Suggestions for Choral Adjudications and Festivals Friday, January 21, 2011
The beginning of 2011 is a perfect opportunity to look back at what your students have learned so far this school year, and to look forward to the new and exciting musical challenges you will present to them in the coming months. As you prepare for your upcoming concerts, festivals or adjudicated events, Stanton’s School Choral Music staff would like to recommend these repertoire choices, carefully chosen from many new and classic publications as the “best of the best!â€
For advanced SATB groups, John Rutter's Choral Fanfare is a challenging selection for a cappella choirs, featuring lots of divisi, meter changes and contrapuntal lines. Andy Beck's Riversong is great for developing ensembles, with a winsome melody and fluid vocal parts. Add some light-hearted fun to your performance with a folk-song like Skip to My Lou, arranged by Paul Busselberg with a brilliant 4-hand piano accompaniment, or Newfoundland's Feller from Fortune, creatively set by Harry Somers with interesting meter changes and sprightly vocal parts.
Capable treble choirs will excel with Elijah Rock, arranged by Clifton J. Noble, Jr. in a unique and rhythmic setting, and younger groups can work on part-singing and ensemble skills with the original And This Shall Be for Music, or Shady Grove (with “The Cuckooâ€), a creative pairing of two folk-songs. The Greek folk-song Gerakina, arranged by Henry Leck, is another strong choice - the 7/8 meter and buoyant vocal parts will be immediately appealing.
Blue Tail Fly is a rollicking setting of the American traditional song - a great choice for accomplished men's ensembles - or try an original setting of a masterwork text like Do You Fear the Wind?, The Arrow and the Song or Her Voice. Younger men's groups will shine with Begone, Dull Care!, a 17th century English air thoughtfully arranged by Earlene Rentz.
Click here for all of our suggestions for select pieces for adjudicated events - while we have specifically geared these selections to be appropriate for Ohio Music Education Association events, this quality repertoire is sure to be successful on any spring concert or other event as well! For even more recommendations, please contact us.