by Leo Russoto
Illustrated by Albert Barbelle

*

Sing a Song of Health
Words and Music by Irving Caesar
Musical Arrangements by Sidney Green

*

Sing a Song of Safety
Words by Irving Caesar
Music by Gerald Marks
Illustrated by Mike adn Joyce MacDonald (Published by Henry N. Abrams, NYC, 1989)
Illustrated by Rosie O’Neill (Original Publication in 1937 )

*

Sing a Song of Safety
Words by Irving Caesar
Music by Gerald Marks
Illustrated by Rosie O’Neill (Original Publication in 1937 )

*

Sing Noel (Christmas Carols Selected by Jane Yolen)
Edited by Jane Yolen
Illustrated by Nancy Sippel Carpenter
Musical Arrangements by Adam Stemple
(A book that prints music for and illustrates 34 Christmas carols, with a brief historical account of each)

*

Solos for Kids (Vocal Collection)
Compiled by Louise Lerch
This book includes printed sheet music and CD of vocal and instrumental tracks for a number of Singalbe Picture Books including:  “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah,” ” Puff the Magic Dragon,” “How Much is that Doggie in the Window,” On Top of Spaghetti” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”  A TERRIFIC BOOK!

*

Solos from Musicals for Kids
Music and Lyrics by Various Artists
Compiled by Louise Lerch
ISBN 978-0-7935-8227-3
Sheet music for “I Wishtle a Happy Tune” is on p. 27, instrumental sing-along is on Track 17

*

The Sound of Music (A Classic Collectible Pop-Up)
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Original Stage Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
Story Adapted by Bert Fink
Illustrated by Dan Andreasen
Paper Engineering by Bruce Foster

*

Stories of Santa (Up on the Housetop, Jolly Old St. Nicholas)
Words and Music by (or attributed to), Benjamin Russell Hanby
Illustrated by “Hallmark Archives and Design Collection”
May I Suggest: Sing About Santa: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/may-i-suggest-sing-about-santa/

*

Summertime (from Porgy and Bess)
Words by DuBose Heyward
Music by George Gershwin
Illustrated by Mike Wimmer

*

Sunrise, Sunset
Words by Sheldon Harnick
Music by Jerry Bock
Illustrated by Ian Schoenherr
This song is from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof”

*

The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Illustrated by James Warhola

*

Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Words by Jack Norworth
Music by Albert Von Tilzer
Illustrated by Amiko Hirao
Performed by Carly Simon
This edition gets a GOLD STAR for including the FULL song (both verses and chorus) and a fabulous recording of Carly Simon and her deligthful arrangement she made for Ken Burn’s documentary Baseball.

*

Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Words by Jimmy Kennedy
Music by John W. Bratton
Illustrated by Alexandra Day
Published by Scholastic Inc., New York, NY, 1983
ISBN 0-439-39622-0

*

There’s a Train Out for Dreamland
Music and Lyrics by Frederich H. Heider and Carl Kress
Illustrated by Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer
ISBN 978-0-06-058022-3

*

This Land is Your Land
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie
Illustrated by Kathy Jakobsen
(This book, rich in detail, features printed music and a tribute to Woody Guthrie written by Pete Seeger.)

*

A Treasury of Stephen Foster
Words and Music by Stephen Foster
Musical Arrangements by Ray Lev and Dorothy Berliner Commins
Illustrated by William Sharp
(Contains 50 songs by Stephen Foster, including favorites like “Camptown Races” and “Oh! Susanna,” published with illustrations and historical notes)

*

Turn! Turn! Turn!
Arranged and Adapted with Music by Pete Seeger
Illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin

*

Waking Up is Hard to Do
Music and Lyrics by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield
Children’s Lyrics by Neil Sedaka
Illustrated by Daniel Miyares

*

What a Wonderful World
Words and Music by Goerge David Weiss and Bob Thiele
Illustrated by Ashely Bryan
(Watch a short/sweet video of Ashley Bryan talking about where he’d most like to be in the world:
http://books.simonandschuster.ca/What-a-Wonderful-World/Bob-Thiele/9780689800870
Find the video window and just press Play)

*

What a Wonderful World (Sing-A-Song Storybook)
Words and Music by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele
Illustrated by Renee Graef

*

What’s New at the Zoo?
Words and Music by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Introduction by Phyllis Newman
Illustrated by Travis Foster

