Dr. Michael Francis  Smith

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It's Time to Play the Recorder is a sequential song collection that builds on musical skills and literacy from the elementary General Music classroom. The recorder is an inexpensive but beautiful musical instrument that merits a sequential curriculum and a diverse repertoire of songs, including rounds and harmony parts. By building on what students already know, we enable whole classes to play a wide and diverse repertoire of songs. If they can sing it, they can play it! It's Time to Play moves effortlessly between singing, solfege and playing in order to maximize student success and achievement. It's Time to Play promises an engaging, enjoyable and musical recorder experience for ALL.

It's Time to Play the Recorder

Piano Accompaniment Accompaniment Book 1

Voice

Voice Category

This three-part song for young choruses (SAB, SAT or SSA) was written in
  February 2022.  The inspiration for Let
  Them Grow came from a third-grade enrichment project; students decided to
  grow blue spruce trees from seed and plant them in the community. Soon there
  were lyrics and a catchy melody, and the song quickly became a favorite of
  the students at Bourne Intermediate School. Its not too late today for you
  and me; the seed thats planted soon becomes a tree!

Let Them Grow

SAB Octavo

IT'S TIME TO PLAY (2nd edition) builds on the strong foundation of the Elementary General Music classroom while featuring a collection of fifty songs from around the world. The curriculum moves effortlessly between singing songs with lyrics, solfege and note names and then playing them on instruments! Versatile and adaptable, this method can be used alongside or in place of a traditional first-year method book. Reproducible PDF copies of all 26 books (book 1&amp;2) can be purchased for $180.00. Discover the future of music education with IT'S TIME TO PLAY - Connecting the first year of Band with General Music, the School Community and the World! It's time for a whole new generation of students to play a band instrument! Learn more by watching this video - https://youtu.be/Ht0Wif6kXXU

It's Time to Play a Band Instrument

Digital Resources - Reproducible Book 1 (All 13 Books)

Voice Subcategory

This easy and versatile two-part arrangement can be quickly learned for any occasion. Arranged by Michael Francis Smith for his young school choruses, it has also been used by middle and high school choruses, as well as adult church choirs. This classic American patriotic song, written by Katharine Lee Bates and set to music by Samuel A. Ward, is perfect for a variety of performances.

America, the Beautfiful

Two-Part Mixed

This three-part song for young choruses (SAB, SAT or SSA) was written in
  August 2021 for the students of Bourne Intermediate School. Ripples is an
  uplifting song, encouraging young people to make a difference in the world.
  Mother Teresa said, I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone
  across the water to create many ripples. We are all hopeful that our young
  people will change the world and make it better, one small action at a time.

Ripples

IT'S TIME TO PLAY is a groundbreaking beginning string method book designed to engage every student in making music. Rooted in current research in elementary general music, the curriculum moves naturally from singing with lyrics, solfege, and note names to playing on instruments. Featuring 50 diverse folk songs from around the world, this method broadens the repertoire to reflect both the school community and the wider world. Each unit invites students to improvise, compose, and createencouraging personal expression and musical ownership.
Developed by two highly regarded instrumental and general music educators, It's Time to Play aligns with the National Arts Standards, guiding students through the processes of Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting to ensure a lifelong engagement with music. This beginning string method can serve as a complete first-year resource or as a supplement to traditional method books.

It's Time to Play a String Instrument

Violin Book Violin 1

Violin Book Violin Book 2

This Grade Two Band composition, written for middle school students from Falmouth Academy, includes three rich African folk songs. 
1. Tina Singu contains the words, "Let us be the burning fire," which captures the passion of young students in making the world better.
2. The second lyrical folk song, "Iro Ye (My Iro)," is a moving mother's prayer for a child. Since she has nothing to give her child, she is going to pray that their life will be happy until eternity. 
3. The final folk song, "Take Time in Life," is fun and vibrant and urges us to take time in life cause we've got a far way to go. 
The rain stick sounds three times in the music. Each time you hear the rainstick, we ask you to picture young students everywhere and their concern about climate change. May their burning passion speak to us all. We've got a far way to go.

