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Texts & translations


Shumayela — in concert order
BLUE SKIES
​Blue skies smiling at me,
Nothing but blue skies do I see.
Bluebirds singing a song,
Nothing but bluebirds all day long.
 
Never saw the sun shining so bright!
Never saw things goin’ so right!
Noticing the days hurrying by!
When you’re in love my how they fly!
 
Blue days, all of them gone.
Nothing but blue skies from now on!
Text by Irving Berlin
WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES
​When I close my eyes then I can see,
When I close my eyes I’m alive,
When I close my eyes then I can see and I am not afraid.
 
When I try to see the reasons why,
If I ever could understand.
I would find the hope to let me try and I am not afraid.
 
Take me to the river, take me to the sea.
Climb the highest mountain and go there with me.
When I close my eyes then I can see and I am not afraid.
 
Now I am learning the magic within me
And that is the reason I’m standing so tall.
Deep in my heart is a voice that is speaking
If I keep believing then I will not fall.
 
Take me to the river, take me to the sea,
Climb the highest mountain ands go there with me.
Take me where the wind blows, take me to the sun,
Take me to a river that flows to the sea.
 
When I try to see the reasons why, if I ever could understand,
I would find the hope to let me try and I am not afraid.
And I am not afraid.
Text by Jim Papoulis
ALL THE WAY HOME
​Sing to me comfort, sing to me home,
Sing to me friendships I have known.
Sing me a place where I belong,
Joyful, with harmonies sing me
 
All the way home with a song in my heart,
All the way home.
Brighten my path and carry me on,
All the way home.
 
There’s a beautiful pow’r in what we bring,
There’s strength in the glorious song we sing.
Easing all troubles, calming all fears,
Joyful, with harmonies sing me
 
All the way home with a song in my heart,
All the way home.
Brighten my path and carry me on,
All the way home.
 
Evening brings a shining star,
Her ancient anthems from afar.
Silence below, her song in the sky.
Joyful, with harmonies sing me
 
All the way home with a song in my heart,
All the way home.
Brighten my path and carry me on,
All the way home.
Text by Sarah Quartel

Alberta Children's Choir — in alphabetical order
AD ASTRA
Ad astra per aspera.
To the stars through difficulties.
Sursum.
Look upward.
 
When you’re tired and troubled
And you have lost your way,
Don’t let hard times lead you astray.
 
Though you may be weary,
Just know you’re not alone,
For the stars will guide you home.
 
Movere deinceps.
Move forward.
Sine cura, post omnes.
Leave all cares behind
Text by Jacob Narverud, based on the state motto of Kansas
ALL TOGETHER WE ARE LOVE
​I am a dreamer,
I am a song,
I am a mountain
Tall and strong;
I am a song.
 
I am a warm breeze,
I am the sky,
I am a bluebird
Free to fly;
I am a song
For all hearts.
 
And when our spirits soar
All together we are love.
​Text by Katerina Gimon
CALL OF THE OCEAN
Sailing on the ocean,
Living by the sea,
It’s the only place for a fisherman
And old salt flakes like me.
Give me briny water,
Give me crying gulls
And a creaking ship tied to the dock,
With barnacles beneath her hull.
 
And the salt runs free
In the veins of a Nova Scotian.
You can try to hide,
But you’ll not escape the ocean.
She will have her way,
You will never ever leave her.
She will call your name
‘Til you come home again.
 
Flowing tides and currents,
Waves upon the strand.
Time to roll your pant legs to your knees,
Walk barefoot in the sand.
Building boats and castles,
Fragile hopes and dreams.
Some are fashioned out of crumbling sand
And some are hewn from sturdy beams.
 
And the salt runs free
In the veins of a Nova Scotian.
You can try to hide,
But you’ll not escape the ocean.
She will have her way,
You will never ever leave her.
She will call your name
‘Til you come home again.
​Text by Donna Rhodenizer
OMBRA MAI FÙ
Ombra mai fu
Never was a shade
di vegetabile,
of any plant
cara ed amabile,
dearer and more lovely,
soave più.
or more sweet
Text by Niccolò Minato, from the opera Serse
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET
Grab your coat and get your hat.
Leave your worries on the doorstep.
Just direct your feet
To the sunny side of the street.
 