*

When You Wish Upon a Star
Music by Ned Washington
Words by Leigh Harline
Illustrated by Eric Puybaret

*

When You Wish Upon a Star (a Musical Pop-Up Book)
Words and Music by Ned Washington
Illustrated by David Christensen and Sparky Moore

*
white christmas michael hague
White Christmas (Irving Berlin’s)
Words and Music by Irving Berlin
Illustrated By Michael Hague

*

Winter Wonderland (Sleigh Bells Ring, Are You Listening?)
Words by Dick Smith
Music by Felix Bernard
Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

*

You Are My Sunshine
Words and Music by Jimmie Davis
Illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church

*

You’re a Grand Old Flag
Music and Lyrics by George M. Cohan
Illustrated with Paintings by Norman Rockwell

*

You’re a Grand Old Flag
Words and Music by George M. Cohan
Illustrated by Warren Kimble

**********************
PBS offers the wonderful documentary series: Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook.  Watching this, you learn about Michael Feinstein’s lifetime passion of collecting the music and recordings of songs from the Great American Songbook.

Learn about Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook PBS documentary series, here:
http://www.pbs.org/michael-feinsteins-american-songbook/

Mr. Feinstein’s vast collection makes up the core of the Great American Songbook Interactive Encyclopedia:
http://www.michaelfeinsteinsamericansongbook.org
This incredible resource (with continually expanding content) includes information, recordings, photos, and video of Great American Songbook songs, songwriters, and performers.  This site also offers free downloadable teacher’s lesson plans for teaching about The Great American Songbook: in conjunction with the PBS documentary series.  Absolutely AMAZING!

Read about the Great American Songbook Interactive Encyclopdia, here:
http://www.michaelfeinsteinfoundation.org/page.aspx?pid=385
**********************
Related Articles

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN
Singable Picture Books of Rodgers & Hammerstein Songs
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/a-few-favorite-singable-books-part-59-rodgers-hammerstein/

Many lists (too many to include here individually) on the
SINGABLE PICTURE BOOK LISTS FOR OCCASIONS AND INTERESTS page
contain songs/Singable Picture Books from The Great American Songbook:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/song-book-lists-for-all-occasions/

*
WOODY GUTHRIE
The Singable Picture Books of Woody Guthrie
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/the-singable-picture-books-of-woody-guthrie/

Tags: , , , ,

SING BOOKS WITH EMILY at Alexandria’s Beatley Central Library, Saturday, September 10, 2011, 10:15am-11am

Posted by: on: August 30, 2011


(Picture by Ellie, Kindergarten 2010-2011)

SING BOOKS WITH EMILY at Alexandria, VA’s Beatley Central Library, Saturday, September 10, 2011

This Sing Books gathering will be held in conjunction with the Friends of the Library Book Sale and will include many family activities throughout the day!

Saturday, September 10
10:15am-11am

Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library
5005 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22304-2903
Phone: 703-746-1702

Beatley Central Library  is the main library of the Alexandria Public Library System, click here for more info:
http://www.alexandria.lib.va.us/branches/beatley.html

Click here to print an informational flyer:
septbeatley[1]

**********************
Related Links

EMILY’S UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/emilys-upcoming-performances/

Tags: ,

The Songs We Sang, 2/7/2011 (DC Cabaret Network Open Mic)

Posted by: on: February 10, 2011

I am a proud member of the DC Cabaret Network, which holds a monthly open mic that is warmly and expertly organized by my dear friend Terri Allen.  The open mic is a terrific opportunity to stand up and work a song in a friendly environment, accompanied by a fabulous pianist.

Last night’s Open Mic at the Atlas Performing Arts Center was no exception.  The amazing Ron Chiles (who is currently playing first piano with “The Jersey Boys” National Tour for a few weeks in Baltimore) played with supportive finesse for each person.  There is nothing more wonderful than to sing with a fantastic accompanist like Ron.

I got the chance to work on two songs that will be part of SING BOOKS WITH EMILY, THE CABARET. 

*

New York State of Mind
Words and Music by Bill Joel
Illustrated by IZAK

*

Late for School
Words and Music by Steve Martin
Illustrated by C.F. Payne

Tags: , ,

Older Entries

Calendar of SBWE Posts

May 2013
M T W T F S S
« Apr    
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Archives

Blog at WordPress.com.

Theme: Albeo by Design Disease.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 93 other followers