While studying music at U.B.C. during the 1970’s, Larry Nickel worked at Timbre One Sound Studios, arranging vocals for radio and television jingles and back-ground vocals for LP albums. “Those were formative years for me, while under pressure to get things done quickly. Barely out of my teens I had SO MUCH to learn.” says Nickel. One of his studio mentors, Delores Claman, wrote the famous “Hockey Night in Canada”. Over the ensuing years he was privileged to sing low bass in some of the finest choirs in B.C., including Phoenix, Chor Leoni, West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir, Vancouver Cantata Singers and as a professional in the Vancouver Chamber Choir. He became friends with many excellent singers. So when Kuni Murai (founder of Alfa Records) hired Larry to assemble fine singers and to arrange and record vocals for his music in 2001, Larry had an incredible roster of talent to draw from.  (photo – Kuni Murai and Torben Oxbol with Larry in 2002)  Listen to one of the first projects – One Pure White Dove.

The singers have been in the studio nearly every year since then. Most recordings have been made at Digital Sound Magic with engineer, Richard Dolmat. Many song writers have had their music arranged for choir and then recorded by these professionals. Personnel varies slightly from year to year with several singers still part of the original ensemble after 18 years – including Larry’s youngest brother, John (Larry’s favourite baritone). After Larry became the owner of Cypress Choral Music in 2009 the group began to make demos of Cypress publications in order to assist choir members, far and wide, in the learning process – with pristine examples.  “The Cypress Studio Singers” typically have long recording sessions two or three times each year. They sight-read, tune and blend with phrasing and proper word stress on the spot! Enjoy listening to their recordings, listed below.  watch here  All of the sheet music is available! The recordings are also on sale in collections of 16 MP3s. (downloads – perfect for directors who are considering new repertoire).

M

• Make Someone Happy – SATB – a cappella
• Malala, Pakistani Girl – SSA, SAB – piano, English & French
• Maybe – by Robbie Smith, arr. Mark Sirett – SATB, SSA, TBB with piano
• May I Be Still – by Brian Tate – SATB with piano
• May There Always Be Sunshine  – SATB with piano
• Miracle at Play – by Joanna Schwarz – SATB with Piano
• Mother Whale Lullaby – by Paul Winter – SATB with piano
• Mornin’ Train – TTBB a cappella
• Mountain, Sea and Sky – by Joanne Scwharz – SATB with piano
• Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder – arr. James Fankhauser – SATB – a cappella
• Music That Makes Me Unwind – by Richard Reiner – SATB with piano
• My Canoe Runs on Water – CP 1709 by James Gordon – SATB with piano
• My Moustache – TTBB a cappella
• My Song of Joy – SATB with piano

N

• Night Shall Be Filled With Music – SATB & piano
• No Complaints Whatsoever – by JD Martin – SATB & piano

O

• O Canada and Star Spangled Banner – SATB a cappella
• Old Lady Rose – by David Baker – TTBB, SATB with piano
• Once More – (from Earth Waits for Me) – SATB with piano
• One Pure White Dove – by Kuni Murai – SATB a cappella
• One Small Goat – by Sid Robinovitch – SATB a cappella
• Only One Life – SATB a cappella
• On Monday I Never Go to Work – arr James Fankhauser – SATB a cappella
• O Source of All – by Brian Tate – SATB a cappella
• Our Song Shall Rise to Thee – SATB & TTBB with piano

P

• Painter of Wintertime – by Frances Farrell, SATB, TTBB and SSA with piano

• People You Love – by Eric Bibb – SATB with piano
• Pierless Bridge, the – by Mark Sirett, SATB, TTBB and SSA with piano
• Place in the Choir, A – Bill Staines, arr. Erica Phare-Bergh; SATB, SSA – piano, violin
• Prayer in Spring, A – by Ryan LaRue – SATB with piano and instr.
• Pussy Willows, Cat-tails – by Gordon Lightfoot – SSA or SATB with piano

Q

R

• Rainy Day People – by Gordon Lightfoot, arr. Erica Phare-Bergh – SATB with piano
• REFLECTIONS OF CANADA – book one – 26 songs, Unison, SA, SSA  – a cappella
• REFLECTIONS OF CANADA – book two – 25 songs, SAB, SATB – a cappella
• River Hymns – SATB a cappella
• Rise – from Emily Carr Suite – Brian Tate – SATB with piano

