This children's work for narrator and orchestra utilizes the imaginative poetry of Peter Gillespie accompanied by very descriptive orchestral music and can be performed alone or as part of A Day at the Farm Children’s Show.

The score is available for rental or purchase from the Canadian Music Centre (416) 961-6601 or visit http://www.musiccentre.ca.

Instrumentation:  Narrator and Full or Chamber Orchestra

Duration:  5 minutes

                    Hullabaloo in the Clouds

            The sun peeks through the misty morning

            breaking restful sleep,

            silence fills this lull of day,

            my world is so at peace

            But then a screech, a squawk, a squeal

            a crinkle and a crack,

            what ruckus can be happening

            in my farmyard out back?

            I leap from my bed to view the muddle

            which surely must prevail,

            but when I reach my windowsill

            no squeaks do I reveal!

            The barnyard pens are quiet now

            calm and so serene

            So where was all the noise I heard?

            It’s nowhere to be seen!

            Finding nothing out of place

            I look into the sky,

            to see the big white puffs collide

            “Hey”, a barnyard’s floating by!

            But wait! I see there’s discontent

            it’s growing, oh so big,

            the pigs are riding on the backs

            of horses doing jigs!

            A cow stands up to do ballet

            a rooster on its’ nose,

            but down he falls upon the ground

            from tripping on some crows!

            And look a sheep is barking at

            a dog who’s marching by,

            beating on his drum of white

            up in the misty sky

            Oh no, I think I’m going mad

            it’s such a messed up jumble,

            all my fluffy animals

            watch out!  They’re going to rumble!

            I think I now know where I heard

            the shrieks that rang out loud,

            it was the cloud-yard shouting out

            what a Hullabaloo!

            © 2002 Peter Gillespie