Circle of Love – A Collection of Songs for Children
Progressive Kindergarten Releases Album of Classic Children’s Songs with Stellar Lineup of Australian Musicians and Singers
“Every morning at Sunrise, the children, educators and parents get together for Morning Circle.”
“This is a time for singing, stories and meditation, and provides a gentle and happy start to the kindergarten day.”
The children at Sunrise Preschool in North Fitzroy have been singing songs every morning since the centre opened in 1994. For many years, the founders, parents and educators who passed through the centre dreamed of recording a CD of the songs with the children’s voices at the fore – but it seemed like it would remain a pipe dream. When the current director of Sunrise, Didi Madhu, saw Melanie Robinson and Declan Kelly, two new parents with strong musical backgrounds, arrive at the school at the beginning of 2015, she took a chance and brought them together.
What began as a simple kids’ album quickly gained momentum and Circle of Love was released on Monday 7th December 2015.
Featuring 12 classic children’s songs – such as ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ and ‘This Little Light of Mine’ – the songs on Circle of Love are performed by the preschool’s children and educators, accompanied by an amazing line up of grandparents, parents, past-parents, cousins and other friends of the family from Melbourne’s music scene.
Paul Kelly sings the iconic Peter, Paul and Mary song ‘Puff The Magic Dragon’ and Dan Kelly sings the classic ‘Joy Like A Fountain’, while Melbourne indie singer/songwriter Emma Tonkin lends her gorgeous vocals to three songs on the album. Mick Turner (Dirty Three) plays guitar and Helpmann Award winning composer Iain Grandage plays piano, with all songs recorded, mixed and mastered by Paul Kelly’s son Declan Kelly.
“We were so lucky to have some amazingly creative people as part of the extended Sunrise family and the children just loved the opportunity to be part of recording the album” – Declan Kelly.
Although Declan Kelly and Melanie Robinson had never worked together before, they found a natural musical kinship and dovetailing of their skills. Declan took care of most of the recording process, while Melanie arranged the songs in complimentary keys for the children’s voices, managed the complicated task of recording them all and also produced the songs with Declan. Despite her long history performing as a duo with Tim Rogers, playing cello in orchestras and working on countless community music projects, Melanie had never arrived at a session with a boxful of magic, singing fairy dust!
Declan and Melanie put together the project over the course of many months: songs were arranged, adult singers, studio space and time was donated and instrumentalists came on board. Once the children spent some time with a practice CD of rough mixes, the final – and most complicated! – piece of the puzzle was recording them. They shone far beyond everyone’s expectations.
“The songs are a unique and precious memento for Sunrise parents, but they’re also too wonderful for us to keep to ourselves – we want to share them with children and families everywhere” – Melanie Robinson.
Circle Of Love is available on CD, direct from Sunrise or via mail order and is also available on iTunes and Spotify. See below for more information. Details about digital availability on other major digital platforms is coming soon.
Circle of Love on CD, iTunes and Spotify
You can purchase Circle of Love on CD for $20 if you pick up the CD from the Sunrise office, or $25 if you would like the CD posted. Payment can be made via direct deposit to the Sunrise bank account. Please include your name in the transaction description and then email or call the office and leave your details.
- Account Name: Sunrise Preschool
- BSB : 063-212
- Account Number: 100-103-86
- email: info@sunrisepreschool.vic.edu.au
- phone: 03 9481 5324
Circle of Love can be purchased on iTunes or streamed on Spotify. Click the links below for more information. If you have Spotify installed on your computer, you can also stream from Circle of Love by clicking on songs in the Spotify player below.
More about Sunrise
Sunrise Preschool and Long Day Care Centre is an educational project of the Ananda Marga organisation. Ananda Marga – which means Path of Bliss – was founded in 1953 by PR Sarkar (1921 – 1990). Ananda Marga is a multifaceted organisation which has many different branches dedicated to the uplifting of humanity through education, relief work, welfare, the arts, ecology, intellectual renaissance, women’s emancipation and a humanistic economy. Our Sunrise Preschool in North Fitzroy is managed by a Director, who is assisted by a Management Committee comprised of Ananda Marga volunteers and local supporters of the centre and its philosophy.
For more information about Ananda Marga, visit anandamarga.org.au.