"Casita de Campo" is one of the most popular love songs from the Dominican Republic. It describes a modest, and yet beautiful, little rural house in the Cibao region where the composer evokes the consummation of a passionate and virginal love. It is a "cancion-bolero," a typical Caribbean romantic song form in quadruple meter, slow-paced, which is also a centerpiece of serenades. "Chanflin" is a typical Dominican merengue in its melody and form. Chanflin is a young woman, very good looking. The merengue section refers to a "neighborhood gossip." The jaleo section refers to Chanflin dressing in a finicky manner. "La Lluvia" is a folk melody from Ecuador traditionally played on the siku - the double row of panpipes that have been used in the high Andes for over a thousand years. With percussion. "Son de Camaguey" is a Cuban folk song from which the composer takes the refrain and then frames it with kaleidoscopic patters of ostinati inspired by the song, and by Afro-Cuban music in general. "O Sapo" - In this irresistible Brazilian song setting, vocal lines imitate percussion patterns to create a truly infectious groove. Newly arranged for SSATB chorus. With optional percussion.

Songlist: O Sapo, Maquerule, Casita de Campo, Chanflin, La Lluvia, Son de Camaguey

"La Lluvia" is a folk melody from Ecuador traditionally played on the siku - the double row of panpipes that have been used in the high Andes for over a thousand years. Hot-blooded and haughty, a mixture of delight and disdain. The central paradox of performing "Las Amarillas" it that the rhythms must be very incisive and exact, yet the precision must be combined with the devil-may-care festive attitude that prevents the precision from sounding clinical. Mangulina is a dance derived from Zapateado Espanol (a Spanish heel-tapping dance). "Guayacanal," originally written in the 1950's by Dominican songwriters Luis Kalaff and Bienvenido Brens, embodies what is known as the Mangulina today, and is so famous that when asked, people often think it's a folk song. This piece is best accompanied with tamborra (a double-headed drum from the Dominican Republic) and guira (a metal scraper from the Dominican Republic, scraped with a metal fork.) These delightful miniatures are wonderful for concert, contest and small ensembles. Careful part-writing and attention to range make these a good choice for younger treble groups. Includes: "A la puerta del cielo (At the Gate of Heaven)," "El Senor nacio en Belen (The Lord Was Born in Bethlehem)," and "Gloria a Dios en las Alturas (Glory to God in the Highest.)"

Songlist: La Lluvia, Gloria A Dios, Guayacanal, Las Amarillas

The Amabile (Ah MAH bee lay) Singers, based in London, Ontario, Canada is an auditioned choir of 50 young women, ages 12 to 23 years. It exists to give its members musical experiences of the highest caliber and to develop musical talents. Its repertoire ranges from Medieval to Broadway. Amabile rose quickly to national and international prominence with competition wins at the CBC Biennial Choral Competition, International Choral Competition, and many others. They have toured Europe several times and performed at Carnegie Hall. The music of Canadian composer Stephen Hatfield is surprising and wonderful, and it has never sounded better. 17 songs, the energetic spiritual "Run Children Run," the dramatic "Vus Vet Zayn," the lovely "Camino Caminante," the powerful 3-part a cappella gem, "Three Ways to Vacuum Your House," the sweet, plaintive "Queen Jane," the haunting "When It Was Dark," the plaintive "Once I Had a Sweetheart," the finger-snapping "Sweet Tooth," "Crimson, Ivory and Aquamarine" and "La Lluvia" (with percussion by Hatfield and others), the short, harmonic "Old Fox Wassail," the complex, dramatic, accompanied "Ya Faraoule" and the rhythmic, primitive "TJAK!" are favorites. This is edgy, interesting, entertaining stuff that definitely pushes the Choral envelope.

Songlist: Run Children, Run, Vus Vet Zayn, Ower the Hills, Camino Caminante, Three Ways to Vacuum Your House, Queen Jane, When It Was Yet Dark, Once I Had a Sweetheart, Odi Odi, Sweet Tooth, Crimson, Ivory and Aquamarine, La Lluvia, Old Fox Wassail, Ya Faraoule, TJAK!

Composer's Notes: The first pieces I wrote for the Amabile Youth Singers, beautifully conducted by John Barron, were the cornerstone of my career. People often ask why they can't get those early classics on one CD. Now you can. Here in one collection are the legendary performances of "Nukapianguaq", "African Celebration", "Heaven Bound Train", "Missa Brevis", "The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy", and more from those astonishing early sessions in 1991-95. Spanning fifteen years of recordings, the CD also features the choir under my direction in superb live performances of new material such as "Geordie" and "The Sparks Fly Upward", plus gorgeous concert versions of "Once I Had A Sweetheart" and the 2nd movement of "Three Ways To Vaccum Your House". I am especially delighted that the CD includes several beloved performances that have never been commercially available before, such as the ferocious live version of "TJAK!", the first, unreleased recording of "La Lluvia" which remains my favourite version of the piece, and a radiant, mystical "Amazing Grace", performed here with oboe instead of bagpipes.

