News & Views Saturday, December 21, 2024

Choral Tracks: Practice Made Simple offers the highest quality, professionally sung rehearsal tracks for choral singers of all levels, promoting independent, accurate, and expressive singing. Founder Matthew Curtis, recent Tenor and Assistant Music Director for the world-renowned vocal ensemble Chanticleer, and his vocal team have recorded the entirety of the Choral Tracks catalog providing an excellent model of intonation, diction, expressivity, rhythm, healthy singing, and style.

Each Full Choir Access package (for up to 50 singers) includes part-predominant tracks for each voice part, as well as a recording of balanced voices and an accompaniment only track.

Look for the Choral Tracks logo at stantons.com for titles available in their catalog, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

Happy Birthday to us! Stanton’s is celebrating 61 years of great service for musicians, directors, and educators. Watch our history!

#makethemostmusic #dedicationtoeducation #programwiththepros #sheetmusicspecialists #bewherethemusicis #stantonssheetmusic #sheetmusic #musiceducation #musicteacher #musiced #musiceducator #musiceducationmatters #conducting #musicdirector #music

As we all continue to navigate the current musical landscape, Stanton’s Sheet Music offers our next Virtual Sacred Choral Reading Session to assist you in your worship planning!

Featuring almost 40 new and classic titles for a variety of worship styles and liturgical occasions, join our Sacred Choral Music Specialist Jennifer Fry as she presents the best sacred publications for Spring & Easter 2021. Special care was taken in selecting these titles to be particularly appropriate and usable during the COVID-19 pandemic, with consideration for programming, rehearsing, and performing in worship safely.

Stanton’s Virtual Reading Sessions give you the opportunity to watch, rewatch, and choose the specific anthem you want to peruse from the comfort of your own home. Included is valuable commentary and information about each piece, full-length score videos, and live footage from our previous in-person sessions. Of course, we look forward to welcoming you back in-person in the future!

View the complete session below, and find all of our recommended titles for Spring and Easter 2021 on our website. Contact us for more information, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

Do you need music theory resources? Are you planning for general music classes at the secondary level? Is your district continuing remote or hybrid learning into the second semester? Let Stanton’s help!

The Music Theory categories on our website are newly updated and revised to make shopping for resources for your classroom easier than ever!

• Find materials for Music Theory Class, Individual Study, the Elementary Music Classroom, and Jazz Theory
• Featuring the most popular music theory series – Alfred’s Essentials of Music Theory, Master Theory (Kjos), Theory Time, and more!
• Purchase Flash Cards, Activity Kits, Games, and Posters!
• Discover supplemental Music Theory materials for Band, Choir, and Orchestra!

Contact us for more information, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

Digital Learning Voice Class from Hal Leonard
“Digital Learning Voice Class” is a brand-new series from Hal Leonard created to support educators with remote teaching and learning. This digital product includes sheet music and backing tracks for teachers to share with up to 20 students. With the help of the accompaniment with vocal aid track the student can learn the music and, once learned, the student can sing for the teacher using the accompaniment-only track.

The included backing tracks are available for each of the 20 students to download from any device through Hal Leonard MyLibrary using the code included on the last page of your purchase.

Titles in the Digital Learning Voice Class series include:
Aura Lee (arr. Emily Crocker): High Voice and Low Voice
Because You Were There (by Mac Huff & John Jacobson): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
Dark Brown Is the River (by Audrey Snyder): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel? (arr. Roger Emerson): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
Hush, Little Baby (arr. Cristi Cary Miller): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
In Time of Silver Rain (by Audrey Snyder): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
My Soul Is Awakened (by Cristi Cary Miller): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
Shoshone Love Song (by Roger Emerson): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
Sing with Me (by Mac Huff & John Jacobson): Medium High Voice and Medium Low Voice
The Stars Are with the Voyager (by Emily Crocker): High Voice and Low Voice

Perfect for voice teachers working remotely, choirs unable to sing together, and virtual music classes focused on singing! No matter what your in-person or remote teaching requires, shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

ZOMBIES: The Musical by John Jacobson & Roger Emerson
“Zombies” is the story of Hunter, who is not a bad kid but he/she does like to bully other students. He gets a taste of his own medicine when he returns to school in a dream to find that everyone has become a zombie and he is now the outcast. This 6 song, 45 minute musical (60 with optional epilogue) is heartfelt and funny but teaches a valuable lesson about friends and belonging. Your audiences and cast members will be both entertained and enlightened.

