Choir time

I'm a sucker for choirs, especially those featuring young people. I can remember a boys choir in a German church a few years back and they were just magnificent, made your hair stand on end. There's something about those unbroken voices ringing out....Anyway, a bunch of choir concerts coming up here too: The Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir sings at the Esplanade today but also a couple of talented local ones in the next few weeks. The Raffles Junior College Choir is on 6 May, then Cedar Girls Secondary Choir on 14 May, Anglo-Chinese Junior College on 6 July. Tickets are a very affordable $20 for the first two. But only for 6 years and above, sorry.

Earth Day - Apr 26

So what are you doing on Earth Day?

Book gifts

A couple of interesting book-related gifts - a book hamper for babies and the NatGeo Windows on Literacy series.

Barney - 5 -8 June

We got a Barney purse as a party gift after which LO thinks Barney is a purple snake - and I'm happy not to correct her - but if it rocks your world here are the details of the show.

Scotty & Lulu - 24 - 25 May

I've been intrigued by the news that the singing dancing Kiwi-Brit pair Scotty & Lulu who are apparently bonafide sensations in Hong Kong performing here.

We're listening to their Popcorn CD right now and it is....perky. Many of the songs on the CD are mostly set to a really hard driving beat and the one thing I hate is overproduced music for kids.

Our favourite CDs have always been those that emphasise voice over musical arrangement. It doesn't matter whether it's adults or kids singing as long as there is voice clarity. The few that are set to simpler arrangements almost always work better. Doesn't mean it needs to be slow and boring. The Charming Charlie song from The Little Red Hen with its banjo riff is a favourite around our house.

Well someone says their music is for The Wiggles show fans who have grown up is probably right. They're still letting in kids above 1 to their shows here though.

Out of the Box puppet theatre fest - 12 - 16 May

The Out of the Box puppet festival returns. Homegrown outfit Mascots & Puppets whose puppets for the 2006 show of The Little Shop of Horrors by Dream Academy was nominated for an award, contributes The Story of Bukit Merah and The Legend of The Moon.

The Reluctant Dragon/Wind in the Willows - 22 - 24 May

The Singapore Lyric Opera has a Kenneth Grahame double-bill for the hols.

The musical adaptation by English composer John Rutter "was originally written as an ‘entertainment’ for The King’s Singers (six male voices) and the City of London Sinfonia to perform at a family concert." 

Little Women - 28 - 31 May

In the Anglophone world, most girls go through a phase of loving Louisa May Alcott's book Little Women. I know I did though I can't remember if it came before or after the Pride and Prejudice phase...probably before, though the Pride and Prejudice phase continues till adulthood for lots of people! Anyway, The Stage Club is doing a theatrical version for 7+ year olds.

The Magical Baton - SCO Children's Concert - 9 & 11 May

Not to be outdone the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, which has always had an excellent promotions department, is having its own children's concert for 3-6 year olds with the choir doing Chan Mali Chan, Strauss and Bach. And I see from their website, which has a great deal of information about Chinese music and instruments along with audio samples on the Learning More, that they have their own educational CD for beginners to Chinese music.

SSO Children's Choir auditions - May 30

Check here for details if your kid is between 9-14 years of age. To hear what they sound like you can catch their next concert on April 20. The SSO also has loads of kids activities like babies proms, children's concerts and storytelling (for large group bookings). I hadn't seen it before but the Kids section of their website also has games to download and info on their new edutainment activity book and CD. Very impressive. Guess they're trying to pander to the young audience for Western classical music which though shrinking in other parts of the world seems to be growing in Asia.