Junior High

Tammy Carney, Junior High

Jolene

SSA/Solo

Mark Brymer

Hal Leonard 215182

This arrangement of Jolene is written like the Pentatonix recording with Dolly Parton.  My girls are preparing this now and it has been easy to teach!! This is also a great feature for soloist!

Linden Lea

TB

Larry Shackley

Heritage Music Press 15/3505H

I chose this piece for District Festival this year.  Based on a William Barnes poem, this Ralph Vaughan Williams tune is beautiful in the young male voice.  The tenor section gives those unchanged voices a chance to soar in the sweet places of the voice.   Singers must however be independent and certain as the accompaniment is very ornamental.   Challenging for a two part octavo.

Dies Irae

SATB

Ryan Main

www.rayanmain.com

Found this piece at a reading session this year!  Great SATB for the second semester junior high mixed choir.  Voices are settling a bit and could have great success with this piece.  Dies Irae is very rhythmic and has opportunities for great musicality!

Vocalize!

Composed and Arranged by Andy Beck

Vocalize! Is a book of 45 accompanied vocal warm up that teach technique to younger voices.  I love anything I can reproduce! We use this resource mostly to remind singers of simple ways they can improve their tone, articulation, range, and vocal energy.  My students can use the accompaniment tracks and lead warm ups for me!

Ethnic Music

Scott Sexton, Ethnic Music

Red Dragonflies (Japan)

SSA

Yamada, arr. Ruth Dwyer

Colla Voce 21-20266

Though this piece is not a folk song, “Red Dragonflies” is full of teaching opportunities for a late elementary ensemble or a beginning junior treble choir wishing to move from 2-part to 3-part repertoire. It is a short piece and the part-work is minimal; however, it features a lovely unison legato and pentatonic melody throughout the piece. The text alternates between Japanese and English and I feel this piece would serve as an excellent introduction to any director wishing to explore repertoire in East Asian languages.

La Violette (Canada)

SSAA

Acadian folk song, arr. Susan Brumfield

Colla Voce 21-20251

Who said that you had to leave our continent to find quality multicultural music to use with your ensemble? “La Violette” is an Acadian (people of French ancestry in parts of French-Canada/Quebec) folk song. Susan Brumfield has done a superb job in arranging this piece for SSAA choir. Don’t let the 4-part voicing scare you away- there are sections of unison melody and the part-work is super accessible for a good children’s choir, as well as middle or high school women’s ensembles.  The accompanying hand drum and triangle parts are easy enough to have a student play the part- no hired professional needed!

Hlohonolofatsa (South Africa)

SATB

Sesotho praise song, arr. Daniel Jackson

Walton 1588

I learned an arrangement of this piece from African friends 10+ years ago. It’s good to see that these fun African choral arrangements are starting to be published and made accessible for everyone! Daniel Jackson has masterfully arranged this piece into a fun SATB work. Feature some of your stronger soloists in some fun call-and-response sections. Add some percussion and a few appropriate dance moves and you have a stunning processional or concert closer.

Raising the Bar: Choral Volumes

Patty Cuyler and Mollie Stone are master teachers of multicultural choral music. Their travels have led them to South African, Georgia, and Bulgaria, where they have done in-depth studies of the music of these regions. Their work has resulted in publication of “Raising the Bar: Choral Volumes”. Each book/dvd set offers historical/cultural background, pronunciation guides, numerous songs and demonstrations by both native choirs of these countries and the Chicago Children’s Choirs. These are available at both West Music and JW Pepper.

Contemporary and Commercial

Carol Joy Sparkman, Contemporary and Commercial

This blog will focus primarily on resources available to novice a cappella groups to the more experienced. If you are planning on starting a pop cappella group at your school or in your community, contact directors who already have groups in place.

The MS ACDA offers a one-day workshop on Martin Luther King weekend that provides a performance opportunity, coaching for your group, and a chance to dialogue with other directors. The A Cappella Education Association is a wonderful resource for information. There are state and region coordinators that are available to assist you in all areas. Join this organization and have full access to the website.

The best advice is not to be scared of Pop A Cappella! Remember, someone, somewhere, sometime was scared of Madrigals!!

