Hugs on the Wind: 7 Voice Chorus
Created by Marsha Diane Arnold
Hugs on the Wind is a lyrical piece, almost a poem. It is a story steeped in nature and so it makes an interesting piece to read as an orchestration or a meditation. This chorus can be used as a simple reading or an exciting performance piece.
It can be modeled by teachers or older students for younger. Then if they wish, they could also try it.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail looked across
Voices 1,2,3,4,5,6,7: the Great Green Meadow
Voice 2: to where the sky
Voice 3: touches the grass.
LC: Mama
Voice 4: Mama (echo)
Voice 5: Mama (echo)
LC: I wish Grandfather Cottontail hadn't gone so far away. I think he misses
Voice 6: misses (echo)
Voice 7: misses (echo)
LC: me
Voice 1,2,3,4,5,6,7: too much.
MC: I am sure he does.
LC: What do you think Grandfather misses
Voice 6: misses (echo)
Voice 7: misses (echo)
LC: most about me?
MC: He always loved your snuggly hugs.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail felt the Wind tickle
Voices 2,3,4,5,6,7: (light laughter)
Voice1: his ears
Voice 2: and ruffle his fur.
LC: I have an idea, Mama! I will wrap my hugs around the Wind. The Wind will blow...
Voices 1,2,3,4,5,6,7: Whoosh...sh...sh...Whoosh.
LC: them to Grandfather, all the way across
Voices 1,2,3,4,5,6,7: the Great Green Meadow."
MC: "What a clever Cottontail you are."
Voice 1: Little Cottontail made a circle with his arms
Voice 2: and lifted it high in the air
Voice 3: as the Wind rushed past.
Voices 4,5,6,7: Whoosh...sh...sh...Whoosh. Whoosh...sh...sh...Whoosh.
LC: What else do you think Grandfather misses?
MC: Your smiles always made him happy.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail looked up at the bright
Voice 2: white
Voice 3, 4, 5: Clouds
Voices 6,7: gliding by.
LC: I have an idea, Mama. Cloud smiles can travel miles
Voice 1: miles (echo)
Voice 2: miles (echo)
LC: all the way to Grandfather. I will send my smiles up to the Clouds.
Voices 3, 4, 5: gliding by.
Voices 6, 7: gliding by.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail looked high
Voice 2: into
Voice 3: the sky
Voices 4,5,6: and grinned,
Voice 7: then turned somersaults in the grass.
LC: What else does Grandfather miss?
Voice 1: (as an aside.) Little Cottontail liked this game.
MC: Remember how he laughed at your jokes?
Voice 1: hopping
Voice 2: hopping
Voice 3: hopping
Voice 4: hopping
Voices 5,6,7: hopping to the River.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail listened to the River
Voice 2: as it murmured
Voice 3: to the rocks.
Voice 4: murmuring (loudly)
Voice 5: murmuring (softly, as echo)
Voice 6: murmuring (loudly)
Voice 7: murmuring (softly, as echo)
Voices 1, 2, 3: murmuring to the rocks.
LC: I have an idea, Mama! I will tell my funniest joke...
Voice 1: A joke?
Voice 2: Ha. Ha.
LC: to the River. The River will carry it to him.
MC: That is a good idea.
Voice 1: gathering
Voice 2: gathering
Voice 3: gathering
Voice 4: gathering
Voice 5,6,7: gathering wild lettuce.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail leaned over the River's bank
Voice 4: murmuring (loudly)
Voice 5: murmuring (softly, as echo)
Voice 6: murmuring (loudly)
Voice 7: murmuring (softly, as echo)
Voice 3: and whispered his funniest joke
Voice 1: A joke?
Voice 2: Ha. Ha.
Voice 3: into the water.
Voice 1: The River babbled merrily
Voice 2: merrily (echo)
Voice 3: merrily (echo)
LC: Now the River and Grandfather and I have a joke
Voice 2: Ha. Ha.
LC: together.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail laughed
Voice 2: and twirled
Voice 3: through sprinkles of sunlight
Voice 4: until he grew tired.
Voice 5: Ho-o-o. (Pitch starts high and sinks, patting mouth to get yawn sound.)
Voice 6: Ho-o-o. (Pitch starts high and sinks, patting mouth to get yawn sound.)
Voice 7: Then he lay beside the River
Voice 1: listening to leaves high above.
LC: Listen, Mama. The Trees are singing.
Voice 1: La, la, la, la. (Possible notes: C, C, C, D)
Voice 2: La, la, la, la.
LC: I think Grandfather is sending his summer song. I think he is singing to the Trees.
Voice 3: Here is my song. (Possible notes: F, E, D, C)
Voices 4: Here is my song.
LC: far across the Meadow
Voice 3: Here is my song. (F, E, D, C)
Voice 4: Here is my song.
LC: and they are singing to each other
Voice 1: La, la, la, la. (C, C, C, D)
Voice 2: La, la, la, la
LC: all the way to
LC, Voices 1,2,3,4,5,6,7: us.
Voice 1: Mama stopped
Voice 2: in a patch of wild lettuce
Voice 3: and listened.
MC: Yes. He always sang it when we were together.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail
Voice 2: and Mama
Voice 3: listened
Voice 4: until orange and yellow sun ribbons
Voice 5: touched the Earth.
Voice 6: the Earth (echo)
Voice 7: the Earth (echo)
Voice 1: Mama Cottontail started hopping
Voice 2: hopping
Voice 3: hopping
Voice 4: hopping
Voice 5: hopping
Voices 6,7: hopping home.
Voice 1: Little Cottontail hopped sleepily
Voice 2: Ho-o-o. (Pitch starts high and sinks, patting mouth to get yawn sound.)
Voice 3: Ho-o-o. (Pitch starts high and sinks, patting mouth to get yawn sound.)
Voice 4: beside her.
Voice 1: Soon, the lights
Voice 2: of a thousand Stars
Voice 3: winked
Voice 4: across
Voice 5: the sky.
LC: Grandfather always winked at me when he tucked me into bed. I think Grandfather is winking to the Stars, so they can wink to me.
Voice 1: Mama kissed
Voice 2: Little Cottontail's nose
Voice 3: and nestled him
Voice 4: into his soft
Voice 5: warm
Voice 6: bed.
Voice 7: snuggly (whispered)
Voice 3: cuddly (whispered)
Voice 7: nuzzly (whispered)
Voice 3: warm (whispered)
Voice 1: Little Cottontail looked deep into the Moon
Voice 2: hanging bright
Voice 3: and bold
Voice 4: in the sky.
LC: Let's blow our kisses high to the Moon, Mama, so the Moon can blow them to Grandfather.
Voice 5: Together,
Voice 6: they blew kisses
Voice 7: all the way
Voice 1: up
Voice 2: up (echo)
Voice 3: up (echo)
Voice 4: to the Moon.
Voice 1: Then they dreamed
Voice 2: of Wind hugs
Voice 3: Cloud smiles
Voice 4: River jokes
Voice 5: and Tree songs,
Voice 6: as Stars winked above
Voice 7: and Moon kisses floated
Voice 1: down
Voice 2: down (echo)
Voice 3: down (echo)
Voice 4: from the sky.
Fun Activities