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1 > a c c e n t > > a c c e n t > The Official Newsletter for the Arkansas Chapter of January 2008 To Sing or Not to Sing Michael Crouch President, Arkansas ACDA Hello fellow choral directors (friends) all across the state of Arkansas. I hope that you are having a great year thus far. By now, we have performed our Fall Concerts, Invitational Festivals, and Christmas/Holiday Concerts as well as various other singing engagements since the beginning of this school year. We are now gearing up for the most challenging and exciting events of the year, which of course are our regional and state choral performance assessments. Over the years, I have begun to consider more and more how the difficult task of selecting music affects the success of each choral performance and the overall success of a choir and a choir program. I think we would all agree that with each concert or performance of the year, we expect our students to mature as musicians as well as human beings. With this in mind, I asked several of our experienced colleagues to share the things that are important to them when they go through the process of picking a piece of music for their choirs or a particular choir. The actual question was: What are five things that you consider before deciding to perform a choral piece with your choir? The following is a list of the many fantastic responses I received from Tina Niederbrach, Scott Whitfield, Bill Cromer, Terry Hicks, and Andrea Ramsey. 1. What purpose will this piece serve? Why am I looking for music? Is it for festival or is it for a spring show? Where will the music be performed? Make sure the music you choose is appropriate for the event. 2. Does the music present an appropriate text? Is the text worthwhile? Inspiring? Does it have depth? Is it age appropriate? Can the students connect to it? Do the words of the piece fit with the performance situation? Working in a large urban school with a significant international population, I have to be careful not to slant programming toward one particular culture or religion. 3. Does the piece fit the choir s Repertoire! Repertoire! Repertoire! This issue of accent explores the choosing of repertoire, that delightful, frustrating, time-consuming, surprising, and crucial process that is at the foundation of a successful choral season. We re all familiar with the categories: the old warhorses that the students love to sing and the audience loves to hear every year; the piece we fall in love with, perform once, and never want to program again; the work we chose for its educational value and then wonder what we ever saw in it; the delightful surprise we happened to encounter by chance that proves to be the hit of the season; the simple tune that gets more beautiful and revealing every time we perform it. Thanks to Michael, Clint, La Juana, and Tina (and others) for sharing their ideas with us. If you have any repertoire suggestions that you think others should hear about, send them to me. We ll share them in the next issue. Michael Crouch voicing and abilities? Do the abilities of the singers match the techniques required to sing the piece? If I m selecting a piece for an advanced group, I know I can immediately throw out all the SAB options. Likewise, I don t think that a 7th grade boy s group is going to work on TTBB music. Are my sopranos strong enough to do SSATB, or do I need to keep them all together? Does the music play to the singers strengths? I try to pick music which highlights our choir s strength and does not overly expose its weaknesses. 4. How about the level of difficulty? How far do I want to challenge a group? Do I want to choose a piece that I think they can learn in two weeks, or do I want to challenge them to the point that it may not be ready by the performance time? What is the balance between those two considerations? The piece should certainly challenge the students, yet at the same time, give them ample opportunity for success. 5. Is the tessitura singer appropriate? Where do the notes linger and will my students be able to handle that? Sometimes the range icons on the front of the score are misleading.

