A Commonwealth Childhood

A Commonwealth Childhood celebrates songs that children sing throughout the Commonwealth. The songs chosen have been merged into musical collages that make up each of the three movements: Games, Lullabies and Education. The songs are fun to sing and demonstrate that in this divided world there is still much that unites us.

The First Movement Games comprises: A Tongan action song called Malimali mai (Smile and be happy); A Canadian ball bouncing song called Are You Coming Out, Sir?; And a Maltese playground game called Ongi Ongi Ongella (Knock, knock on the door).

The Second Movement Lullabies comprises: A lovely Scottish lullaby called Dream Angus; A Bangladeshi lullaby called Rona Nahi (Don’t cry); And a Sowetan lullaby called Thula Baba (Keep quiet my child).

The Third Movement Education comprises: A famous Ghanaian children’s chant similar to Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes which teaches about the parts of the body; A beautiful Maori children’s song from New Zealand called E Toru Nga Mea (There are three things); And ends with the English counting song When I was one.

Full score and parts have been published by Kingfisher Music and are released for the first time on 21 September 2020.

For more information to obtain the music click here.

Ian B. Wilson
Winner of the
Commonwealth Music Competition 2019