MUSIC FOR CHILDREN

WORK FOR BBC SCHOOLS & CHILDREN´S TV, THEATRE, VIDEO (1990-7)
In the 1990’s I worked extensively – and joyfully! – for BBC Children’s TV. Programmes during this period were of particular high quality, taken very seriously and backed by teams of researchers and specialists. Working with composer-producer, Sean de Paor,we wrote music and lyrics for such programmes as PLAYDAYS, WATCH, NUMBERTIME, MOVING TO ENGLISH and WRITING & PICTURES.

Further work included music for MIXED EMOTIONS/VIDEO SHORTS – an award-winning documentary (APT Productions, London) and for POP UP THEATRE (Young Vic, Under 5´s) both with Japanese producer/composer, Mieko Shimizu. Songs written for pitching projects included THE ALPHABET SONG (with Adjoa Andoh), BODYWORLD (with Sean de Paor) and BIZZIBODIES (with Juliet Dowell and Sarah Davison).

Georgia´s Song

This was written (2023) for my second niece, Georgia. Her instructions were to include her sister (Myla) , the colour pink, a Princess and two school friends.

So this song tells the story of a princess (Princess Pink) who’d lost her smile and how Georgia helped her to find it again: a story of seeing the pleasure in small things, of knowing what’s important, what makes you smile/laugh. I used Bruno Mars’ UpTown Funk as funk inspiration and – as with Myla’s song – asked grandparents, parents and sister to record words and phrases which were then added to the mix.

Myla´s Song

My 5 year old niece, Myla, asked me to write this song for her birthday. My brief was that it must feature me, a unicorn and a rainbow.

The result – what she now describes as her favourite song – is about her meeting a little unicorn called Angel who desperately needs her help to find the lost colours of Angel’s friend, Rainbow. A song about asking for help, gratitude and helping your friends. Taking a few old Black Eyed Peas riffs as a starting point I also asked her grandmother, parents and little sister to record words and phrases which I then incorporated into the song. Big fun!

Shake your Hair & Keith’s Teeth

These two songs – Teeth and Shake your Hair are from a series of 10 written for a BBC Children’s TV programmes pitch – BODYWORLD.

Shake your hair tells the story of a young, black, party-going girl who loves to shake her beautiful long locks when dancing – written to celebrate black hair and positivity.

Teeth features Keith who is ’talking ‘bout teeth!’ and telling chidren what their teeth are for, and how good it is to keep them brushed and clean.

Circles/Squares/Rectangles/Triangles/Putting Shapes Together

These short, catchy songs were commissioned by BBC Children’s TV Numbertime programme as part of their Shapes series.

Numbertime was a long-running, ground-breaking, UK children’s series from the mid 1990’s. The songs – Triangle, Square, Rectangle, Circle, Putting Shapes Together – describe how each are formed (2 sides long, 2 sides short; 4 sides all the same etc) along with fun examples of things formed by them (a table, a wheel, an envelope, the head of an arrow). These songs can still be heard in different parts of the world as part of BBC Worldwide programming.

What About Me?

What About Me is an hour-long piece written with Mieko Shimizu for a show by the award-winning children’s theatre group, POP UP THEATRE.

This song above – The Penguin Dance – is inspired by both tango and the basic Habanera rhythm (a four beat that skips the second pulse) to create a gentle dance for…penguins! It’s themes were about friendship, being the outsider, group rivalry and cooperation.

Alphabet Song

The ALPHABET SONG was a demo written and recorded with prominent British actress, Adjoa Andoh, in 1999.

Inspired the alphabet songbook CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM – featuring Ray Charles – we wanted to produce a more contemporary songbook with plans to pitch to publishers and Chidren’s TV.

BORRADORES

Georgia’s Song

This was written (2023) for my second niece, Georgia. Her instructions were to include her sister (Myla) , the colour pink, a Princess and two school friends. So this song tells the story of a princess (Princess Pink) who’d lost her smile and how Georgia helped her to find it again: a story of seeing the pleasure in small things, of knowing what’s important, what makes you smile/laugh. I used Bruno Mars’ UpTown Funk as funk inspiration and – as with Myla’s song – asked grandparents, parents and sister to record words and phrases which were then added to the mix.

Myla’s Song

My 5 year old niece, Myla, asked me to write this song for her birthday. My brief was that it must feature me, a unicorn and a rainbow. The result – what she now describes as her favourite song – is about her meeting a little unicorn called Angel who desperately needs her help to find the lost colours of Angel’s friend, Rainbow. A song about asking for help, gratitude and helping your friends. Taking a few old Black Eyed Peas riffs as a starting point I also asked her grandmother, parents and little sister to record words and phrases which I then incorporated into the song. Big fun!

Shake your Hair & Keith’s Teeth

These two songs – Teeth and Shake your Hair are from a series of 10 written for a BBC Children’s TV programmes pitch – BODYWORLD.

Shake your hair tells the story of a young, black, party-going girl who loves to shake her beautiful long locks when dancing – written to celebrate black hair and positivity.

Teeth features Keith who is ’talking ‘bout teeth!’ and telling chidren what their teeth are for, and how good it is to keep them brushed and clean.

Circles/Squares/Rectangles/Triangles/Putting Shapes Together

These short, catchy songs were commissioned by BBC Children’s TV Numbertime programme as part of their Shapes series. Numbertime was a long-running, ground-breaking, UK children’s series from the mid 1990’s. The songs – Triangle, Square, Rectangle, Circle, Putting Shapes Together – describe how each are formed (2 sides long, 2 sides short; 4 sides all the same etc) along with fun examples of things formed by them (a table, a wheel, an envelope, the head of an arrow). These songs can still be heard in different parts of the world as part of BBC Worldwide programming.

What About Me?

What About Me is an hour-long piece written with Mieko Shimizu for a show by the award-winning children’s theatre group, POP UP THEATRE. This song above – The Penguin Dance – is inspired by both tango and the basic Habanera rhythm (a four beat that skips the second pulse) to create a gentle dance for…penguins! It’s themes were about friendship, being the outsider, group rivalry and cooperation.

Alphabet song

The ALPHABET SONG was a demo written and recorded with prominent British actress, Adjoa Andoh, in 1999. Inspired the alphabet songbook CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM – featuring Ray Charles – we wanted to produce a more contemporary songbook with plans to pitch to publishers and Chidren’s TV.