Grade K-2 Children's Choir (or Easy Access anthem for Grade 3-6 choir) for unison treble voices, flute, drum, handbells and piano.

• Text Source: Text by Gwendolyn Emery-Owings
• Feature: Drum, flute, handbells, processional possibilities
• Vocal Range: e-b
• Key: E minor
• Meter: 2/2 (with one 3/2 measure in each stanza)
• Accompanying Instruments: Drum (optional), fl ute, handbells (optional), piano

Teaching Overview: Wave Your Branches is an ideal anthem for Palm Sunday. Thomas Pavlechko’s melody is simple and immediately memorable, and can be sung easily with waving palm branches in hand. The long instrumental introduction provides the opportunity for the children to process, but then sing in a stationary position. Use a minor ascending and descending minor pentachord (do-re-mi-fa-sol-fa-mi-re-do) as a preparatory warm-up for this anthem.