RESOURCES

Noteflight.com

This website is used by some fledging arrangers to give a “sneak peek” at some of their a cappella arrangements.  These arrangements are often by college students who are arranging for a collegiate a cappella group. Although the process may be tedious, gems are there to be mined and can usually be purchased for a small fee.

Search a cappella and the voicing or simply, a cappella.

Recently, I have been fortunate to make contact with several arrangers and excited to use them again. It’s a great resource!!

A Cappella Warm-ups: for Pop and Jazz Choirs

This book is co-written by Deke Sharon and a Southern Miss grad, J. D. Frizzell. Although the book is geared toward a cappella and jazz, it could give your traditional choirs a fresh perspective.

Topics include: Rhythm, Syllables, Tone, Intervals, Dynamics, Intonation, Blend, Balance, Pitch, Improvisation, Solo Techniques, and Vocal Percussion.

Better A Cappella

Browsing through this website requires commitment, but it is well worth the investment. Find music and/or voicings that work for you; listen to or watch recordings of the selected arranger; contact the arranger and ask for a few PDF pages of the arrangement. I have been able to purchase several arrangements for as little as $20 each. This gives me the right to make copies for my group. Of course, competing with the arrangement is another blog post!

Lifelong Coordinator

Mark Nabholz, Lifelong Coordinator

Three Low-Stress Anthems for Church Choirs: Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas

Spring is here, which means that it's time to start planning fall repertoire! Here are three anthems and a resource that you may want to consider as you look ahead to Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas 2018.

Thanks Be To Thee

SAB, piano or organ

G. F. Handel, arr. Anna Mae Nichols

Hope Publishing Co., A457

Utilizing the famous Largo aria from Handel's opera, Xerxes, this three-part anthem for thanksgiving provides a rare opportunity for the small choir to sing sustained lines with plenty of supportive accompaniment – and it can be learned with a minimum of rehearsal time. Vocal ranges are modest, and the text from an unnamed source is ideal for the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day:

Thanks be to Thee, Thanks be to Thee!

Thy holy name be ever blest, Glory, honor, and praise be Thine!

Thanks be to Thee, Thanks be to Thee!

Thy holy name be ever blest, Praise, adoration, we sing unto Thee.

Thy loving kindness doth forever prevail,

Tenderly guiding all those who come unto Thee.

Thanks be to Thee, Thanks be to Thee!

Thou art the King o’er land and sea.

Praise, adoration, we sing unto Thee.

While no recording of this particular setting is available on the internet, you can listen to the original aria source, sung by the incomparable countertenor, Andreas Scholl, here: https://youtu.be/N7XH-58eB8c

Comfort, Comfort

SATB

John Ferguson

Augsburg Choral Library, 0-8006-4635-5

Bright and dancing, this brief anthem is ideally suited to the first Sunday of Advent. Pachelbel's tune, FREU DICH SEHR, is given a charming treatment that includes a brief instrumental ritornello between verses that can be played either by keyboard or the preferred flexible instrumental trio of winds and tambourine. Don't let the ritornello scare you off – it is within the reach of average, amateur players.

The text is a paraphrase of Isaiah 40:1-5, in which the prophet looks forward with hope to the coming of Christ, with references to John's voice crying in the wilderness.

Preview here: https://youtu.be/Bbk1eagEjOw

The First Noel

SATB & keyboard

Dan Forrest

Beckenhorst Press, BP1857

For those already familiar with the superlative arrangements of Dan Forrest, it will come as no surprise that his setting of "The First Noel" is gracious to the voice, creatively accompanied, and broadly accessible to choirs of varied abilities. Essentially homophonic in texture, the alternation between women (SA) and men (TB) provides interest, warmth, and beauty; and the soaring soprano countermelody will make this an instant favorite with your choir and your audience or congregation.

Preview here: https://youtu.be/NRSqp4hoFVo

Title: The Shaw-Parker Book of Christmas Carols: Twenty-Four Collected Carols for Unaccompanied Mixed Chorus

           

Publisher: G. Schirmer, HL50481497

ISBN: 0-7935-1064-3

Two dozen classic sacred and secular carol arrangements by iconic choral personalities Robert Shaw and Alice Parker, packed between the covers of a slender paperback volume, provides a powerful resource for Christmas planning at school and church. Familiar carols such as "Fum, Fum, Fum," "The Holly and the Ivy," and "What Child is this" are supplemented with less familiar fare ("Susanni," "Touro-louro-louro!," "Ya viene la vieja").

