Rounds for Classroom Teaching

Peter Butler has produced many volumes of rounds suitable for primary, secondary and adult singers. Each volume consists of a single CD with a dozen rounds recorded by professional singers. The CDs contain a complete set of backing tracks, teaching notes and PDF scores in many formats: both with and without note names, solfa names and chords. The rounds can be successfully incorporated into Kodaly programs, Orff programs with bar instruments and recorders, or any other music program. The rounds lend themselves to both instrumental and vocal performance. A helpful feature of the rounds is their brevity, simple rhythms, simple key signatures—no more than one sharp or flat—and the Australian subject matter of their lyrics. Volumes marked SLV are held in the State Library of Victoria http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ Search their catalogue under ‘Butler, Peter M’

Hickety Pickety 1991 SLV

One dozen short rounds in major, minor and pentatonic keys.

Uk Alele, Batman Shimmey, Boom chic a boom, Charlie Chaplin, 24 Robbers, Mice mice, We’re goin’ to the city There’s music in a horseshoe, Fiddle cum fee, I left my wife in New Orleans, Koala Bear, Hickety Pickety,

Recording performed by The Bendigo Youth Choir directed by Valerie Broad OAM.

hickety pickety cd cover

hickety pickety cd cover

Jingle with a Ball 1992 slv

One dozen short rounds in major, minor and pentatonic keys.

Young man from Perth, A Cuckoo was singing, Cackle Cackle Mother Goose, Watch out Boy!, Autumn leaves, John Kanaka, The Tooter Tutor, If you wanna’ get to heaven, Hey Johnny!, In the summer, Jingle with a Ball, Dum Dum Diddle.

Recording performed by The Canberra Children’s Choir directed by Jonathan Beaumont. Artwork by Sharon Douglass.

jingle with a ball cd cover

jingle with a ball cd cover

On the Susso 1993 slv

One dozen short rounds in pentatonic keys.

Barrington Tops, Blue Bottle Fly, Cackle and Lay, Clickety Clack, Denis drives the Wagon, Maranoa, My Father, Native Companions, On the Susso, Puddin' Song, Two Little Sausages, Wombat

Recording performed by Tania Frank, Marie Boulanger, Wendy Collishaw and Karen Harris.

On the susso cd cover

On the susso cd cover

Sing Hey! 'Tis Spring 2003 SLV

One dozen short rounds in major, minor and pentatonic keys.

'Tis Spring Sing Hey, Can you hear the Church Bells ringing?, The Silver Voiced Bellbirds, Possums by the moon, When Handel wrote the Fireworks Suite, See the Glittery Girls, Kitchen Lullaby, Let’s Sing Of Spring, Mary had a Little Lamb, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, As I set out to Golden Square, Round-about

Recording performed by The Golden Voices, Golden Square Secondary College Choir directed by Peter Butler.

sing hey! 'Tis Spring CD cover

sing hey! 'Tis Spring CD cover

Australian Landmarks 2010

One dozen short rounds in pentatonic keys.

Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Uluru, Barrier Reef, Bells Beach, The Outback.

Recording performed by Tania Frank, Wendy Collishaw, Marie Boulanger, Karen Harris and Pamela Jackson.

Australian landmarks cd cover

Australian landmarks cd cover

Famous Australians 2010

One dozen short rounds in major and minor keys.

Explorers, Sport Stars, Authors, Poets, Scientists, Singers, Composers, Painters, Historians, Pioneers, Film Makers, TV Identities.

Recording performed by Tania Frank, Wendy Collishaw, Marie Boulanger, Karen Harris and Pamela Jackson.

famous australians cd cover

famous australians cd cover

Australian Flora 2010

One dozen short rounds in major, minor, modal and pentatonic keys.

Acacia, Anigozanthus, Banksia, Calistemon, Casuarina, Correa , Eucalypt, Grevillea, Hakea, Leptospermum, Melaleuca, Telopea.

Recording performed by Tania Frank, Marie Boulanger, Wendy Collishaw and Karen Harris.

More Australian Landmarks 2010

One dozen short rounds in major, minor and pentatonic keys.

Katoomba, Mt Warning, Alice Springs, Gold Coast, Cooper Pedy, Mt Gambier, Cradle Mountain, Port Arthur, Bendigo, Glenrowan, Broome, Pemberton.

Recording performed by Tania Frank, Marie Boulanger, Wendy Collishaw and Karen Harris.

Australia by Rail 2010

One dozen short rounds in modal keys.

XPT, Gulflander, Skyrail, Purrey tram, Walker train, Pichi Richi , Zig-zag , Talking Tram, Goldfields , Abt train, Puffing Billy, Cooma.

Recording performed by Tania Frank, Marie Boulanger, Wendy Collishaw and Karen Harris. 

Doing the Rounds 2011

Doing the rounds is an updated collection of 88 simple and enjoyable traditional rounds. These tunes are perfect for a variety of classroom, ensemble performance and singing group uses. They are suitable for primary, secondary and adult groups. The CD contains PDF files of four different types of scores for each round; with and without note names, solfa names and chord names. There are also un-pitched rhythm scores of each piece for use in rhythm reading exercises and percussion performance. The CD does not include recordings.

Sample score from 'Doing the Rounds'. The Public Meeting.