Suggestions for Choral Adjudications Monday, January 23, 2012
The beginning of 2012 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!”
For advanced SATB groups, Kevin Memley’s Ave Maria is beautifully orchestrated for a cappella divisi voices, and features tasteful programmatic effects throughout the musical structure. Andrea Ramsey’s On Some Solemn Shore is a stunning choice for developing groups, with graceful simplicity in the vocal lines and an expressively hopeful 19th century text. Add some light-hearted fun to your program with a folksong like Old Dan Tucker, arranged by Neil Ginsberg with an inventive, hoedown-like accompaniment, or a classic choral standard such as Ralph Vaughan Williams’ glorious O Clap Your Hands.
Capable treble choirs will excel with Zoltan Kodaly’s Dancing-Song, an exuberant and intricate arrangement of a Hungarian folksong, and younger groups can work on part-singing and ensemble skills with the expressive The April Rainbow by Laura Farnell or Benedicamus Domino, a buoyant setting by Cristi Cary Miller. Travelin’ Train is another strong choice – the incorporation of blues, gospel and jazz styles will be immediately appealing.
A Red, Red Rose is an artistic an expressive a cappella setting of a Robert Burns text – a great choice for accomplished men’s ensembles – or try an arrangement of Mozart’s famous Dies Irae from the “Requiem,” specially adapted for men’s voices. For younger ensembles, try the Hebrew song Ani Ma’amin or original settings A Thousandfold or My Bonnie Anne Marie.
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.