Eric Whitacre recording the Animal Crackers at USC

[ThatOtherCaitlin]

Love it!

[JennaGwenna]

2:21 dude he is the best conductor ever. haha

[KamuntKurush]

...Don't anther.

[xitlacy13]

my school is taking volume two of animal crackers to a competition, because every year the group who comes out on top (or so it seems) is usually the group who did an eric whitacre. I can't wait!!

[musicmister20102010]

@xitlacy13 dude, your selling out

[iGookin]

We are singing this for our Pop's concert! Can't wait! I'll be having fun throughout the whole thing!

[2012hhswimmergrl]

were doing this song in our spring concert this year... im going to laugh through the whole thing...

[Ristichr]

too serious! Lighten it up. It's supposed to be funny!!!

[bassrob2]

@Ristichr Heh. Read Eric's description of these pieces on his website sometime... They're SUPPOSED to be performed seriously. BECAUSE they're so funny.

[MrTaurus511]

@Ristichr how can it be "too" anything? its whitacre himself conducting!

[flylikeacow]

@Ristichr I think being serious while singing it makes it all the more funny in performance.

[jump5101]

it was amazing sinsing with him at carnegie hall. it's sad one of my friend passed out onstage during the concert!

[pablodevigo]

pathetic...



[pablodevigo]

pathetic...

[mostevilgenius]

Oh i got to meet him! he's really cool!

[iheartneji13]

Ha, I wouldn't mind him directing our choir ;))))))

[woolworker]

the cow was a little slower than how our choir does it, but it was all still lovely :)

[showofas]

Beautiful! Just like everything else he does.

[penuchek]

I enjoyed the pianist as much as the choir.

[0AnimalCrackers0]

the honor choir at this summer camp at Colorado State University I went to sang this and it's what I named my account after!!

[VanSensei]

Is this song hard? Maybe my chamber choir could do it this year.

[amigangsta07]

umm, i did this song for the european honors festival...it's challenging at first. diction should be OVERLY stressed with this song. it's fun and you should have fun with it, good luck :)

[VanSensei]

@amigangsta07 Is there any divisi?

[kidnflorida]

Not too much :)

[cmougey]

Hard? Well...It's certainly fun!

[tonreves]

I had so much fun singing animal crackers. Eric Whitacre is amazing

[TheSaxyBandGeek]

Inspired by Saint-Saens' Carnival of the

Animals possibly? :D

[choirchick22]

oh my god my college choir is doing this song! :) its so amazing. I love the panther one. Its so epic.

[hut765]

lyrics please

[superman84241]

google

[ColdBloodedIncarnate]

THE PANTHER

The panther is like a leopard!

Except it hasn't been peppered!

If you behold a panther crouch,

Prepare! Prepare to say ouch!

Better yet, if called by a panther,

Don't anther.

PIANO!

[ColdBloodedIncarnate]

THE COW

Moo Moo

The cow is of the bovine ilk

Moo

One end is moo

the other

milk.

[ColdBloodedIncarnate]

THE FIREFLY

the firefly's fly's flame

Is something for which science has no (pause) name!

I can

Think of

Nothing eerier!

Than flying around with an unidentified glow on a person's posterior!

Posterior!

Posterior!

[lightguyforever]

so exited to sing this at the workshop next month!

[JinkRawkerGirl]

Oh, wow. He's so into this, I love it!

Stetson's got this piece(s) on the roster for the choral clinic this year. Man, I'm PSYCHED.

[cptnoob92]

Heck Yea I'm Pumped!

[romance925]

that is eric whitacre, duh. look at the name of this video

[Satoko37]

The choir that I'm in at my school is doing this at our fall concert this year!!! I'm SO PUMPED!!!!! :D

[VanSensei]

The conductor looks like Eric Whitacre a little

[africanhustler05]

It's not. It's Eric Whitacre's unfortunate less famous slightly brain dead brother Timmy Whitacre. They kind of look the same.

