Romany Wood:
Sing for Children

About Romany Wood

Composed in 2002, Romany Wood is a 35-minute work for children’s voices, narrator and orchestra. Performances can also be made with live piano,
piano backing tracks or orchestral backing tracks recorded by the
Orchestra of Trinity Laban Conservatoire.

Our mission is to introduce young children to classical music,
particularly those from diverse backgrounds. The music is deliberately
pastiche, with elements of English pastoral music, a nod to Copland
in the song, Harvest, and traditional jazz in the song that is most
children’s favourite, Washday Blues, which can be heard HERE.

All materials are supplied free to users, which may be orchestras,
choirs, individual schools or music services.

Romany Wood began as a picture book, exquisitely drawn by Beshlie, who was a Romany, living in Craven Arms, Shropshire.

David Carr, one time teacher of
Howard Goodall, wrote a text to give a storyline to the drawings, but Howard
left for Oxford before the music
could be written.

David Carr gave the text to
David Gaukroger in 2001 to be
set to music.

Romany Wood in Huddersfield Town Hall

We were immensely privileged to have Paul Whittaker,
a deaf-signer who has enjoyed a successful musical career,
to sign the story alongside a narrator.
https://www.rsno.org.uk/people/paul-whittaker

🎶 Celebrating 25 years of Romany Wood in 2027 🎶