“The range of the human voice as it changes during ontogeny makes writing for this biological instrument one of the most fascinating compositional challenges. I tend to write for standard (classical) choir ensembles, but am always attracted to the challenge of exploring new voicescapes”
Frances Gill.
Choral writing, song books, and backing-vocal arrangements, by Frances Gill
2019 | Blue Fields (for Youth Choir) SCORE, and PARTS AVAILABLE
– arrangement for 3 vocal parts, and piano accompaniment of Tractor (Edwards & Gill 2010) first performed by Väckelsång Youth Choir, Väckelsång Church (Småland, Sweden), 2nd February 2020, in honour of Anki Lindeqvist.
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2018 | Väckelsång Lullaby (for SATB)
– experimental composition realised in performance by Väckelsång Church Choir, at Sockenstugan, Väckelsång (Sweden), 1st Feb 2018. A mashup called Soundmound: Väckelsång Lullaby (in A), using audio material from the performance, features on the digital album Sandby Borg (‘Frances Flute the Bellows Mender’).
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2005 | The Battle of Stamford Bridge: The Musical (for Children’s Choir) SCORE, PARTS, and CD BACKING ACCOMPANIMENT AVAILABLE
– composition (a Musical) for children’s choir comprising 12 songs: - We sail in search of victory; Look to the sea; Should listen to Tostig; The marching song - an arrangement with new text to Jeo hay en vos (anon.); I’m a comet; Washing in the river; Caught off guard; This land aint yours; Brogg yer!; My father’s son; Hail King Harold; Our new country’s begun, (plus Overture and Battle music) with accompaniment scored for piano, bass, percussion, strings, and flute. First performed in concert by Stamford Bridge Primary School’s Children’s Choir on the 9th, 11th, 14th and 16th March 2005.
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1998 | Backing vocals written for Affection transfer (scored for alto voice, with keyboard, bass guitar, guitar, maracas, flute, and backing vocals) PARTS AVAILABLE
– Affection transfer is one of Fran’s songs.
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1989 - 1990 | Homowo: A musical experience through Ghana (Children’s Songbook) BOOK AVAILABLE
– children’s songbook of 12 pieces illustrated by Felix Cobbson, comprising 6 West African songs traditionally performed by the Ga people during the Ghanaian Homowo festival in Accra, Ghana (ethnomusicological transcriptions using western notation by Frances Gill, from musical dictations by Felix Cobbson), and 5 Western-style songs (in English), plus one experimental piece for percussive body sounds. All 12 pieces are scored with accompanying percussion for a range of instruments including homemade instruments. Each non-Western piece is paired with one Western-style one, in a story line developed by Frances to present a coherent thread through the material: - Kee yeo yai baaye yele naa ye sumioo paired with Working the Land; Dzidzi le niebee paired with Harvest Time; Meni hewo gaobla yee sumo meti foee paired with Journey for the Festival; Ke Akwele sumo paired with Twins; Amina oo esia mina paired with Food Time; and Kpaashimo paired with End of Season.
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1989 - 1990 | Aklowa drumming songs (5 Ghanaian songs) SCORE AVAILABLE
– ethnomusicological transcriptions of 5 Ghanaian songs using western notation by Frances Gill, taken from musical dictations by Felix Cobbson: - Mbele larwer man; Falao dabila o; Chee chele cheche; Tiitii butitira; and Awenye natilee.
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