[Barbershop666]

LOL

[warlith]

OMG I CANT' WAIT TO DO THIS SONG AT MY HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!! THE TENOR PART IS AWESOME. that will be the 4th Eric Whitacre song My choir has done....dam is that man is a Musical Genius

[meribo717]

THE PANTHEEEEEEERRRRRRRR

dude i miss all state

[bidman92]

unless you are motzart or bach you have no room to talk sir so y dont you go back to your basement and beat off to some henti you fucking freak

[borne4broadway]

Hey, I'm performing next week at Avery Fischer too! Should really work on memorizing that music now...

[TheTheatreKid6]

I think of all of the Whitacre pieces we have to sing in New York...Animal Crackers is the funniest piece...ever.

And then there's the Eel, which is hilarious as well. The animal ones are so -weird-. XD Eric, you're insane. You're excellent...but you're insane.

[christyloveslamp]

OMG US TOO!! youre performing at avery fisher hall also then?? im from texas but i know we are both so lucky to debut a whitacre piece

[TheTheatreKid6]

Yeah. On Sunday the 28th? Me and like...7 others from my school got invited so...we'll be there Wednesday, bright and early, 4 in the morning, getting on the plane to New York. I don't want to wake up that early. D:

[jadedkiwi23]

Cool choir. My last name is Thornton. Hahaha. But really, I'm a musician. I love Eric Whitacre. He's awesome!!!

[Paradox1618]

I find it hilarious when people post hateful comments, you guys are entertainingly stupid to NO END! NO END I tell you.

This music is great.

And um... musicians usually know how to appreciate even something they don't like.

So unless you make music, you should refrain from commenting.

[RickyJohnGodin]

I love you.

[XXXBLACKZOMBIE19]

MAD PROPS DUDE

Animal crakers suck

i prefer saltines

you should check out my main man BIGGIE

now dat be da shit mothafucka

haha i can c timonyErt03s boner from here

quit suckin eric whitacres dick . mines way bigger dude

[Paradox1618]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Now YOU sir are funny

It's even funnier when rappers think they know everything. Plus why the fuck were you on this fucking page if you hate it so much?

I didn't particularly like it either but I'm not bashing everyone around for diffrence of opinion.

lemme speak you ''language'' : get real.

[RickyJohnGodin]

You, sir, are god.

[jm958924]

God Bless You!!!! for reals! ppl r stupid and need to get over their jealousy. :) and this: "musicians usually know how to appreciate even something they don't like" is so true. Thank You.

[TimonyErt03]

I LOVE how he jumps up and down while conducting! It makes me happy!!!! :)

[HaroldandFred]

Why must you insult some one ? It doesn't make since. Can you compose? I don't think you should be talking unless you can compose great musical works.

[SaintzGchild]

Hartley250 and jdotj4 neither one of you are famous composers I don't believe so both of you need to shut up. You don't have any room to criticize Mr. Whitacre he makes more money and music in a year than you can make in a lifetime so until you both come out with ANY significant peice of music keep your mouths closed! Thank you :)

[XXXBLACKZOMBIE19]

fuck you man

this kid knows what hes talkin bout

mr whitacre is a no talent bitch

[SaintzGchild]

XXXBLACKZOMBIE19 no one was talking to you so shut it!

[shnimmuc]

He is a second rate talent. Nothing orginal. This stuff is piss.

[exzelsior985]

Lyrics to the cow are, the cow is of the bovine ilk, one end is moo-ing the other milk.

[BozoTheClownTiredOfU]

Close -- we just sang this over the weekend.

It is "one end is moo, the other milk"

In that one he has the basses singing (well "mooing") a high B-flat - the money pitch for 1st tenors! Much fun!

[paperclipgenius]

Could someone please tell me the lyrics for The Cow? I can't find them anywhere and I'm not quite sure from listening.

[KaitousFlame]

XD!!!

