SCIENCE SONGS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHORUS
*"My sincere thanks to the kids and grown-ups of North Cambridge Family Opera Chorus for commissioning, performing, and creating the accompanying slide-shows for almost all of these entertaining and educational songs about science which are such a joy to compose." - B. Lazarus
All music and lyrics by Bruce Lazarus unless otherwise noted.
Jane Goodall and the Chimps
To the sound of piano imitating an African kalimba or "thumb piano," this song follows Jane Goodall's career as British leading primatologist, ethnologist, and anthropologist. She is still considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees.
Sally Ride: The First American Woman in Space
In the style of early 1960s “surfer rock & roll,’ the chorus sings about how astronaut Sally Ride was not only the first American woman in space but also a role model for innumerable girls interested in careers in space flight and science. California-born, free-spirited, Ride also liked rock and roll, tennis, and turning somersaults in space.
ROY G BIV: The Colors of the Rainbow
An easy, fun, upbeat, and educational song about the visible part of the spectrum. The title stands for “red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet”; the conventional mnemonic for the colors of the rainbow.
The Sun & the Moon
A short, fun, tango-ish, and scientifically accurate choral song for children’s chorus (grades 2-8) with music by Bruce Lazarus and lyrics by Bobbi Katz, noted poet of children’s educational verse. The chorus is divided into two groups representing “Sun” and “Moon” and sing apt descriptions of each. Written for two-part treble voices; boys can sing an octave lower if needed.
The Moondust Footprint
June, 1969. It seemed as though nearly everyone was sitting glued to their televisions to witness the landing of Apollo 11 and the first humans walking on the surface of the Moon.
Lyrics by Bobbi Katz.
High Clouds, Low Clouds
Ideal for middle school, high school, or adult chorus, High Clouds, Low Clouds is an fun and accurate description of the most common cloud formations while evoking the 1970s in an entertainingly retro-pop style.
How Beautiful is the Rain
A setting of a lovely poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
How beautiful is the rain!
After the dust and heat,
In the broad and fiery street,
In the narrow lane,
How beautiful is the rain!
Our World
An uplifting, secular piece about our planet’s place in the universe with lyrics by the composer. Its energy and relatively low difficulty make this three-minute piece an excellent choice for high school or community group.
You and I share a single place
A private universe, tiny point in space.
Complex world of water, stone, and air…
Necessary water, stone and air
Turning while we whirl around the sun…
Spinning as we whiz around the sun.
StarSongs
Youth Chorus (SSA)
with flute, cello, harp
"Inspired by the writings of astronomer, exobiologist, and science writer Carl Sagan, StarSongs is a cantata for youth chorus (boys and girls age 13-18), with flute, harp, and cello. Composed between August and November 2001, the 18-minute, six-movement work expresses my feelings of connection with distant planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe as a whole." (B. Lazarus) Please visit the StarSong page.
Telstar: A Tower in Space
An optimistic song about Telstar, the first active communication satellite. Launched into orbit in July of 1962, Telstar could receive, amplify, and transmit radio and television programs from space. It was hoped that vastly improved communication between nations would lead to global friendship and peace. A Tower in Space includes quotes from President John F. Kennedy's speech on Telstar which can be spoken by members of the chorus, or a recording can be used.