Designed to motivate reluctant singers while inspiring an “anti-bullying” theme for the whole school community, this musical includes six pop and Broadway songs and a funny John Jacobson script full of action and everything you will need including:
• production guide
• piano/conductor score
• script
• singer songsheets
• sound files for practice (performance with dialog)
• accompaniment files for performance

Also included are video files and a “how to” guide for producing a totally “online” version of “Zombies: The Musical” at your school! The license allows for unlimited duplication for one teacher and one school. All that, along with the great tracks that are included in the download, make this a sure hit at any school, any time of year!

This is a digital only product, delivered via ZIP folder. Contact us at 1-800-42-MUSIC for more information.

recommended by Jen Sper and Lora Moore, School Choral Music Specialists

As we navigate a unique choral landscape this year, many teachers and ensembles are opting to create so-called “virtual choirs” as a performance option – certainly not the same as singing together in person, but definitely a creative and interesting challenge to take on! Here are choral titles we recommend especially for virtual ensembles; these pieces lend themselves nicely to recording separately and mixing audio and video together, and will be inspiring and meaningful to your singers from afar.

I Will Sing by Michael Engelhardt, SATB with piano & optional rhythm
“What will I do with the portion given to me? I will sing.” This fantastic work by Michael Engelhardt will be a great addition to honor choirs, festivals, and more. Gospel style, but with an ecumenical text that challenges each of us to make the most of the lives we’ve been given.

This Is Who We Are by Mark Burrows, SATB with piano & djembe
“When we reach out to shine and share our light, we show the world that, together, we can do beautiful things. This is who we are!” This positive text would make a great theme song for choirs of all ages. The powerful setting features soloists, compelling harmonies that build in drama, and a djembe part to give it the modern world music feel. Effective and important!

When You Believe (from The Prince of Egypt) arr. John Leavitt, SATB with piano & optional strings and percussion
Stephen Schwartz’s “When You Believe” won the Academy Award for Best Song in 1999, and John Leavitt gives his signature, dignified touch to his arrangement, adding strings and percussion to moving effect. The Hebrew prayer in the middle section of the piece is a great opportunity for cultural exploration.

Medallion A Cappella: Christmas Volume 1 arr. Jay Rouse, SATB divisi a cappella
This small collection of a cappella carols is a fantastic resource for choirs looking for unaccompanied options and small groups looking for Christmas repertoire. Featuring four carols of contrasting styles, these arrangements are beautifully executed. Part-dominant learning tracks are available in CD format or as digital downloads for rehearsal and learning purposes. Titles include: “See Amid the Winter’s Snow,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”

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!

recommended by Jen Sper and Lora Moore, School Choral & Classroom Music Specialists

The prospect of teaching classroom music remotely is a true challenge, even to the most experienced educator. These Five Star Features, some brand new titles and some previous publications, are recommended by our experienced Classroom Music Specialists especially for our current times and whatever your teaching situation may be.

Music Mosaic by Anna Wentlent
This contemporary collection teaches American music history through student-centered projects. Each of the 15 lessons is intended to prompt risk-taking and the expression of artistic intent, making students the leaders of their own learning. From tracing the culture of an ancestor to forming a student ukulele jam, from creating your own vaudeville show to writing and recording a rap, pick and choose your favorites or use the complete book as a sequential curriculum on the development of American popular music. Core music standards, teacher instructions, reproducible student sheets, and single-point assessment rubrics are included for each project. Recommended for Grades 5-9.

Music-Go-Round by Krista Hart
This delightful resource overflowing with creative musical activities for elementary students! Bring out the crayons for Color-By-Note coloring pages and sharpen the pencils for Word Wizard word searches. Includes Musical Mix-Ups, Colorful Beats, Music Note Spelling Bees, Puzzling Pitches, and more! Covering facts and concepts that are already part of your music curriculum, these attractive reproducible worksheets are perfect for bell work, simple assessments, extra credit exercises, homework assignments, quick lesson extensions, or ready-to-go substitute teacher plans. Grab a seat on the Music-Go-Round!