Yet another reason why my high school choir was so obsessed with him..... well... at least the sopranos and altos. XD

[sealdude36]

This song sounds great, but is it seriously about animal crackers? It's kind of funny

[thomasjamesleinonen]

I was the first to ever play the piano part for this in concert! Sprague concert Choir in Miami FL!

[oyon4]

the adam state honor choir for Colorado just preformed this, it was pretty kickin.

[LalaRach]

Wow!! I LOVE his music! It's absoulutly amazing!

[taykim256]

o stop youre flattering me

[ajtheown]

don't anther gets me every time XD

[pianomatteo]

LOL so true! I sang this with him over the weekend, and everytime we got to it we would laugh ahhaa

[superpiccchick]

Gosh he's so hot.

His music is too, but damn. Like around 1:07 he's just so cute.

It would be so incredibly amazing to work with him some day ...

[dpxstsmfp]

Nice! Wow i can't believe you have already had State Choir for this year. We haven't even had Regionals yet... (PA)

[dpxstsmfp]

So Eric, why did you have the soprano's line in the cow (after "one end is moo")be "the other" instead of "the udder"? I mean, the alternative would really fit the punny nature of the song. But I suppose it might be a little too punishing on the audience.... :P

[princessjessica212]

Hahaha, we just sang this song on tuesday at our All State Choir and our director (Henry Leck) changed that lyric to the udder. It was brilliant, and we had a lot of fun.

[yupitsmat]

I was in that choir too! and those actions so made that song. it pretty much rocked.

[princessjessica212]

What part were you? Alto 2 babyyy!

There's a recording of it on my page.

[gobiballer]

eric whitacre's a really passionate conductor

[mexicano1409]

amazing director... and good song... i love it....

[Holterhaus]

wanting new friends

SOMEONE TALK TO ME EK

[nikimagine]

Im so excited that i get to be under his direction for the minnesota honor choir residency project. I love his compositions and have always want to meet him!

[hideyourbuttchuck]

hey man, i am in the same choir! small world huh?

[nikimagine]

sweet! Im really excited! have you gotten the music yet?

[hideyourbuttchuck]

yeah, 8 pieces is more than i expected. What section are you (i am Bass 2)

btw, did you guys have school closed today (1-16) I am from Elk River, how about you. ( Sorry i am so scatterbrained, i just get excited when small world stuff like this happens

[nikimagine]

i haven't gotten my music yet, Im anxiously waiting though. Im an Alto 1. We had a 2hr late start, thats all. i wish it was closed though.

[trombonophone]

moo moooooo!

[Muziq5678]

I love his music, I must meet him

[Aveilthe]

We're doing this song right now at CTC. :)

[JennsRhapsody]

We sang "Cloudburst" last year for Caroling Competition. He is so amazing. I love his dissonance.

[DeLaGrandeBouche]

i love eric whitacre music. :)

[supb123]

he is soooooo fun to work with. lol, he's funny too. lol

[drumlinerobertson]

really...he looks like a great person. i think that would be like one of the biggest honors in the world-meeting Eric Whitacre in person.

[byang2009]

wow, this is just awesome =).

[MDWMDW]

ahahaha 2:23 he just starts hopping up and down

[kutipi234]

My favorite part of the whole video! He just gets so into it! ^^

[MDWMDW]

I know right

[Denevi55]

one of the best eric whitacre songs i know of!

[frulieromero92]

We did these songs for our freshman spring concert. You guys sound so much better...well I guess because you guys are in college and we're in high school. But great job!

[Maestro2011]

Eric Whitacre is the only composer I know that can use the word 'posterior' in a composition and pull it off.

[supb123]

my goup from school was given the privelege of working on "This Marriage", "Lux Arumque" and "Sleep" with Eric just last spring. It was awesome.

[huh7290]

GO MS S! HAMILTON!!!

[huh7290]

GO MS S!!! HAMILTON!!!

[MJTrujillo08]

I would give my left leg just to meet him let alone sing in his presence

[singerguy93]

god bless the tenors on the cow. XD

[TBabb711]

hahahahaha, dude, those aren't tenors. Not kidding, it's freaking written for the basses. I'm a bass and had to sing it and I hated it. I sucked at that part.