2 One or two extremely high notes may be doable, but lingering in the extreme tessitura could cause genuine concern. 6. Does each vocal part offer balanced quality? What other teachable elements are present in the music (text, meter, line, style etc.)? I look for music that offers melodic, rhythmic and harmonic interest in all voice parts. 7. In what key or keys is the piece? I rarely do a piece in the key of F Major because of tuning difficulty. My favorite key for 9/10 guys (ala Geneva Powers) is G Major. When I am doing a set of three pieces at Choral Performance Assessment, I try to find pieces of contrasting style and also contrasting key centers. 8. Does the piece have personal Sizzle? I love lush chords and suspensions so I almost always lean toward a piece with rich harmonic textures even if it s a polyphonic work, the intertwining of the melodies need to create sizzle for me. 9. Do I love this piece? Because I should. If I don t love it, I should at least like it enough to be able to honestly sell it to my singers. If I am passive about the piece, or dislike it, I should not perform it. The singers will sense my true feelings toward the music 10. Will they like it? Just because I like a piece, it doesn t mean that teenagers will. Is forcing a piece on a group worth the trouble? Sometimes the answer is yes, but other times it just isn t. 11. What can I teach my choir by using this song? I try to stay attuned to teaching more than music. I think it s important that our students see us beyond the music. I hope that these wonderful ideas will help as we continue working and sharing this great gift of music. page 2 Preparation, Practice, and Performance: Perspectives of a Choral Clinician The role of a guest clinician has many facets conductor, educator, entertainer, motivator all rolled into one. It s an opportunity for you to share your knowledge and experience with a captive chorus for a day, ending with what you hope will be a fine performance for the students, their directors, and their parents. There are several points to ponder when you plan and prepare for an event such as this. The literature is first and foremost. Attention must be given to grade level, voicing (male/female/mixed), and the musical style of the composition. The clinician should select pieces that provide contrast in tempo, language, and period. Consider how long it will take students to prepare these selections. Many of us have taught all-region selections that could be learned in two or three rehearsals. Choose pieces that are challenging enough that directors can stretch out the learning process over a few weeks, as well as keep the students interested and help them to not tire of the music too quickly. Include a foreign language. Don t be afraid to chart new waters it s good for the director and the choir members. Include some classics as well as newly written works that will make this day a memorable experience for everyone. Most all-region choirs now learn a sightreading piece at the clinic. When choosing this part of your concert program, select a work that the students can adequately prepare in a couple of hours. Keep it interesting, yet manageable. Difficulty is key you want the choir to have a sense of accomplishment and be challenged as they work to prepare for the concert. Score study is a must. If you are directing a work that is new to you, research the composer and text, search the web for recordings of the piece, and practice conducting it before you get in front of the group. Have an interesting tidbit of information to La Juana Warner share with the students to make this a meaningful educational experience. Use those cross-curriculum techniques that are encouraged in our frameworks. Tie in time period, historical significance, and personal experience that is applicable as you teach the piece. In short, be prepared. Construct a rehearsal plan for the day. Know the clinic schedule and plan your rehearsal thoroughly, beginning with warm-ups, etc. at the start of the day. As educators, we all know that we have to monitor and adjust the entire time. If things start to bog down and you and the students need a change of pace, move on to something else. You can come back to it later in the day. You might like to include some ice breakers, physical warm-ups, rounds, etc., to keep your rehearsal interesting and fun. Come back with something new after lunch to get them ready for additional rehearsal time; work in the performance area where the concert will be held later in the day. If you are rehearsing in a room with choral risers, give the students adequate breaks and a little sit time to conserve their energy for a long day. Be considerate of them they are working hard, too. You might have one section sit while the other hammers out some tough spots. If you end up in a theater setting, alternate sitting tall and standing during your rehearsal. Heading into a clinic situation gets the adrenaline going and we constantly ask ourselves several questions during the course of the day. Am I doing a good job? Are the students enjoying being here? Is learning taking place? What are the other directors thinking about this choir and its clinician? We just have to do our best and hope that everything gels in the performance. Some things are just not in our control. There will always be those places in the music that we worked so

3 Male Chorus Literature Review Clint Pianalto 30 Christmas Carols Old and New (TTBB), arr. Gladys Pitcher Hal Leonard HL La Juana Warner hard to perfect during the day that just don t happen in the concert. If you made beautiful music, you and the students still experienced it, whether it was in the choir room or on the stage of a grand performing arts facility. At the close of the day, we want our students to have been motivated and inspired, just as we were in previous years when we were in their shoes. Success isn t necessarily measured by a flawless performance. It s what happens along the way that counts. Enjoy the journey! Students takes on repertoire Music sung by two people at the same time is called a duel; if they sing without music it is called Acapulco. If you re like me and you find it hard to find good music for your men for the holiday season, look no more. This is a great collection of traditional Christmas songs that are arranged to be achievable for male chorus. I have used this collection with both junior and senior high. Junior high directors will need to do some re-writing of notes and tp move some of the keys up; however, most of the songs are voiced well. Some notable songs in the collection are Joy to the World, Angels We Have Heard on High, Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming, Good King Wenceslas, What Child is This, and Silent Night. Donkey Riding (TTBB), arr. William Hunt Alliance AMP 0656 Okay, I know the title might make you think... My guys will not want to have anything to do with this! but this song is actually a mix between Dirty Jobs and Deadliest Catch. Donkey Riding tells the story of sailors working to haul timber on the first steam engine ships, called donkey engines. This is a great tune for introducing minor singing for your singers. Unison singing and a repetitive four-part chorus section make this an instant success for your singers. I would suggest the use of a cabasa to reinforce the spoken section. Make them sing BIG!! Tell My Father (TTB), arr. Andrea Ramsey Hal Leonard HL Arranged from the musical Civil War, this is one of the most powerful pieces I have ever used for junior high men. I promise there will not be a dry eye in the house after this performance. The vocal range is highly accessible for young singers. A great violin player is a must. Newly out just this year and being used in Kansas City for the SWACDA Boys Honor Choir, this is one piece that you must have in your library. My favorite composer was Opus. Agnus Dei was a woman composer famous for her church music. Fugues are battles between families like the Hatfields and the McCoys. Handel was half German, half Italian, and half English. He was rather large. page 3