Ukulele Explorer by Danielle Bayert & Jon Stone
A must-have resource for any music classroom equipped with ukuleles! The creative pair of authors (one a general music teacher, the other a private ukulele instructor) has assembled an amazing journey to quickly get your kids playing a host of popular hits. Each of ten units includes tuning instruction, chord drill, strum pattern practice, and a skill-building exercise, culminating with an engaging performance piece followed by an interactive assessment activity. Embedded with fret diagrams, hand position photos, rhythmic chants for every new pattern, helpful “getting started” screens, plus appealing demo and play-along tracks, the adventure is only a few clicks away on your computer or interactive whiteboard (PC and Mac compatible).

Songs include “Roar,” “Best Day of My Life,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Riptide,” and more! Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

Instrument Parade
Explore the sights and sounds of the orchestra with Instrument Parade! This whimsical set of 9″ x 12″ cardstock posters (4 family and 20 individual instruments) is designed to provide a playful visual introduction to common symphonic instruments. Plus, the online listening lab features authentic examples of live musicians demonstrating each instrument. More than just a delightful decoration, these adorable depictions are a fabulous teaching tool that will engage your young students. Educational and entertaining!

Accent on Composers by Jay Althouse, Judith O’Reilly & Sally K. Albrecht
A complete music appreciation course in a reproducible book/CD package! For each of the featured composers there is a bio (focusing on his or her personal life), a portrait, a listing of the types of music he or she composed, composer factoids, and a time line. The CD contains a listening example for each composer. The reproducible listening guide includes information about each listening example and a second by second “what to listen for in the music.” Also included are reviews (tests) for each composer, plus more than two dozen pages of supplementary material. And it’s all reproducible! Volume 1 composers include: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Copland, Debussy, Handel, Joplin, Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, Mozart, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and Verdi. Volume 2 composers include: Berlioz, Bernstein, Chopin, Ellington, Gershwin, Prokofiev, Puccini, Purcell, Mahler, Rachmaninoff, and Strauss.

Interact with Music Assessment by Manju Durairaj
The “Interact with Music Assessment” series by Manju Durairaj is a series of active music making assessments for the interactive whiteboard in three volumes: Level 1 (PreK-1), Level 2 (Grades 1-3), and Student Activities for Level 1 & 2. Each level is an extensive stand-alone collection of 30 sequential assessments for rhythm, pitch/melody, expressive elements (dynamics, tempo, legato, staccato, etc), timbre, texture, form, and/or harmony. Each interactive assessment will involve students through movement, instrument playing, listening, creating, composing, and reading/writing their compositions using graphic or traditional notations. These activities will also promote 21st-century skills of critical reasoning, creativity, communication, and collaboration. There are helpful “teacher talk” pull-out instructions, often with suggestions on how to use the same interactive page for a variety of activities. These comprehensive assessments provide a curricular framework for essential sequential instruction that also aims to make the fullest use of interactive whiteboards, IWB applications, tablets, and apps. Watch your students become physically, cognitively, and actively immersed in music making!

Jazz for Young People by Sharon Burch
Introduce students to jazz through great literature combined with learn by doing! “Jazz for Young People” includes step-by-step lessons that combine content and audio/video recordings of Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center artists with interactive student learning, including classroom instruments that every music teacher already owns or can easily afford. This easy-to-present resource is designed for a teacher who may or may not be trained in America’s art form – bringing jazz to the next generation.

Digital downloads include: step-by-step lesson slides to project, audio recordings of each song and Wynton Marsalis sharing background information, as well as reproducible activity/assessment worksheets. Plus you will have FREE ACCESS to corresponding video clips for each lesson. Perfect for the general music classroom (grades 2 and up), beginning jazz ensembles and community jazz education courses. Available in two volumes – Volume 1: New Orleans and Jelly Roll Morton and Volume 2: Louis Armstrong.

The Music Show by John Jacobson & Roger Emerson
Join your favorite animated characters led by the famous Luigi’s Baton and his side-kick Mike the Microphone, as they introduce young music students to the FUNdamentals of music, with emphasis squarely on the FUN! With the help of their friends Cadence the Drummer and Fret the Guitar, children will love learning about beat, rhythm, tempo, melody and so much more. Laughing and learning with Luigi’s Baton is what makes “The Music Show” a sure-fire hit!