[singerguy93]

yea. i just found that out yesterday. i'm singing that and i can barely hit the G let alone the A-flat or the B-flat. lol. i'm a bass 2. lol. it sucks.

[djtrix003]

his song taht I love is "When david heard." absoutely haunting.

[runningmusician711]

Yeah, we'll be working with him on Animal Crackers, Sleep, and Lux Aurumque on May 17th!

[MrDoogins]

Are you here in Colorado doing the all day thing with him? I am too, looking forward to it.

[MrDoogins]

oh, you must be... Taylor? I assume, at least.

[ilovelamp18]

what i wouldnt give to be conducted for like an hour with mr whitacre. god the dude is a genius!

[supb123]

I got to work with him on "This Marriage", "Sleep", and "Lux Arumque".

yes it was amazing.

[BandNazi]

LUCKY!

[TSquared2001]

Him and Nathan Carter in classes all by themselves. But the title really caught me by suprise..

[broadwayteen]

Eric Whitacre is amazing

Period

[IwannaBejudas]

HE IS AMAZING!!!!

[PeaceFrog1234]

I like cows.

[oplatre]

I love this,...it is too cute.

[runningmusician711]

Haha, we're singing this with him on May 17th. It's going to be awesome. When we listened to it the kid behind me (who knows his music pretty well) just said, "wow, he must have been high as fuck when he wrote this" hehe, I'm so excited.

[liladz07]

I saw eric whitacre conduct this on monday!! it was AMAZING.

[Purenicotine]

Everytime I watch this video I just become entranced. Your conducting style is so original and maintains such a powerful connection with your ensemble. Flawless and beautiful.

[XrunsXwithXscizzerzX]

Oh my gosh this is genius.

It's a song with three movements about a panther, a cow, and a firefly.

Why didn't I think of this before?

[candiechoirlover]

ERIC, our choir worships you, haha. well I love you the most...lol. We are singing this song, and also with a lily in your hand....and we have sooo much fun with that one...that is my favorite ever.

Cant wait to see what you come up with next...

[BandNazi]

I'm in band, not choir, and I, too, worship Eric Whitacre!!!! Especially his BEAUTIFUL and MASTERFUL choral works. What a genius!!

[may52194]

just got this in my choir a week ago, we luv it!

and Eric basically just took some poems from Ogden Nash and musicfied it

[PhilipvKlaassen]

His music is wonderful, but every once in a while I kinda chuckle at his lyrics... A little cheesy sometimes, I think.

[is3000]

Like most of Whitacre's choral music, the libretto to this song is a Spanish to English translation of a poem by Octavio Paz. That may explain the "cheesiness." <:D

[is3000]

Notice that all of the girls are staring directly at Mr. Whitacre the whole time, while the guys have their eyes buried in the music.

Hahah, it cracks me up. He's a good conductor, for sure, but probably a distraction for the college girls.

[mybluecastle]

giggle

[BandNazi]

LMAO!!!! I saw that!! Who DOESN'T love Eric Whitacre?!

[LizEatsMud]

we just got this song yesterday in choir. eric whitacre is basically my hero. we're also singing lux aurumque. the harmonies send shivers down my spine. and thats hard to do.

[elgurriato]

como puede ser taaaaaaaan guapo?? y lo bien ke dirige...

[bulgarianmimi]

I love this man.

[XRIKUxSORAxKAIRIX]

lol, I'm singing this piece in my choir this year! It's great!

[Astrithor]

me too

[killingnatalie]

Omg, he's awesome. I don't even like choral stuff all that much, I like concert and orchestral music, but he makes it all worthwhile to watch and very enjoyable. My band played Lux Aurumque, and I think we are going to play October very soon as well, my favorite XD

[skp2myLoo]

that is some good animal crackers!!! yay eric whitacre!!