Burning Fire (Tina Singu)

Concert Band Score & Parts

This music celebrates the Chinese New Year in which the dragon brings long life, peace and joy. The melody is pentatonic and contains a limited range for young players. This .5 to 1 easy composition presents the lyrical melody with the option of singing the song while being played as a flute solo. Everyone gets a chance to play the melody and there are additional counter melodies shared by the ensemble. The piece is lyrical, rhythmic and very accessible and captivating for young bands.

See the Dragon Come

This piece was crafted for a Band Night Finale where bands from all grade levels come together for a memorable performance. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star forms the foundation for younger players, while older musicians elevate the piece with rich harmonies and exciting flourishes, creating a mature and vibrant sound. Twinkle Trek is a fun, inclusive arrangement that brings all players together in a fantastic finale, leaving younger musicians eager to continue their musical journey.

Twinkle Trek

IT’S TIME TO PLAY THE RECORDER is a groundbreaking recorder book designed to engage every student in making music. Rooted in current research in elementary general music, the curriculum moves naturally from singing with lyrics, solfège, and note names to playing on the recorder. Featuring 50 diverse folk songs from around the world, this method broadens the repertoire to reflect both the school community and the wider world. Each unit invites students to improvise, compose, and create—encouraging personal expression and musical ownership. Developed and tested by highly regarded instrumental and general music educators, It’s Time to Play the Recorder aligns with the National Arts Standards, guiding students through Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting to ensure a lifelong engagement with music.

It's Time to Play the Recorder Book 1

Recorder Book

Pentatonic Expressions in Eb contains a beautiful A theme and a strong contrasting B theme. In the middle is a solo eight measure section which can repeat and give as many students as possible a chance to create and/or improvise a solo. Using only five notes of the pentatonic scale (Eb, F, G, Bb &amp; C), students have the building blocks to make up original melodic phrases. The composition itself gives all sections a chance to shine, but it also gives each student a chance to express themselves. In the end, the composer hopes that all students see themselves as creative individuals and music-makers.

Pentatonic Expressions in Eb

The Blizzard was written during and immediately after the blizzard of
  2013, also known as Nemo.  The storm
  brought up to 3 feet of snow in parts of the Northeast and Canada along with
  hurricane force winds.  The music
  creates an impression of beautiful snowfall falling and growing in intensity
  and then dying down to quietness.  You
  can feel the windswept snow falling in the descending repeated patterns, and
  you can hear brief quotes of Let it Snow and O God, Our Help in Ages Past.
  The Blizzard is medium easy in difficulty with good challenges for all
  instruments.

The Blizzard

IT’S TIME TO PLAY THE RECORDER is a groundbreaking method book designed to engage every student in making music. Rooted in current research in elementary general music, the curriculum moves naturally from singing with lyrics, solfège, and note names to playing on the recorder. Featuring 50 diverse folk songs from around the world, this method broadens repertoire to reflect both the school community and the wider world. Each unit invites students to improvise, compose, and create—encouraging personal expression and musical ownership. Developed and tested by highly regarded instrumental and general music educators, It’s Time to Play the Recorder aligns with the National Arts Standards, guiding students through Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting to foster lifelong engagement with music.

It's Time to Play the Recorder Book 2

This choral music was written after experiencing an art exhibit of Mark Rothko at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, with a text by John Taggart, whose descriptive poem reflects Rothko's artwork. Rothko, known for his striking canvases of color, shifted towards painting primarily in shades of black later in his life. Both Rothko's art and Taggart's poem explore the theme of light emerging from darkness. The music was created in memory of Sean Landers to honor his life and choral work. Sean's friendship and choral work were a bright light to many, a warmth that continues to shine on his colleagues and students.

To Breathe and Stretch One's Arms Again

SATB Octavo

Global Sections - CORE [DO NOT TOUCH]*

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