4 TOP TEN Lists for Women s Voices Tina Niederbrach When thinking of Top Ten lists, many of you I am sure think of David Letterman or perhaps the venerable Craig Jones and his hilarious Top Ten lists. Being something of a romantic, I think of the scene in The Way We Were where Robert Redford and his best friend are playing the game of best song, best day, and best year. Compiling these lists for me was essentially the same as the scene in that movie, as each song evoked a special memory for me. It was also an excellent opportunity to go through the entire SSA library list at SHS. I found many more than just these selections that I know we will do again. Christmas Octavos On Winter s Eve Parker/Schram Brilee Music BL252 Wintersongs Grier/Schram Hal Leonard Beautiful Snow Schram Alfred Breath of Heaven SSA(A) accompanied Eaton/Grant/Courtney Beckenhorst Press Catch the Spirit, Share the Magic Maddux AMP0469 The Coventry Carol Johnson The Sacred Music Press Holly, Jolly Christmas Marks/Martin Alexander Broude, Inc. I Wonder as I Wander Niles/Horton G. Schirmer Jingle Bells SSAA accompanied Beck Intrada Music Group The Moon of Wintertime Mabry Galvan Women s Choral Series/Lorenz War Horses Lift Thine Eyes SSA a cappella Mendelssohn Carl Fischer Allelujah from Exsultate Jubilate Mozart/Reigger Harold Flammer Four Songs (I love #2) accompanied by horns/harp Brahms Edition Peters 6617 He Watching Over Israel Mendelssohn G.Schirmer Wir Eilen Mit Schwachen SA accompanied Bach E.C.Schirmer Tina Niederbrach Nigra Sum Casals Tetra Music Corp. O Aula Nobilis SSAA piano duet/instruments Mathias Oxford Musick, dein ganz lieblich Kunst Jeep/Spevacek accompanied/acappella Heritage Music Press Pavane for Spring Butler Hal Leonard Three Spanish Ballads Butler Warner Brothers For High School Select Women Beyond Winter Christopher AMP0444 A Million Miracles SSAA accompanied Carey Oxford page 4

5 Ascribe to the Lord SSAA accompanied Powell Hal Leonard Lilacs and Rain Pfeifer Plymouth Music The Paint Box SA accompanied Stroope Colla Voce Things That Never Die Dengler Shawnee Press Festival Literature Targeting 8th-10th Grades Two Dead Boys Nelson Pavane How Sweet the Moonlight Sleeps Young Gentry Brush Strokes SSA(A) accompanied Williams Shawnee Press Johnny s Gone Hayes Alfred Prayer of the Children Nestor, arr. Klouse Warner Bros. Deo Gracias SSA hand drum Leininger AMP0264 Mueveme /oboe Ramsey Boosey & Hawkes Sing a New Song Mendoza AMP0131 How Can I Stop Singing My Song Gray Heritage Choral Series There Is Sweet Music Gawthrop Warner Bros. Shenandoah SSA(A) a cappella Goetze Boosey & Hawkes Dream Keeper vibraphone/windchimes Ramsey Colla Voce If Ye Love Me Daley AMP0318 Sing a Song of Sixpence SA piano/2 clarinets Mendoza AMP0317 page 5

6 How to speak with an accent. Well... maybe that s not exactly the way to say it. But this is your newsletter, and we hope it s a good tool for you. It won t be if you don t use it! So if there s a question you d like to address, let me or one of those listed below know about it. If you would like to report on a fantastic concert, or a spectacular fund-raiser or adventure, or if you ve had an epiphany... let us know. If you ve found a way to increase the amount of support for your choral program, let us know! We re all in the business of teaching wonderful kids about wonderful things. Let s help each other to do it together. Cliff Ganus, editor Harding University ganus@harding.edu Executive Committee Arkansas ACDA President Michael R. Crouch Harrison High School mcrouch@gobs.k12.ar.us President Elect Rhonda Hawley Springdale High School rhawley@sdale.org Vice President Terry D. Hicks Bentonville High School thicks@bentonville.k12.ar.us Secretary/Treasurer W. Thomas Rickman Harrison Junior High School trickman@gobs.k12.ar.us R&S Chairs Women's Choir Tina Niederbrach Searcy High School tinan@searcyschools.org Community Choir Bill Cromer Northside High School bcromer@fortsmithschools.org Children's Choir Gaye McClure Southside High School gmcclure@fortsmithschools.org College and University Choir Graeme Langager University of Arkansas langager@uark.edu Ethnic & Multicultural Perspectives John Erwin University of Central Arkansas johne@uca.edu Male Chorus Clint Pianalto Har-Ber High School cpianalto@k12.sdale.org Junior High and Middle School La Juana Warner Annie Camp Junior High warnerl@mail.jps.k12.ar.us Senior High School Dawnelle Fincher Fayetteville High School dfincher@favar.net Two-year College Choir Jeff Parker Arkansas State University-Beebe jparker@asub.edu Executive Director of ArkCDA Thomas D. Street tomstreet@arkcda.org American Choral Directors Association Arkansas Chapter Cliff Ganus, Newsletter Editor HU Searcy, AR