It Is Well (kids sing)

John Stebbe

Genre: Gospel

Get Flash to see this player.

Description

Last Sunday, the Crusaders sang at the 8:00 and 9:30 services at our church, Southport Presbyterian in Indianapolis. The Crusaders are one of three children's choirs that I direct there. This group is about 20 kids, ages 8-11.

They sang my arrangement of "It Is Well With My Soul." I posted my accompaniment track on MJ a few weeks ago, and now you all get to hear the kids singing the "real" version.

Kids, you did an excellent job. You all sounded great, and you were a blessing to me and all who heard you.

I created the accompaniment track with GB2 and Synthogy Ivory.

Leave a Comment

You must be registered and logged-in to comment.

Song Stats

Hits: 1403
Comments: 20
Fans: 3
Plays: 228
Downloads: 94
Votes: 6
Uploaded: Mar 02, 2006 - 08:23:13 PM
Last Updated: Mar 02, 2006 - 07:38:06 PM Last Played: Oct 27, 2009 - 10:49:27 AM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Comments

kristyjo	kristyjo said 1360 days ago (March 2nd, 2006)
	A great classic of the faith! It's nice to hear children singing it. I like the two-part style of the refrain. It's also nice that the congregation was invited to sing along. It's interesting to hear Mr. Stebbe's comments after the singing, too. Check out my latest song called What a Friend We Have in Jesus

John Stebbe	John Stebbe said 1360 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)
	A great classic of the faith! Thanks, kristyjo. From one music educator to another, those are kind words. --- My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>. Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

	said 1360 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)
	Nice take... on a spiritual classic. The kids DID do a nice job. Kudos to the children and glory to God! And thanks to Mr. Stebbe.

John Stebbe	John Stebbe said 1360 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)
	Nice take... Thanks, Mr. Conductor. Thanks for the kind words and taking the time to listen. --- My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>. Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

	said 1360 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)
	:) I liked how the kids sounded more confident as the performance progressed.

John Stebbe

John Stebbe said 1360 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)

:)
Thanks for noticing that, mungo. Yes, they did become more confident as
time went on. It's not easy to get up and sing for 500 adults when you're 9
years old (or even 46 years old!). But they are a great bunch of kids, and they
really came through.

---
My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>.

Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

Tadashi Togawa	Tadashi Togawa said 1360 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)
	Angel's singing voice You are very happy. Children are pure and beautiful. You did very significant music. I wanted to be there also me. Check out my latest song called Mexican taste

John Stebbe	John Stebbe said 1358 days ago (March 5th, 2006)
	Angel's singing voice Thank you, Tadashi. Your comments are always very poetic, like a Haiku. Very enjoyable to read. --- My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>. Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

ChrisSly	ChrisSly said 1360 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)
	I'm flashing back So many years of chorus, jr. high, high school, college. I particularly like hearing the conductor (you) giving the breathing cues. I'm a little unclear though, are you playing this live, or are they singing to the track you made? Check out my latest song called La Valse Final Waltz

John Stebbe

John Stebbe said 1359 days ago (March 3rd, 2006)

I'm flashing back
Thanks, Chris. What you're hearing is the kids singing along to the recording
of the accompaniment track.

But I'm glad you had to ask the question. That's exactly the effect I was going
for! When you have the choir sing along to a well-produced, fully
orchestrated accompaniment track, it does sound good, but there's no doubt
in anyone's mind that the accompaniment is "cannned," even among those
who hear it later, without seeing the performance. But if the track is "piano
only," then people have to do a double-take -- is it live or not? And I'm glad
you thought that it might be live.

I have tried using real live human accompanists, but the benefits of having
prerecorded tracks for my choirs far outweighs any benefit of the "human
presence" in the accompaniments.

Thanks for your kind words, Chris.

---
My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>.

Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

Cameron

Cameron said 1358 days ago (March 5th, 2006)

sweet and nostalgic
Very nice arrangement, John! The piano part provided an excellent foundation for the vocals.

I, too, thought at first that the piano might be live. The acoustics of the room reminded me so much of my childhood, when my piano/vocal teacher mother directed the kids' chorus at my elementary school, while playing the piano. It sounded very much like this. Anyway, after reading here that the piano was recorded, I am amazed at how good it sounded in this performance.

The kids DID indeed do a great job here! This song goes straight to the heart, and is a very nice change of pace to listen to on this site.

I particularly enjoyed your commentary at the end. It heightened the freshness and immediacy of this performance.

Check out my latest song called EPONYM

John Stebbe

John Stebbe said 1358 days ago (March 5th, 2006)

sweet and nostalgic
Thanks, Cameron. I just read your bio, and it's great to have a pro like you
on this site. I will definitely have to check out your stuff.

The songwriting is strong on this track (no thanks to me), and the
accompaniment track did help the kids sing well, I think, but the main event
is (are?) the children themselves. They are the heart and soul on this track,
and they are a great blessing to me. One fourth-grade girl a couple weeks
ago told me that she sings "It Is Well" all the time now, and it is now her
favorite song. Makes me think I'm doing something right!

