Creative Programming: Holiday for the Advanced Choir Wednesday, September 25, 2019
recommended by Jen Sper and Lora Moore, School Choral Music Specialists
Feature your advanced high school, college or community choir with one of these new options, carefully selected by Stanton’s Sheet Music Specialists:
Brightest and Best arr. Shawn Kirchner, SATB with piano & optional strings
This lively arrangement for SATB chorus and piano with solo violin and string bass included in the octavo and an optional string orchestra accompaniment is based on a sturdy American hymn tune with a text by Reginald Heber. A banjo-inspired piano accompaniment provides sparks while the tune is presented first in unison, then in canon, next adorned with mirrored countermelodies, with the refrains growing in intensity following each verse.
Ding, Dong! Merrily On High! arr. Ryan Murphy, SATB with 4-hand piano & chimes
True to arranger Ryan Murphy’s style, this setting of “Ding, Dong! Merrily On High!” is a glorious celebration of music featuring choir, four-hand piano, and chimes. Accessible vocal lines are driven by the tremendous accompaniment, making this a great choice for many levels or for a combination of choirs. A perfect concert opener or closer.
Midwinter Song by Susan LaBarr, SATB with piano
With lyrics by Daniel Elder and music by Susan LaBarr, “Midwinter Song” is a new Christmas carol that calls us to love, faith, and hope. With a beautiful and supportive piano accompaniment and accessible vocal lines, this work will appeal to a wide variety of levels.
Gaude et Laetare by Jan P. Sweelinck/ed. James Rodde, SSATB a cappella
A joyous and buoyant work from Dutch Renaissance composer Jan Sweelink, edited here by James Rodde. This edition moves the work to a slightly lower key and includes performance suggestions from the editor. A fantastic work for advanced high school choirs and above.
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day arr. Matthew Culloton, SSATBB a cappella
A lilting choral accompaniment evokes pizzicato sounds surrounding the tenor melody in verse one. The other verses are set more conventionally but still reflect the goals of our Christmas with The Singers series: that the audience will enjoy the familiarity of the carol but be enchanted by the creativity of the arrangement. Challenging, but masterful in how Matthew Culloton treats the ensemble as a self-sufficient choral idiom.
White Christmas arr. Molly Ijames, SATB divisi with piano
Having a great arrangement of a secular Christmas song is a treasure. This classic Irving Berlin song from the perennial holiday favorite movie “White Christmas” is indeed that gift.
Carol of the Birds arr. Jack Wilds, SSA with piano & optional cello
“Whence comes this rush of wings afar, following straight the Noel star? Birds from the woods in wondrous flight, Bethlehem seek this holy night.” This distinguished setting of the traditional French carol is full of life and color, with engaging interplay between vocals, piano and cello. The vocal parts are simple to learn, and the artistic cello part is written for a mature player.
O Tannenbaum arr. Stephen Caracciolo, TTBB a cappella
Calling to mind compositions written for traditional men’s singing societies in Germany, the harmonies and lyric character of this arrangement are as one might hear in a Christkindlmarkt in Northern Europe. This arrangement is especially useful when programming a Christmas in Germany-themed concert and/or when it is best for a men’s ensemble to engage with only limited lines of German poetry.
Find more sophisticated winter concert repertoire on our website, or contact us for more recommendations. 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.
Lora Moore joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2018. A former middle school and high school director of 32 years, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music from Capital University and a Master’s of Arts in Choral Music from The Ohio State University. Currently she is a church choir director, operates a private voice/piano studio and is active as a clinician and accompanist. During the off hours, Lora enjoys scouting out new day trips in Ohio to balance what her budget allows for her frequent trips to New York City to visit family and take in a Broadway show or two!