While technically a secular round, this is inspired by the Jewish aphorism frequently offered during Hanukkah, “Do not curse the darkness, rather, light a candle.” It is a beautiful choral piece that celebrates the bringing and returning of light into a dark world.  

Even the Darkness

Even the darkness of the whole world
Cannot swallow the glowing of a candle
One little candle, one little light
Glowing through the darkest night
Even darkness, even night
Has no power over light
Light one candle in the night

Following is a possible outline of how this song may be learned and unfolded. Realize that these are most likely broken into multiple lessons over multiple days and even weeks. The exact pacing will depend greatly on your specific students. Enjoy!

Dancing Away the Darkness

Focus: Movement: Non-locomotor and Locomotor

Age: Upper Elementary / Middle School 

Setting: Choir or General Music

Reverse Conducting

• Listen to Even the Darkness either as sung by teacher or from unison recording
• Students close eyes and with one hand, “conduct” the music.
• (“Conducting” may mean showing the pulse, rhythmic elements, melodic shape, dynamics, textual/thematic elements, or ideally, a mix of many of these.)

Body Movements (non-locomotor)

• Allow the single conducting hand movements to transfer to other parts of the body and even whole body
• Add singing along with the song while moving as able

Small Group Creation

• Divide class into 4 groups
• Each group is responsible for designing a non-locomotor movement for one of the four phrases of the song.

Whole Group Shared Construction

• Form a whole-class circle, with each small group making up a quarter arc
• Each small group shares their movement creation with the class
• Each group “teaches” their motion to the whole group
• Whole group sings the song in unison with combined motions of small groups
• Transitions and edits to make the motions flow may be explored and implemented if needed.

Canonic Creation

• Layered Performance
  • In whole-class circle (with small group quadrant arcs), build a layered performance:
    • Group 1 sings their part (including movement) and repeats it over and over
    • Group 2 layers in their part, repeating.
    • Repeat with groups 3 and 4
• Full Canon
  
  • Group 1 begins, singing the song through and immediately repeatingGroup 2, 3 & 4 enter when the previous group reaches the second phraseRepeat a predetermined number of times (2 or 3)When the end is reached, each group continues to sing the final phrase until the whole class is singing it in unison, finishing after group 4 has joined.

Locomotor dance

A beautiful dance, shared by similar pieces is a “broken circle / snail” 

Hands are held in a broken circle, where the leader continually walks to the right, spiraling inward until the finish with a tightly spooled, multi-layered circle of singers, perhaps with a solitary light held aloft in the center by the leader.

Extension

Even the Darkness also works as a partner song to another round – Dance for the Nations,  by John Krumm. Though the Krumm round is typically performed at a faster tempo than this one, there is the possibility of compromise. (Interestingly, Dance for the Nations was not written for countries of the world, but for dear friends Kate and Craig Nation).

* Much gratitude to the 2025 Level III Portland Orff Course Participants who beautifully rendered the song from which the unison version was excerpted, and to the Samford Level II Orff Course participants whose voices created the round version.

Looking for more beautiful rounds and canons? We’re thrilled to introduce a brand-new collection from our partner David Thaxton — a celebrated composer known for crafting music that’s both accessible and artistically rich.

Whether you’re teaching in the classroom, leading a choir, or looking for engaging material for group singing, Rounds All Around offers fresh, beautifully written pieces that bring singers together through harmony and creativity.