The all-in-one format features: full color digital lessons with embedded video episodes for instant viewing, projectable and reproducible song charts with lyrics and embedded audio, activity visuals to reinforce music concepts, and quality lesson plans. All projectable content is included via digital access and viewed in your browser, so there is no need for special software. Just download the files onto your computer and you’re ready to go! Performance and accompaniment audio recordings are also available in a separate folder via download for performance options.

Songs include: “The Beat Is the Heart of Music,” “I’ve Got Rhythm, How ‘Bout You?,” “Take a Rest,” “We’re Gonna Sing High, Low and in the Middle,” “Presto Is Fast, Largo Is Slow,” and “Lines and Spaces Baby!” Suggested for Grades 1-3.

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!

Tired of your well-used sacred piano books? Need inspiration? Looking for new and fresh sacred piano folios to play at church or your home? This online event is for you!

In Stanton’s Sacred Piano VIRTUAL Reading Session, newly released intermediate/advanced piano solo books are presented by Stanton’s Sacred Piano Music Specialists Caryn Ginter and Judy Sinsel, as well as a special message from composer/arranger Mark Hayes. These collections include varied styles such as traditional, gospel, contemporary, and jazz, and are by some of your favorite arrangers, in addition to some new names as well! Each book features commentary from our experienced clinicians and full-length score videos for two titles from the collection, so you can really evaluate the arranging and usefulness for your own worship services.

Start exploring the virtual session below, and contact our Sheet Music Specialists for more recommendations!

“Ten years ago we created the Virtual Choir with a simple question: is it possible to make beautiful music together, no matter how far apart we are? After multiple virtual choir projects featuring over 20,000 singers from 124 different countries, the answer is a resounding yes.

We continue the journey with a new piece I’ve written especially for the Virtual Choir during these challenging times, Sing Gently. Come join us and let us once again make beautiful music together.” – Eric Whitacre

The Eric Whitacre Virtual Choir #6 had more than 17,000 singers. As a response to COVID-19 and the isolation and division the pandemic was creating, Eric wrote the words and music with the hope that “Sing Gently” might give some small measure of comfort for those who need it, and that it might suggest a way of living with one another that is compassionate, gentle, and kind.

Use this list to contact publishers to obtain written permission to make copies, distribute sheet music digitally, or perform via live-stream or private performance platform.

No royalties needed (with permission):
If your performances take place in a cost-free, exclusive education environment you do not need to pay royalties. You can host your performance via the schools’ private live-streaming/video chat service they use to conduct classes, which can only be attended by requesting to have the link emailed to them, or via Google Classroom just for parents, family, and friends that is updated with new performances as the year goes on. A private Facebook group with sharing disabled can also be created for exclusive education performance presentation.

Royalties needed (with permission):
You will need to pay royalties for live-streaming or link posting on social media news feeds, YouTube, Instagram, etc, and selling of DVDs or ticketed performances.

Hal Leonard
https://www.halleonard.com/licensing/index.action
This link will describe the legality for printing extra parts, recording, and live-streaming performances of all Hal Leonard published titles. It’s written for choir, but you can apply the same logic to any type of music. Just click on the link that best describes your situation and fill out the form.

Distributed Brands:
• Curnow Music Press
• De Haske Publications
• Emersongs
• Hal Leonard – Milwin Music Corp.
• Jenson Publications
• King’s Singers / KS Music
• MJQ Music
• Musicworks
• Rubank, Inc.

https://halleonard.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Contact Hal Leonard here if have new questions.

Alfred
https://www.alfred.com/licensing/
How to submit a request: Register as a user to obtain permission from Alfred. Once you fill out their form, a rep will contact you to finish the process.

https://www.alfred.com/types-license-requests/
This link is for the types of requests Alfred will give for their publications. Mechanical is the type of licensing for broadcasting and posting of recordings.

Licensing needs and questions:
permissions@alfred.com, and include your request ID # in the subject of your email to expedite the handling of your request.

Distributed Brands:
• Advance Music
• ASTA
• Dover
• Eighth Note Publications
• Faber Music
• Jamey Aebersold
• Jazz at Lincoln Center
• Make Music
• Wilfin Music

https://www.alfred.com/contact-us/
Contact page for more questions.