S

• Sea Fever – by Robbie Smith, arr. L. Nickel – SATB, TTBB with piano
• Season for Singing, the – by L. Nickel – SATB with piano
• Sempre vicino – by Jill Ann Siemens – SATB and TTBB with piano
• Serving Girl’s Holiday – CP 1591 arr. Denis Donnelly – SATB a cappella
• She Goes Shopping for Gucci – CP 1674 by L. Nickel – SATB a cappella
• Shine On Silver Moon – CP 1279 by Susan Ellenton – SATB a cappella
• Singing, God Gives Me a Melody – CP 1574 by Harris Loewen – SATB with piano
• Singing, Life Gives Me a Melody – CP 1573 by Harris Loewen – SATB with piano
• Sing the Winter Away – by Robbie Smith, arr. Gary Ewer – SATB, SSA, TBB with piano
• Skippers and Mates – by Robbie Smith, arr. Mark Sirett – SATB, TTBB with piano
• So Long, Farewell (with We Welcome You) – SATB with piano
• Solstice Song – CP 1199 by Jan Garrett – SATB or SSA & piano
• Somedays – by Robbie Smith, arr. Mark Sirett – SATB, SSA with piano
• Some Sweet Day – by Robbie Smith, arr. Mark Sirett – SATB a cappella
• Song for the Mira – CP 1645 – McGillivray, arr. Stephen Smith – SATB a cappella
• Song for Peace – by MacGillivray/Loomer – SA, TTB, SAB, SATB & piano
• Song of Simeon – CP 1202 by Kenneth Nichols – SATB & piano
• So Still – from Emily Carr Suite – CP 1509 – Brian Tate – SATB with piano
• Spaces in Between Us, the – CP 1259 by Martin/Garrett – SATB & piano
• Springtime in Alberta – by Ian Tyson, – SATB or TTBB & piano
• Star Spangled Banner, the – SATB a cappella
• Sticks and Stones  – SATB a cappella
• Still the Song Lives On – by Clary Croft – SATB with piano

T

• Tears – by Stephen Chatman – SATB a cappella
• There is a Light – by Coco Love Alcorn – SATB with piano
• They Shall Grow Not Old – by Albert Greer – SATB a cappella
• Thirty-Seven Sixteen (3716) – by Dave Baker – SATB with piano
• This Could Be the Day – by Alan Moberg – SATB, TTBB w piano
• This Land Is What I Am – by Dave Baker – SATB. SSA, TTBB & piano
• Tidings of Great Joy – from the A Cappella Christmas Cantata – SATB a cappella
• To a Child – (from The Earth Waits for Me) – SATB a cappella
• Tomorrow is a Chance to Start Over – by Hillary Grist – SATB, SSA w piano
• Treasure the Moment – SATB with piano
• Trust in the Lord – SATB with piano
• Turn Around – by Harry Belafonte – SATB with piano
• Twenty-three Camels – by Bruce Coughlan – SATB with piano and violin

U

• Uncle Hans (with Well Water) – by Carol Ann Weaver –  SSA with piano
• Un Flambeau! Jeannette Isabelle – CP 1593 arr. Derrick Christian – SATB a cappella

V

• Vancouver Song, the  – by Richard Reiner – SATB with piano

W

• Walk in the Wind – by Reg and Lynn Dickson – SAB with piano
• Walk Through Walls – by Stephen Hatfield – SATB with piano
• We Are Stars – y Kenley Kristofferson – SATB & piano
• Welcome Joy, Welcome Sorrow – by Stephen Chatman –  SATB a cappella
• Well Water – by Carol Ann Weaver – SA (or any two part) with piano
• Whale Lullaby – by Paul Winter – SATB & piano
• When Christmas Comes – Joanna Schwarz – SATB & piano
• When the Carols Began – by Robbie Smith, arr. Tom Leighton – SATB, TTBB & piano
• When You Cross Over Water – by James Fast – SATB & piano
• Where the Coho Flash Silver – by Lloyd Arntzen – SATB & piano
• Who Knows Where the Seasons Go? – SATB & piano
• Water Awakening – by R. Smith, arr. Erica Phare-Bergh – SATB, SSAA, TTB & piano
• Winter Harbour Lullaby – by Dave Baker – SSA with piano
• Wonder of It All, the – SATB a cappella
• World of Small – by David Baker – SATB or SSA with piano

Y

Z