Songlist: Heaven Bound Train, African Celebration, Amazing Grace, Nukapianguaq, La Lluvia, Geordie, The Sparks Fly Upward, Apple Tree Wassail, TJAK!, Missa Brevis-Kyrie, Missa Brevis-Gloria, Missa Brevis-Sanctus, Missa Brevis-Agnus Dei, Carol of the Ladder, J'ai vu le loup, Three Ways to Vaccuum Your House (II), Go Where I Send Thee, Once I Had a Sweetheart, The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy

The Toronto, Canada-based Bach Children's Chorus and Bach Chamber Youth Choir, led by founder and Artistic Director Linda Beaupre, bring us this nice collection of live performances from 1991 to 2006, with performances under guest conductors Elmer Iseler and Jean Ashworth Bartle, and guest pianist Ruth Watson Henderson. The beautiful, extensive liner notes booklet contains a history of the group from their founding in 1987, and many photographs of the almost 200 children involved in four choirs. There are 21 songs by different groups and configurations of the choir, such as "Like as a Father" by the Massed Choirs, the spirituals "Ain't That News" and "Go Down Moses" by Choir III, "Behold the Beauty of the Lord" by the Bach Chamber Youth Choir, "My Shadow" by Choir I, "When the Tide Goes Out" and "Down By The Riverside" by Massed Choirs with Guest Dads. There's some magical material we're hearing for the first time, "The Piper and the Chiming Pea," "I'm A Train," "Raking Song," "The Bold Hunter" and others. Some light accompaniment. "Look to this Day" is a very enjoyable and upbeat collection.

Songlist: To Music, Antiphonal Alleluia, Like As A Father, Akakomborerwa, Children Blessed Of The Lord, Ain't That News, And God Shall Wipe Away All The Tears, Kneel Always', Ma Navu, Go Down Moses, Praise The Lord, God's Glories Show, Set Me As A Seal, Behold The Beauty Of The Lord, Seeds Grow To Plants, The Piper And The Chiming Pea, I Want Two Wings, My Shadow, Hand Me Down My Silver Trumpet, The Bold Hunter, A Jubilant Song, Vagabond Song, O Lord Of Life, Ching-a-Ring Chaw, Pecos Bill, Tutira Mai Nga Iwi, Have You Seen A Rainbow, P'tit Galop Colinda, When The Tide Goes Out, Ngana And So It Goes, Skye Boat Song, and more

Founder and Artistic Director Joan Gregoryk leads her 81-strong chorus of young men and women in an impressive collection beginning with 12 songs from a 2005 Holiday Concert, and 8 songs from their 2006 Spring Concert. Featured are the Treble Chorus, Chamber Ensemble, Concert Chorus and Alumni Chorus, singly and in combination. Some favorites are John Rutter's "Star Carol," "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" and "Jesus Child," "!El Cielo, Cant Alegria," "Sleigh Ride," "Cantate Domino," the lovely "Child With the Starry Crayon," two "Scenes from the Magic Flute" by Mozart, and Stephen Hatfield's "La Lluvia" and "Run, Children, Run." There is light to heavy accompaniment on most songs. This is all beautiful and moving music from this excellent Chorus.

Songlist: This Is The Truth, Salmo 159, El Cielo Canta Alegria, Ave Maria, Cantate Domino, Yism'chu Hashamayim, Away In A Manger, Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant, Star Carol, Jesus Child, Tomorrow Should Be My Dancing Day, Sleigh Ride, Non Nobis Domine, Child With The Starry Crayon, The Magic Flute, La Lluvia, Ojos Azules, Jabula Jesu, Run Children Run

The Indiana University Children's Choir comprises six choirs for children from kindergarten through high school. All children can find a place in one of those choirs regardless of training. Three choirs are represented here, the Treble Choir has the bright sound of girls 9 and 10 years old, the Chamber Choir, for older girls and boys with unchanged voices, and the Youth Chorale, a mixed group of high school singers with voices moving into adulthood. There are 22 songs here, we particularly enjoyed four movements by Brahms, "Liebeslied No.'s 8, 10, 13 and 18," Cobb's "Cantate Domino," Sprenkle's "For a Dewdrop," the moody "Erev Shel Shoshanim," Hatfield's "La Lluvia" and "Fair Phyllis I Saw," the folk spinning song "Sarasponda," Morley's "Sing We and Chant It," Franck's "Da Pacem Domine," James Taylor's "That Lonesome Road," and the Wm. Dawson spiritual "Soon Ah Will Be Done." Some light piano accompaniment. "Seasons" is a varied, spirited and enjoyable collection by this fine Midwestern children's choir.

Songlist: Cantate Domino, Libertango, Erev Shel Shoshanim, White, For a Dewdrop, La Lluvia, Sarasponda, Sing We and Chant It, Fair Phyllis I saw, Bist du bel mir, Da Pacem, Domine, Long, Long Ago, Just One Planet, Liebeslied No. 8, Liebeslied No. 10, Liebeslied No. 13, Liebeslied No. 18, Verano porteno, That Lonesome Road, Soon Ah Will Be Done, Invierno porteno, Thuma Mina

21 works from the summer festival that span a wide range of choral styles - from the early Renaissance to the Russian masters to Be Music, Night, the beautiful new work by New Mexico composer Bradley Ellingboe. Also includes the seldom-heard arrangement of Randall Thompson's Alleluia for women only.

Songlist: Kyrie, Ave Maria, Elegit eum Dominus, Ich lasse dich nicht, Richte mich, Gott, A Hymn to God the Father - from Five Motets for Unaccompanied Choir, Op. 37, Lord, When the Sense of Thy Sweet Grace, Salvator Mundi, Requiem Aeternam from Requiem, Angel Vopiyashe, S nami Bog, Voskres iz Groba, Vzbrannoy voyevode from Vespers, Op. 37, The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee, Alleluia, La Lluvia, Be Music, Night, Come Away to the Skies - Three American Hymns, The Hebrew Children - Three American Hymns, Wondrous Love - Three American Hymns, I Can Tell The World