Can't you hear a pitter-pat?
And that happy tune is your step.
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street.
 
I used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade,
But I'm not afraid,
This Rover crossed over.
 
So, if I never have a cent,
I'll be rich as Rockefeller.
With gold dust at my feet,
On the sunny side of the street.
 
Just direct your feet
To the sunny side of the street.
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street.
 
I used to walk in the shade
With those blues on parade,
But I'm not afraid,
This Rover crossed over.
 
So, if I never have a cent,
I'll be rich as Rockefeller.
With gold dust at my feet,
On the sunny, not on the shady,
But the sunny, yes, on the sunny,
Sunny side of the street.
​Text by Dorothy Fields
SING TO ME
​Sing to me, sing to me.
Sing to me something of sunlight and bloom.
Sing no more of sorrow and gloom,
Sing no more of the world’s noise and strife,
Sing of the beauty and brightness of life!
Sing to me, sing to me.
 
Sing of the blossoms that open in spring.
How the sweet flowers blow, and the long lichens cling,
And though winter is round about me,
There are bright summers and springs yet to be.
Sing to me, sing to me.
Text by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, adapted by Andrea Ramsey
VICHTEN
​Vichten a ven a ven, vichten a ven a va,
Vichten a ven a ven a ven a ven a va va.
Taria ka ta ka shoon, ta ka shoon, ta ka shoon,
Taria ka ta ka shoon, vichten a ven a va.
 
Ala couchi oom shoo shla lizabeta,
Ala couchi oom shoo shla ha!
Bi bi bid’n taria bodnah bi bodne,
Stalawala w’d dalia bi bodne,
Bi bi bid’n oo!
​Nonsense syllables by Arthur Arsenault

Raising the voice of choral music.


Choir Alberta HQ

5708 72 Street NW
Edmonton, AB  T6B 3J4

Telephone

780-488-7464
1-855-723-6397

Email

info@choiralberta.ca

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© Choir Alberta 2021
  • ABOUT
    • Mission, Vision, Core Values
    • Leadership >
      • Board of Directors
      • Program Advisory Committee
      • Staff
    • Work With Us
    • Annual Reports
    • Get Involved
    • Strategic Plan
    • Media Kit
    • Key Policies
    • Affiliates
    • Contact
  • SUPPORT
    • Merchandise
    • Make a Donation
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Honour Choirs Bursary Fund
    • Our Supporters
    • Advertise with us
    • Volunteer
    • Catalyst50 Campaign
  • MEMBERS
    • Become A Member
    • Manage my membership
    • Member Benefits
    • Find A Choir
    • Members Only Area
  • PROGRAMS
    • Alberta Children's Choir >
      • History
      • ACC 2022 Choristers
    • Alberta Youth Choir >
      • AYC 2022/2023
      • Apply For an Audition
      • Recommend Choristers
      • History
      • AYC Chorister Page
    • Alberta Treble Choir >
      • ATC History
    • Alberta Vocal Festival
    • Awards of Distinction
    • Choralfest >
      • General Information
    • Conducting Apprenticeships
    • Composer-in-Residence Program >
      • 2022 Commission Consortium
    • The Convolution Project
    • Music Conference Alberta >
      • Music Conference Alberta Website
    • SongBurst
  • PRINT MUSIC
    • Library
    • Member picks
    • Recent Aquisitions
    • Canadian Collection
    • Choral Music Composed by Canadian Women
    • Musica International
    • Music For Sale
  • CALENDAR
  • COMMUNITY
    • ADVOCACY >
      • Advocacy toolkit
      • Alberta Music Advocacy Alliance
    • Announcements
    • Call for Singers + Auditions
    • Clinicians
    • Job Board
    • Resources