Thank you for visiting my website of music for children and children’s vocal groups. These songs were inspired by a small children’s choir in southern California. I named the choir, “Joyful Noise,” because I found that I looked forward to my Sunday mornings, knowing I would be delightfully filled with their genuine noise and laughter.

As we learned our songs, we engaged in activities that not only expressed our creativity through music, but through art: making quilts, t-shirts, crazy 70s fringed vests with peace signs and musical instruments. As we worked on our projects, I played the tracks of the music they were learning. The children sang their songs as they worked – sort of a “whistle while you work” method and it helped them learn their melodies and lyrics, as well as to reinforce their message. On this page you see photos of some of our projects. Perhaps the pictures will inspire ideas for your groups.

In the Music Store below you’ll find each of these songs in the form of sheet music PDF and backing track MP3 files. Optional solo instrument charts are also available as part of a complete ensemble package (where indicated).

Finally, if you’re new to my music, thanks for taking the time to learn more and check out ideas for the children’s activities that go with them. And if you’re already familiar, thank you for coming back – tell a friend!

NICHOLAS FRYMAN, arranger

Nick Fryman, my wonderful arranger, plays professionally as a soloist and member of various jazz and popular music groups, working extensively with vocal and instrumental artists, arranging for stage, records and CDs, radio and TV commercials. He has previously been Musical Director/Arranger of an award-winning PBS children’s bilingual television series, CARRASCOLENDAS, and has done orchestration work for the feature animation film CATS DON’T DANCE and the TV movie IN SEARCH OF DR SEUSS.

Nick has the creative sensitivity for my musical compositions, adding just the right touch to the arrangements to make them sweet and whimsical. In addition to the piano/vocal PDFs available on this site, are options for other instruments: flute, trumpet, celeste, and violin, as Nick and I discovered budding young musicians in the choir, studying instruments privately and in the schools. So we added instrument parts to the some of the songs to give those children opportunities to gain confidence playing in church services with the choir. The result was the creation of “Joyful Jazz Band,” and the instrument parts are available where indicated.

This song imparts a vision of peace that begins in ourselves and reaches out to the world. A Song for Peace starts with a soothing rhythmic pattern, adding on voices and instruments, and then peels away each layer to a quiet mantra, “Peace in my mind, and on my lips and in my heart,” fading to a single drum pattern to the end. Children can make percussion instruments and play the initial and ending patterns in the song. The “Joyful Noise” choir had a fun project decorating their instruments of metal cans with lids filled with rice, seeds, etc. We also took long cardboard tubes and made rain-sticks, decorated with paper, ribbons, and their artwork.

Inspired by a morning’s drive as I watched the sunrise, this song reminds us of the love and light in each of our hearts, the light which is God that connects us all. I have been told by many people God Is in Our Hearts is a beautiful way to start their day, like a morning prayer to set your loving intentions for the gift of a new day.

A comforting Lullaby for Christmas Eve, connecting us to that night, where all is quiet to let a tiny babe stay cradled in its mother’s arms, a baby that the world will soon depend upon to create a world of hope and peace, where we too can be cradled in love.

Lullaby is the recipient of the prestigious FINALIST award from The Great American Song Contest 2016.

Press Play to see Chandler David sing Lullaby

This is an up-tempo version of a classical song. The kids love to sing out and clap their hands, with this arrangement. Go Tell It on the Mountain is a staple in our repertoire for the holiday season.

This song, Palm Sunday: The New Kingdom, may be performed with a creative drama written by Christian author Jana Tether. It consists of an easy chorus that can be repeated as needed throughout the drama, until a final majestic chorus, where children run down the aisle waving palm fronds and accompany Jesus on his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

A simple Peace Prayer, sung a cappella or with simple instrumentation, is a beautiful offering in any service, asking for kindness and peace to prevail in our hearts and in the world.