Kendor
https://www.kendormusic.com/cc6/copyright-licensing.html
Use this link to read Kendors’ policy and request process. licensing@kendormusic.com is the email address to send any questions or concerns to.

Distributed Brands:
• Kendor Music
• Doug Beach Music
• Almitra Music
• Cojarco Music
Before you seek permission to use a publication, check the first line in the copyright notice for the name of the real copyright owner. Kendor forwards requests to owners of the copyright when it is not them

Phone: 716-492-1254
FAX: 716-492-5124
Email: info@kendormusic.com

FJH
https://www.fjhmusic.com/permission.htm
Each request is reviewed on an individual basis with a singular performance per permission. Choose which permission you need, fill out the form, and send your request to them via:

Distributed Brands:
https://www.fjhmusic.com/catalog.htm

Phone: (954) 382-6061
Fax: (954) 382-3073
Email: custserv@fjhmusic.com

Kjos
https://kjos.com/licensing
Kjos has updated their licensing page with their COVID-19 specific rules.

https://kjos.com/contact
Fill out this form when you know all of your information per each item for the type of permission you need. You can also mail (not email) or fax your request.

Neil A. Kjos Music Company
Attn: Permissions
P.O. Box 178270
San Diego, CA 92177-8270
Fax: (858) 270-3507

https://kjos.com/news/cat/string/ Blog for string distance learning techniques.

Excelcia
Write an email to Diana with your catalog number and title of your piece to ask for permission to perform in an exclusive educational environment. The only brands they distribute are their own.

Contact

PHONE: (863) 213-3100
EMAIL: info@excelciamusic.com
FAX: (863) 816-3339

Grand Mesa
Send an email or call with your important information to ask for permission to perform in an exclusive educational environment. The only brands they distribute are their own.

Phone: 970-628-1621
Fax: 970-263-0860
Email: info@grandmesamusic.com

Barnhouse
https://www.barnhouse.com/
Scroll down on their homepage to find their COVID-19 Copyright updates.

Recording, Arranging, Licensing

How to obtain the mechanical license for all performances.

Distributed Brands:
• C. L. Barnhouse Co.
• Birch Island Music Press
• Chesford Music Publications
• K. L. King Music House
• BOVACO Music Publications
• Arco String Publications

Wingert-Jones
http://www.wjpublications.com/wj/mechanical-license.jsp
Fill out this form to get permission to perform with royalties, any WJ product. Contact gclass@wjpublications.com to inquire about obtaining written permission for private performances.

Carl Fischer
https://www.carlfischer.com/licensing
Everything you need to mail in your request for performance permission.

Email: licensing@carlfischer.com

If All Else Fails
If these publishers cannot help you, you will need to contact the song’s copyright owners. Information found at the bottom of the music. Contact me if you need help finding the publisher trail. As I’m sure you’re aware, if the owner says no, then you will have to purchase rights or choose a different piece.

Use these performance rights societies to purchase:
• ASCAP (www.ascap.com)
• BMI (www.bmi.com)
• SESAC (www.sesac.com)
• Global Music Rights (www.globalmusicrights.com)

NOW AVAILABLE FROM STANTON’S SHEET MUSIC: ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS MUSIC CLASS

Essential Elements: Music Class Interactive (EEMC) is a powerful, cloud-based (streaming) system for teaching K-5 general music. The initial release features 300+ songs with recordings, listening maps, interactive games and activities, recorder and ukulele units, plus ongoing updates that continually add new songs and resources.

The user-friendly technology equips teachers with customizable lesson plans, rigorous pedagogies, engaging music in many styles and eras, along with instant communication and class management tools.

EE Music Class includes all of these great features:
• 400+ Songs with new releases and updates weekly
• Hal Leonard Exclusive Content
• Interactive Resources including Recorder, Ukulele, Learning Activities, Listening Maps, and more.
• Shareable Playlists and Class Collections
• A Growing Collection of Lessons and Song Activities
• Noteflight Premium Subscription
• Access to Premium Content and Features at no extra charge.
• Constantly Evolving Platform!

