NANCY TELFER

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Nancy Telfer is a Canadian composer who has been a choral clinician and guest conductor for many provincial, national, and state organizations throughout Canada and the United States. For many years she has presented workshops on vocal production to both choral conductors and singers.

Since 1979 Telfer has composed over 300 works for choirs, soloists, chamber ensembles, orchestras, bands, and pianists; many of which are published in Canada and the United States. Her music ranges from beginning to virtuoso levels and she has been commissioned to compose music for many fine performers. She believes that all music should delight the ears, capture the imagination of the mind, and feed the soul. Telfer is in demand as a judge and adjudicator, having served on the panel of judges for both the World Choral Olympics 2000 in Linz, Austria, and the International Choral Festival in Riva del Garda, Italy. She has conducted many workshops across Canada and in the USA, and in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Germany, Italy, Israel, South Africa, Namibia, Argentina, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Telfer is an associate of the Canadian Music Centre. Some of her books have been translated into Spanish and Korean.

Body Talk

by Nancy Telfer

Body percussion for any choir in two parts – duration 1:30

You must watch this to get the picture!

Canadian Kaleidoscope

by Nancy Telfer

SATB with piano – LMS 109 – duration 8:50

Opening
Newfoundland
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
British Columbia
Finale

Chasing the Northern Lights

by Nancy Telfer

SSA a cappella – LMS 3055 – duration 2:35

Atmospheric – the magic of the Northern Lights set to music

DRAGON - from Two Mythical Creatures

by Nancy Telfer

SA with piano – LMS 2071 – duration 5:30

Bring forth the dragon from the cave
Roar – boar – whomp!

Free the land from this terrible beast!

With its great fearsome claws and humungous wings

Its cavernous mouth full of fire

We shall not let this horrible beast

Frighten the children any more.

Closer to God

by Nancy Telfer

SATB a cappella – KH 020 – duration 4:10

Slow gospel style – antiphonal (call and response) – in sweet spot vocal registers – this composition comes across as authentic and sincere. Choirs will love it and the audience/congregation will be deeply moved.

If You Should Meet a Crocodile

by Nancy Telfer

UNISON with piano – duration 2:35 – silly and scary!

If you should meet a crocodile
Don’t take a stick and poke him
Ignore the welcome in his smile
Be careful not to stroke him

La maison que Jacque a bâtie

by Nancy Telfer

UNISON (or solo) with piano – duration 2:50 – Great fun!

In Short:
The farmer married the sad servant,
who milked the cow, who kicked the dog,
who killed the cat, who killed the rat,
who ate the rice, which was in the house
that Jack built.

Love Song - from The Spell of Times Long Past

by Nancy Telfer

SATB with piano – duration 3:50

Yes, I will love thee

when the sun throws light upon a thousand flowers

When winter’s biting breath is gone

And spring leads on the smiling hours

Luriana, Luralee

by Nancy Telfer

SA with piano – duration 2:50

Come out and climb the garden-path,
Luriana Lurilee,
The China rose is all abloom
And buzzing with the yellow bee
We’ll swing you on the cedar-bough,
Luriana Lurilee.

Man Under the Bed

by Nancy Telfer

SATB a cappella – duration 3:35

Surrounded by snakes and satchels of money
the dream machine jiggles and steams,
stoked by the man under the bed,

the emperor of emptiness,

of galaxies of dust and his hairy shadow

who feeds on children’s feet.
I hear him sometimes hooting up out of boredom

at the deaf side of the pillow,

tired of crumbs and his restive menagerie.

Missa Brevis

by Nancy Telfer

SSA a cappella – duration 9:30

Kyrie
Gloria
Sanctus
Agnus Dei

On the Back of an Eagle

by Nancy Telfer

UNISON (or solo) with piano – duration 1:55

I would fly on the back of an eagle
On a warm and windy day
From a place quite high in the clear, blue sky
I would feel the air blowing through my hair
And watch the sights below

Owl and the Pussycat, the

by Nancy Telfer

UNISON (or solo) with piano – duration 2:40

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

Seven Fat Fishermen

by Nancy Telfer

SA with piano – duration 2:35

Seven fat fishermen sitting side by side
Fished from a bridge by the banks of the Clyde
The first caught a tiddler
The second caught a crab
The third caught a winkle
The fourth caught a dab
The fifth caught a tadpole
The sixth caught an eel
But the seventh he caught an old cart wheel

Star of the East

by Nancy Telfer

SA with piano – duration 2:05

The star of the East has a strongly steady light

It glows like a pure white rose

It is known as a sign of the way to the Babe

The Babe in a manger born.

There is a Tall Fir Tree

by Nancy Telfer

SA or UNISON with piano – duration 2:35

I like to sit in a branch of that tall fir tree

And make up songs about my friends and me

I like the spirit of the people in the city so fair

There’s always something happening right there

Wind and the Flower - from The Spell of Times Long Past

by Nancy Telfer

SATB with piano – LMS – duration 2:15

The flower lives on the prairie

The wind in the sky

I am here, my beloved

The wind and the flower

UNICORN - from Two Mythical Creatures

by Nancy Telfer

UNISON or SA with piano – duration 1:55

Unicorn, unicorn

Silent and swift

A flash of your horn

and your silky white mane

You leap through the air

and then are gone