[mozartlover123]

he writes beautiful music but he can come up with better lyrics COME ON the panther the cow the firefly. beautiful tune words ok

[TRMacar]

it's called humor

[mozartlover123]

well it's not funny

[ToxicPopsicle]

Uhhh the words are from Ogden Nash's poetry...

[Jennychan4u]

You can tell he really loves what he's doing ;-; it must be amazing to have him conduct. I'm jealous...I would love to sing in one of his choirs

[MonkeyBizness654]

I had a chance to work with Eric at OU a few years back, and he is an absolute JOY to have at the helm of a choir....honestly a BRILLIANT man

[hollahollagangsta]

Just as a side note...I've met many many many choral conductors that use batons. Many won't conduct unless they have it in their hands.

[chopstick85]

wow. that sounds like a lot of fun to sing. what a treat to have him conduct. but who uses a baton to conduct a choir?! whatever, whitacre's still awesome.

[avatarL2]

ERIC WHITACRE DOES.

[NValensi1991]

His conducting is addicting

[jdzitro]

his conducting is spectacular :-D

[alifetimeatsingsing]

eclipticalvampire, modesty is a virtue...does that mean you're in second grade hahaha

[wovenhands]

eric whitacre is beautiful.

if only...

[katiemarie88]

The premiere of Panther was at the First Annual Eric Whitacre Festival in Temecula. I got to sing in that. :]] Fun stuff.

[EclipiticalVampire]

i may be young but i can sing that well...i cant wait till i get out of grade school so that i can sing in a choir like that!....omg ive only 3 years left!

[SenorFakiepants]

I saw myself!

Yes, I'm that mature. xD Eric Whitacre's a really fun guy, he was a thrill to work with. ^^ And he has the cutest kid!

[boyofdestiny2]

Haha I got to premiere this at ACDA in Miami with the Sprague Concert Choir, if you read this Mr. Whitacre, it was a honor

[Sorashikari]

O_O OH I KNOW!!! I think I'm going to Paradise Lost on August 2nd or 4th I CAN"T WAIT!!!!

[LegendaryFrog]

I wish to sign myself up for the Eric Whitacre school of conducting. Your style is infectious.

[tulrich125]

LOVE it.

[fipster102]

I love Eric Whitacre!!!! I can't wait to catch a performance of Paradise Lost.

[Kimathy1017]

I've always wanted to see the way you conduct. I love it! :] This is a fantastic piece, by the way. Congrats on yet another wonderful work of art!

[cheeze135]

ur right it is. can u sing like that? lol...hi kimathy

[capndeathstrike]

I've seen Eric conduct Paradise Lost, that alone was entertaining.  Then combine that with great music and that makes the best day of my life.

[kootzpatootz]

What amazes me the most about your music is that you incorporate contrasting genres from different time periods, and yet all sorts of people can enjoy and even be inspired by it. Our choir is working on "This Marriage" right now, and it is our favorite piece to rehearse! We are always quiet for a moment after we finish that song, a rarity in our rehearsals! Thank you for providing such wonderful material, Mr. Whitacre.

[Haynkekai00]

DUDE! i freakin love your music. Its off the chain. I have your cloudburst cd and i listen to it everyday practically. by the way which cd is this? and where can i get it? Because the cloudburst cd was hard enough to find. Because barns and nobels only had one copy left.

[saprano1ke]

ahh amazing!

[saprano1ke]

AHH SOO GOOD!

[Crushingsitar]

You know. i love whitacre.. even when he does goofy songs about cows.

[jumpaholic22]

yea, so this is now officially my new favorite piece!!!! lol

[litanytothunder]

what is this piece.. its rather intriguing

[sosogood]

Whitacre's the MAN.

[jdzitro]

Shweeet.

[Bona07]

We just sang for the Ohio All-State Choir, it was a lot of fun!

[uhohdramax]

This song always manages to put a smile on my face everytime I listen to it. :)

[joshisrad]

I love how you started bouncing at the end of The Firefly. so perfect, so in the zone.. so undeniably SEXY. I mean, uh, well done.