Sunday School Letters

 Date for Entry: (Unknown/Forgotten)

[August 2018]

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Thursday 16th March 2022)

Dear Diary,

    I was asked by a parent to write out the music for two pieces that was being taught in the Sunday School steelband. For this particular task I knew that the student could not read music so I decided to write it out during a Youth Group meeting. Some of the members were not settling down so I took the time.

    When I was finished writing out the two songs on the sheet of paper, I thought that just as the tremolo, it would be nice to indicate which notes needed rolling on. I chose square boxes to indicate that. I only had a red marker in my pencil case to the time so that is what I used.

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali

"You Raise Me Up"

 Date for Entry: (Sunday 8th July 2018)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Wednesday 26th January 2022)

Dear Diary,

    I was asked by Mr. Sharma to create “You Raise Me Up” as a steelpan arrangement for the band in church. It was completed during the week and then he looked at it for me. This version has been under use for several church performances in Aramalaya. Version 1 was not saved. The second version was built right on top.

 

UPDATE: VERSION 2.

** Monday 22nd April 2019 ** 

    Over time, I was asked by Mr. Lewis to come to the TIPICA panyard to teach his new church steelband a song. He knew that I was working with the band at Aramalaya. They were all new persons trying out steelpan for the first time and it was a mixed group of young and elderly. It was a tough few weeks trying to teach them the music.

    Too many issues of all sorts arose. I had to keep creativity at hand for everything, especially with the new persons were placed around me. I ended up leaving and then was not sure what exactly happened with the piece. This arrangement as both versions one and two are not for a beginner band at all. I can see and hear the reactions coming from their experience of the piece.

    The arrangement itself became extended. It was on a Wednesday evening during a run-through of the arrangement, Mr. Lewis became concerned about the end because he said that it was too short. We had to get a member to sing out the song to check if I had everything right on the score. We all realized that version one contained only the verse.

    It would have been my homework. Thankfully, it was not a difficult thing to do at all. I remembered the Thursday night right after that Wednesday practice, we were supposed to have practice on Friday coming (just a few hours away). I sat down at home #2 from around eleven at night until one and got the chorus section completed. I was also able to put in a much better ending than I had. Mr. Lewis was surprised that I got the piece done at the evening practice. I got all of the new parts fixed and printed over for them.

Link(s):

1. “You Raise Me Up” – (Version 2). ** [DOCUMENT LOST.]
2. “You Raise Me Up” – (Version 2) Performance.**

 

Daryl Zion M. Ali