Budget-Stretching Choral Collections Monday, May 14, 2018
recommended by Jen Sper and Alissa Ruth, School Choral Music Specialists
Do you have end-of-year budget money available? Use it before you lose it! Reproducible choral collections provide great “bang for your buck,” and are an ideal way to build your choral library.
The SAB Choir Goes Renaissance by Thomas Weelkes/arr. John Leavitt
Here is a fantastic resource for introducing the music of the Renaissance to developing ensembles or groups with limited male singers. Purchase individual books separately, or the Performance Kit and receive a code to access audio tracks online through My Library.
A Cappella Volume 2
Volume II in Sing!’s popular A Cappella! series features nine concert and festival selections for young and developing TB choirs from creative writers Greg Gilpin, Victor C. Johnson and Mark Patterson. The Complete Edition is reproducible and also includes a Rehearsal Resource Page for each piece, a unique and valuable teaching/rehearsal tool which features Solfege; Vocabulary; and Preparation and Extention activities, carefully crafted for each selection by Greg Gilpin and Victor C. Johnson. The Choral Edition, ideal for use as a judge’s copy or for your singers, is not reproducible and the Rehearsal Resource Pages are not included.
Wings to Fly by Janet Gardner
The creative works of celebrated and award-winning educator and composer, Janet Gardner, have been a staple of learning for music educators and joyful performance by thousands of young singers. Her selection of text, expertise in composition for young voices and creativeness in both musicals and choral works have set the bar high in the music educational world. “Wings to Fly” is a collection of nine choral pieces that are some of Ms. Gardner’s finest works. Each has a distinctive text whether it be original or from the poetic masters such as Rossetti, Longfellow, Dickinson and Stevenson. Each choral piece is also distinct in musical style and will fit programming needs throughout the year. This collection features piano/vocal arrangements, as well as digital access to performance/accompaniment audio recordings and singer PDFs for projection and reproducible options. Absolutely a budget stretcher!
Pop Songs for Young Men’s Chorus II arr. Jerry Estes
Now available, the second in a series, this collection for men’s chorus spans the decades and is designed to give you lots of value with songs your choir will love to perform! Includes: “Count on Me” (Bruno Mars), “Happy Together” (The Turtles), “Shut Up and Dance” (Walk the Moon), “The Way You Do the Things You Do” (The Temptations), and “What a Wonderful World” (Louis Armstrong).
Bach for Young Voices by J.S. Bach/arr. Geoffrey Edwards
This collection celebrates the generational universality of Bach’s music in bringing the time-honored selections within the technical reach of younger singers. Directors will find seven sensitively crafted arrangements in this compilation, all faithful to the composer’s originals, with carefully planned vocal lines and supportive piano parts. A school-friendly text is also provided for each title. Whether or not this is your choir’s first exposure to Bach, this publication will aid in fostering a lasting appreciation for his music and the continued enrichment it brings to all of our lives.
Find more collections online, or contact us for more ideas. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!
About the Authors:
Jen Sper has been with Stanton’s since 2006. A former middle school and high school choral director, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, she also enjoys good food, running (to counteract the good food…) and the Muppets.
Alissa Ruth began working at Stanton’s in the summer of 2016. She is a former middle and high school choir director and holds a Bachelor of Music in Education degree from Capital University. She is an active choral singer in the Columbus area, and spends her free time running, doing yoga, cooking, and watching Netflix.