Subscribe now at the limited time price of $195 for a one-year subscription until 8/31/2020 ($279 per year effective 9/1/2020). Contact us for more information, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

Stanton’s Sheet Music is pleased to present our VIRTUAL choral reading sessions for 2020! From the comfort of your own home, and with the ability to watch, rewatch, and choose the specific choral or resource you want to peruse, we invite you to browse and sing along to our brand new collection for the 2020-2021 school and church year. As these free online sessions become available throughout the summer, Stanton’s will be ready to help you and to fulfill your orders for both physical and digital copies.

The Joy of Singing
Available beginning July 5, 2020
The 34th annual Joy of Singing is going online for Summer 2020! Join Stanton’s Sheet Music and Hal Leonard as we present curated videos of the newest Hal Leonard titles for High School and Middle School choirs, with repertoire and resource suggestions for Concert & Festival, Holiday, Pop & Jazz, and Stage & Screen. Clinicians and composers featured include Roger Emerson, Rollo Dilworth, Mac Huff, Mark Brymer, Emily Crocker, Cristi Cary Miller, Audrey Snyder, Jonathan Palant, Michael John Trotta, Philip Silvey, and many more.

Stanton’s Super Session
Available August 2020
Stanton’s Super Session features the best new choral literature and resources for High School and Middle School choirs from Alfred Music, Shawnee Press, Choristers Guild, Heritage Music Press, BriLee Music, Carl Fischer, Walton Music, and more. Join Andy Beck and Greg Gilpin, along with Stanton’s School Choral Music Specialist Jen Sper and a number of guest composers and presenters to discover quality choral music for both in-person and remote teaching situations.

Sacred Choral Reading Session
Available August 2020
Featuring almost 40 new titles for a variety of worship styles and liturgical occasions, join Stanton’s Sacred Choral Music Specialist Jennifer Fry as she presents the best new sacred publications for Fall 2020.

Excellence in Choral Literature
Available August 2020
Established in 1994, Stanton’s Excellence in Choral Literature session is designed to help you select concert and contest literature from some of choral music’s most distinguished composers. This session features the best new music for mixed, treble, and tenor/bass choirs at all levels of difficulty, as well as classic literature from the choral canon. Led by Jim Gallagher, Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University, the Excellence Clinic is a valuable Stanton’s tradition for school, college, and community choir directors.

For immediate access to all of our virtual reading sessions as soon as they are available, subscribe to our online newsletter! Sessions will also be available on our website and YouTube channel.

No matter what form your classrooms or worship services may take next year, Stanton’s is your partner in music education and music ministry when it comes to providing you with the highest quality choral literature to enrich your singers’ lives! For more information, contact us at choral@stantons.com or 1-800-426-8742.

recommended by Caryn G. and Judy S., Piano Music Specialists

You’ll Be Back (from Hamilton) arr. Melody Bober, for 2 Pianos/8 Hands
Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, “You’ll Be Back” is from Act 1 of the hit musical Hamilton. Melody Bober’s arrangement for two pianos, eight hands is written for late-intermediate pianists and is laid out as two duets (Piano 1 and Piano 2) with primo and secondo parts on facing pages. The melody of the song is traded back and forth among the four performers. “You’ll Be Back” is excellent for recitals, piano ensemble classes, and “monster” concerts – for the truly brave (and tech savvy!), this would be a great challenge for a virtual ensemble project!

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Caryn G. has over 21 years of experience working at Stanton’s in both the Piano and Choral departments. During her career, she has been a church pianist/accompanist and a piano teacher. Her experience makes her a valuable connection for anybody who calls the piano department.

Judy S. has 30 years of private piano teaching experience and 40 years as a church pianist. Her experience makes her a valuable connection for anybody who calls the piano department.

Making music hasn’t stopped – it’s just gone virtual! This list of Columbus youth ensembles, masterclasses, and professional development opportunities are available online this summer. With many music organizations making their music virtually, we hope each of you find yourself meeting and playing with new musicians from all over.

Dublin Youth Brass Band
There’s no charge for Dublin Youth Brass Bands online recordings of guest clinicians and tutors. Participate in their culminating virtual ensemble. Register for the June 16th start date by June 14.

All-Star Brass Band
The All Stars are preparing to start playing again as soon as possible. Until then, follow their new Facebook page to see what these students have done and are doing during quarantine!

