The Sound of Our Home

The Sound of Our Home was commissioned by the Kodaly Music Educators Institute of Australia in 2014 for the National Conference held at the Ascham School, Sydney. 

When Paul was asked to compose a piece for the finale of the event, he was dedicated to achieving a work that would feel like it came from all the delegates, made of mostly of music educators from around the world. Rather than write a piece just for them to sing, Paul felt that he could write the piece inspired by their passions for music and music education. His wife Bonnie became the main composer of the piece.

“The wonderful educators and musicians who will be singing my piece together as a community are the very reason I am here today still writing choral music and living my dream. Among the delegates are dozens of people who have commissioned me, hired me as artist in residence, performed my works in tours around the world, sung my music at competitions and events, published my music, supported my music, gave me a reason to keep writing and inspired me to be a better musician. Writing for you all feels like writing for an extended family. You are all part of my journey.

“With this in mind, and after reading all your insights into music education, my wife Bonnie and I felt that this piece should be about home – the home that music provides not only us, but our students, our children, our community and our world. Bonnie came up with the initial melody and lyric for this piece and we worked together as the piece grew. I thank her for her gift. Music is at the very core of humanity. It defines us, it makes us and it belongs to us all. I have made my life out of it, and my home is a house of music.” PAUL JARMAN 2014

This piece is very suited to your concert finale and is a powerful and moving way to honour your passion and your singers passions for music. The SAB version is perfectly suited to a large event wth adult and treble choir as the treble part is a stand alone feature.

This sample below is from the world premiere at Sydney Grammar of the SAB/Treble version and the YOUTUBE clip is the same performance.

 

Themes

Sing a concert opener Sing a global story Sing a message Sing from the heart
Duration 3:10
Key F Major with modulations
Range Standard SA and SAB with Treble massed or sung as SSAB
More info The SAB version available is for standard SAB with TREBLE chorus as a special part
Price AU$3.00 per copy

Lyrics

T H E   S O U N D   O F   O U R   H O M E

By Paul Jarman & Bonnie Nilsson

Open the door and I’ll show you around
And you’ll see you don’t need a key
To explore the beauty in here

It’s a feeling that you just belong
To a world that sings like a song
And you’ll know like me this feels like home

So come inside and I’ll pour you some tea
And we’ll stop for a while you and me
And I’ll show you this sound of home

You can skip to the sound of your beating heart
You can find your own way just to let it all out
We are born with the gift of a song inside
Throw open the windows, throw open the doors
And we’ll raise the roof off this home

What a feeling when I’m shown inside
Can’t describe it, but it feels like a home
And I know that it’s a part of me now

It’s with pride I share this with you
All the magic that I was shown too
And this door will be open to you

Coe inside you’ve been here before
Now this home is yours to explore
And you’ll show them all the sound of our home

© Paul Jarman 2014