Again, Cameron, thanks for stopping to listen and thanks for your generous
comments.

---
My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>.

Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

caroline	caroline said 1357 days ago (March 6th, 2006)
	hahahahha!! walking on a cloud!!! teachers are the same the world over!!! that being said... what a delight - these voices are like a breath of fresh air john - please, please keep sharing their beautiful voices with us for they dwell in the house of tomorrow which i cannot visit, not even in my dreams. thank you - all of you xoxo Check out my latest song called clink that link mjrf

John Stebbe

John Stebbe said 1348 days ago (March 14th, 2006)

hahahahha!!
Boy, those are very kind words. Thanks, Caroline. Those kids are a real
blessing to me, too. I suppose I forget how privileged I am to be their teacher
sometimes, but comments like yours make me count my blessings.

And your comment, "they dwell in the house of tomorrow which i cannot visit,
not even in my dreams." -- that's very intriguing. (And poetic.) I wonder
what you mean?

Best,

John

---
My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>.

Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

said 1348 days ago (March 14th, 2006)

I had to sing along!!!
This is my all time favorite hymn. Great job everyone!

I always sang bass in choir. The response through the chorus, %u201CIt is well, (It is well)%u2026%u201D are my all time favorite lyrics to sing in harmony with others. What a wonderful opportunity to sing with these children, and then with the congregation.

%u201CWhen sorrow, like sea billows roll%u2026%u201D always bring me to tears, when I think of my Dad who now is with the Lord, and never echoed a single complaint in his suffering last days, but would have proclaimed to all, %u201CIt is well with my soul%u201D to the very end of his life.

Thanks for posting it.

-Harold

	said 1348 days ago (March 14th, 2006)
	I had to sing along!!! I apologize my quotation marks left %u2026%u201D on everything

John Stebbe

John Stebbe said 1348 days ago (March 14th, 2006)

I had to sing along!!!
Thanks, Harold. I'm glad this song could touch you in this way. It sure does
affect a lot of people. One of my ten-year-old girls in the choir now says, "I
sing this all the time now. It's my favorite song!" Makes me think I'm doing
something right.

I look forward to meeting your dad in glory.

John

---
My jazz piano CD on the<a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=79324809&s=143441"> iTunes Music Store</a>.

Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

Heidi_E	Heidi_E said 1246 days ago (June 24th, 2006)
	Great work I agree, i love children singing songs, there is something pure about it. Love the music part aswell, very soothing. Check out my latest song called 'More than Enough'

ceilidh

ceilidh said 837 days ago (August 7th, 2007)

John
I was completely sure the piano was live!! :) it is truly beautiful melody, brilliantly played on piano. Those high repeating notes, straight from the beginning, bring to my imagination an image of fluttering wings of a little skylark somewhere high on the blue sky, with a big shining sun behind. I don't know this song, never heard it before. It has lovely melody and the children are really sweet. It reminds me of my childhood as well. Oh how I adored singing in the choir and what an event it always was, to have a concert on public :) Very lovely and sweet, but have to say an entire highlight of this song for me is, when all the church join in and starts singing with the children. John THAT is something. It has such a strength... It sounds like a enormous gigantic wave of water, coming to flush away those few little angels singing so innocently in front of all church. But the wave doesn't flush them away, the wave sits them on her tip like a fluffy foam and carries them there till the end of the song. It has such a power! It is simply fantastic. And amazing thing is, how beautifully is the sound balanced. Few gentle voices against the whole church. It is great to hear it in the earphones. Do you know, who has that fantastic bass, i can hear in my left earphone during singing the completely last "it is well with my soul"? Great voice :) John truly lovely recording. Very sweet singing. Lovely.

Check out my latest song called Gartan Mother's Lullaby

John Stebbe	John Stebbe said 837 days ago (August 7th, 2007)
	Thank you Wow, Pavlina, thank you so much. You are very generous with your comments. This is a familiar song to most American Christians. So you will probably hear it again in the future. --- My NEW 2007 jazz piano CD on the iTunes Music Store. Check out my latest song called NECAP Test song

Fan List

Tadashi Togawa

White Hawks

ceilidh

Artist Info

Name: John Stebbe

I am a public elementary school music teacher in Indianapolis. I also direct the children's choirs at our church. I love to play piano. I play solo piano jobs around town, and also lead a jazz trio (piano, bass, drums). I was born in 1959. ... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

Genre Info

More songs in Gospel:

Chat

ConnieO	3
crissew	4
Dadai.2	14
dj rocwell new acc	37
DJ WERD	41
Ed Hannifin	54
elfdaughter	50
EncryptedVerbalist	0
kchayer	0
Komrade K	52
MarkHolbrook	21
maxruehl	66
richardhowardjones	19
RoaringGirl	60
Sweet79	21
Vaisvil	2