Opera Project Columbus
Virtual Intensive Vocal Academy (VIVA): Attend virtual classes with the opera professionals from around the world. Registration is open for individual classes or the whole week. This round features classes titled, “The Music of Language,” “Performance Skills for Opera Singers,” “Italian Text and Recitative,” “Face Forward,” and “Auditioning in Europe.” June 22-June 26

Chamber Music Connection
iSTEM Connect: Interactive online Chamber music
The letters in iSTEM represent the several pillars of chamber music: Improvisation, Solfège, Theory, Entrepreneurship, & Movement. iSTEM Connect curriculum is currently operating online using both Zoom, Acapella and BandLab offering improv workshops, solfège and theory courses, rehearsal techniques, score study, Eurhythmics, Alexander Technique, Body Mapping, Entrepreneurship and two different offerings of Yoga. These courses each fulfill CMC’s foundation for chamber music, Breathe Together, Move Together, Play Together. For more information, contact Alix Raspé Gray, cmcprdevelopment@gmail.com, 614-323-1330

Ohio State University School of Music
Virtual Flute Workshop: Three-day workshop focused on enhancing students’ musical and performance skills.
Virtual Classical Saxophone Clinic: One-day program for high school saxophonists exploring the classical genre of musicianship.
OSU Sting Teachers Workshop: Designed for the string specialist; orchestra director; secondary band, choir and general music teachers to work at their own pace and participate in a live Q&A session with clinicians.

If every post you’ve read recently has recommended that you create a virtual ensemble during this distance learning time but hasn’t told you how, then you may waist deep in a project bigger than you anticipated – or you may just have no idea what to expect!

It’s tempting to want to achieve something like Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir, but our students aren’t professional musicians and we aren’t professional video editors.

A virtual ensemble is a BIG technological undertaking, so here are some tips to get started!

Equipment:
For the Teacher
– Video editing software
– Recording device (phone, tablet, laptop, external microphone, etc)
For the Student
– Device to listen to provided track with headphones/earbuds
– Device to record their part
– Instrument and music stand (here are some creative ideas if students need to improvise a stand at home!)

Distributing Music:
– Send parts to your students digitally! No printing, no scanning. Watch this video about copyright laws for tips, and only send music that you have legally purchased to your students.
– See what’s available via Stanton’s Digital Delivery.
– Bill your digital order to your school account (and make sure you don’t lose your allotted school funding before the end of the year!). Contact the Stanton’s Sheet Music Specialists (Choral, Instrumental, and Keyboard/Pop/Guitar) and let them know your school name, purchase order information, and which titles you need to receive in your inbox.

Instruction List:
– You’ll have to tell your students how to get started. There are a lot of details to think about, especially if you plan on posting your performance somewhere for parents to watch later, like YouTube.
– Dress code – no commercial logos. School spirit wear or school colors are a great choice!
– Environment – a quiet area with a closed door; turn off fans, TVs, or other excess noise.
– Camera – phones usually have better mic and camera features than laptops. Film with the phone in portrait position to show less background and a full shot of the student. Take a picture at the camera angle first to make sure the student, instrument, and posture can be properly seen.
– Video Submission – here’s a list of online sharing tools from NAfME. Google Drive is easy to use; here are tips for how to share a folder and how to upload a folder.

Create a Conductor Video:
– Introduce the music and your lesson. Give educational reminders like tempos or rehearsal markings – anything you need to say to create a unified mood.
– When you’re ready to start conducting, instruct all of your students to clap or make another noticeable noise – this will help you to line up the videos in the editing stage.
– For the layout and construction for your video, first watch Eric Whitacre’s instructions he posted for his Virtual Choir for guidance. Split the screen of your video into two halves – on one side, you conduct to encourage musical expression and on the other you play the piano to give the students something to play along to. Insert a link from Stanton’s Jukebox and have them play along to a professional example recording.
– Video editing may be a whole new world for some teachers and others may have already done projects like this in the past. Don’t get frustrated! There are lots of tutorials available on YouTube for whatever skill level you are and whatever program you are using. You will learn so much more as you go along!

When your virtual ensemble is complete, please share it with Stanton’s by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram! We love being your partner in music education, and we’re proud to support you and your students.