Women's Choir

Rachel Upton, Women’s Choir R&R Chair

Heart, We Will Forget Him

SSA

Laura Farnell

Hal Leonard 08745125

“Heart, We Will Forget Him” is for SSA and piano. It contains many opportunities for young ladies to sing long, beautiful phrases that require proper breath support and line shaping. It’s a great teaching tool to reinforce these techniques. The notes and rhythms are not difficult, but Heart will require energy and effort from young ladies in a different capacity. I found it challenging in different aspects for both my beginning ladies and advanced ladies. In addition to these great teaching opportunities, this message of this piece resonates with young girls. They easily connect to the meaning behind the Dickinson poetry.

Confitemini Domino

SSA

Patti Drennan

Hal Leonard 08749631

This accompanied language pieces sets young ladies up for success. The tessitura is appropriate for all female voices and is a great tool to introduce compound meter. “Confitemini Domino” requires a lot of diaphragmatic energy for those explosive consonants needed at the beginning of words like “confitemini” and “quoniam”. Personally, my ladies struggle to internalize the feel of pieces and often times stand on the risers stiff legged and statuesque. Without me having to delve into the motion needed in a jubilant 6/8 piece, my ladies were moving with intent and buoyancy that I had never seen them display before. This piece organically produces the correct type of movement I was looking for in my young ladies. 

Danny Boy

SSA a cappella

Arr. Brian Finley

Boosey and Hawkes 48005092

Finley’s arrangement was originally for SSA choir and tenor solo, but works equally well for a solo voice and SSA or small ensemble and SSA. This gentle arrangement should be interpreted somewhat freely, with the solo line being predominant. The solo (or small ensemble) line provides a wonderful opportunity to show off young ladies with emerging lyrical quality voice(s).

Essential Musicianship: A Comprehensive Choral Method (Volumes 1, 2, and 3)

Emily Crocker and John Leavitt

This resource is designed to provide a basis for developing comprehensive musicianship within the choral rehearsal through a sequenced study of voice, music theory, and the practical application of both in music reading skills. There are three volumes available. The concepts presented are structured to allow students to discover their individual potential. Each chapter provides refresher courses in voice, theory, and sight-reading. In my classroom, I utilize the “performance” pieces included in most chapters as additional sight reading exercises.