At today's prices, purchasing a copy of each anthem separately, you will spend over $50.00, but the book retails at $15.95. Whether you purchase it for your full choir or not, I highly recommend having a copy on your book shelf for reference!

Collegiate Coordinator

Phillip Stockton, Collegiate Coordinator

Joy

Hans Bridger Heruth, Composer

Sara Teasdale, Text

SBMP1392

This uses double piano and SSAATB voicing. It is a lovely text that is set beautifully by a young composer in Heruth.

https://youtu.be/Ryqy9IshQX4

Album

In July 2018 Delphian Records will release In Sorrow’s Footsteps by the Marian Consort. I have heard samples of this recording and they are beautifully sung by a technically superior choir. I highly recommend this record label.

Conductor As Leader by Ramona Wis

I am always looking for leadership texts to incorporate into my choral conducting course. This year we are following Wis’s book and I look forward to seeing the growth of students as they learn about being conductor leaders.

Youth Coordinator

Kristy Brumfield, Youth Coordinator 

Niska Banja

Two-part 

Arr. Nick Page

Boosey & Hawkes 48020832

The mixed meter of this piece provides opportunities for rhythmic proficiency in your singers as well as allowing for percussive exploration.  It's an impressive addition to your multicultural repertoire.  

Grow, Little Tree

SA

Andrea Ramsey 

Santa Barbara Music Publishing 1170

How can you go wrong with Andrea Ramsey?  Once rejected for its simplicity, this piece's beauty is found in the simple beauty of its melody.  The harmonies are intricate yet easy to teach. Your choir will ask to sing this again and again.  

The Duel

Two-Part

Cristi Cary Miller

Hal Leonard 08551304

This energetic retelling of a classic story will captivate your crowd! Teaching elements include an introduction to the concept of recitative, challenging intervals that will be sure to help develop the aural skills in your young singers, and effective communication of text. 

Rollo Dillworth's Choir Builders

Hal Leonard 

These are fun and inventive songs and exercises that build from unison to four parts.  There is a demo CD included.  The choir builders are great for warm-up exercises as well as fun rehearsal breaks.  Highly recommend! 

Youth Coordinator

Kristy Brumfield, Youth Coordinator

Birdsong

SA

Paul Read

Boosey & Hawkes CME

This is a haunting piece based on a poem written by an unknown child in the Terezin Concentration Camp during World War II.  It can be a bit challenging, but worth the extra time and effort for your older children’s choirs. There are beautiful harmonies set to a heavily syncopated accompaniment.  You will find so much joy in teaching this piece!

You Will Be Found

Two-Part

Benjamin Pasek & Justin Paul/arr. Mac Huff

Hal Leonard

This is the power ballad from the hit musical “Dear Evan Hansen”. The message of love and respect for our fellow human beings will resonate with your choirs as they learn this piece.  “You Will Be Found” will make a wonderful spring pop concert closer. Take the time to listen to one of the many recordings already posted on YouTube…you may find that you want to add this one to this year’s library. 

On a Starlit Night

Two-Part

Jill Galina

Shawnee Press

This beautiful partner song arrangement of “Silent Night” paired with an original melody by Jill Galina is simply beautiful for children’s voices.  Using partner songs is such a great way to reinforce harmonization skills, and this one is a crowd pleaser as well! Great for use in church or school, you and your students will be moved by its beauty. 

Julie’s Green Room

This is a Netflix original series that debuted last spring. I have enjoyed using it in my classroom as a tool for teaching musical theater, and have been able to build lessons around each episode.  Each week, a different concept is introduced, and special guest stars from the world of stage and screen visit Julie Andrews and her cast of children’s workshop characters all played by puppets.  Through the use of this series, I’ve taught numerous new vocabulary words as well as musical theater appreciation.  The characters show that each of us has our own gifts and talents to contribute to the body, and how we can all use those talents to work cooperatively for a common goal.  Each episode is roughly 35-40 minutes long, leaving time at the end for discussion and reinforcement of the day’s topic. This is also good to use for substitutes.  Enjoy!