The #musedchat Monday night chats have inspired me to start writing this blog again. Well, I wasn't the best blogger, but maybe now I can start fresh.
My first act as a new and improved blogger is to ask all of you wonderful music teachers out there to collaborate. Let us share our favorite choral pieces. Post your favorite piece and make sure to give its name, composer/arranger, and voice type (2 Part, SAB, etc). Please also give a review of why you and/or your students liked it or why it was so successful. This could become a great resource!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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Ok...I'll start. My reviews are going to mainly be about 2 part choral octavos since I only teach a 4th and 5th grade chorus. (This a 'short' list, I could go on forever... but it's a start)
ReplyDelete"Song of the Open Road" (R. Schram) - 2 part
This song is a wonderful setting of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass." It is lyrical and beautiful and I have performed it twice and the students just loved it.
"Al Shlosha" (A. Naplan) - 2 part
This is a beautiful hebrew song in partner song format. It is challenging and lyrical. The students loved it!
"Everlasting Melody" (R. Dilworth) - 2 part
This is a wonderful gospel rock song: "my heart sings a melody." The students got so into singing it that they didn't even realize how difficult the song was. It is catchy and uplifting and the students and audience loved it!
"Afternoon on a Hill" (C. Gray) - 2 part
This a beautiful song with easy to learn parts. The students were able to learn it quick and perform it well. It has a lovely piano accompaniment as well.
"Jubilate Deo" (G. Gilpin) - 2 part
Upbeat, catchy, just plain wonderful!
"Peace on Earth... And Lots of Little Crickets" (P. Carey) - 2 part
This song starts in unison and then splits into easy harmony (except for the end which is a bit more challenging). What is great about it is the orff like use of instrumental accompaniment. This song features cricket clickers, rain sticks, guiro, etc to emulate the sounds of crickets all over a wonderfully catchy bass xylo ostinato that all my students wanted to play (and still did even months after the concert!)
"Ton The" (Brumfield) - 2 part
An absolutely wonderful french tongue twister. The hardest part was the words, but the students absolutely loved it! Another catchy tune as well.
"Haida" (H. Leck) - unison
This is a great piece uses only the word "Haida," which is a yiddish nonsense word like our "la." It can be used to teach dynamics and round form. It also really catchy and the students and audience just plain love it!
"Blow Bugle Blow" (R. Schram) - 2 part
A beautiful piece that sounds more complicated than it is. The students really enjoyed it and even asked to sing it for graduation, a year after they performed it.
"Galop" (K. Berg) - unison
This piece is performed entirely in solfege. It sounds extremely challenging, and parts are. The students loved the catchy and moving melody. It is also great because it is very repetitive and can be used to teach dynamics, accents, staccato, etc. It is a great novelty and teaching piece.
"Distant Shore" (Donnelly/Strid ) - 2 part
A beautiful partner song of "The Water is Wide."
Favorite Partner Songs:
"The Banjo's Back in Town" ~ Gallina
"I Want to Be Happy" ~ Gallina
"On the Railroad" ~ Perry
Hi Allison! Thanks for mentioning my crazy cricket piece! I am thrilled that it was a hit with your students. Can I send you more SA music for perusal? thanks,
ReplyDeletePaul Carey
www.paulcarey.net
email paulcarey440@yahoo.com
choral music blog at www.paulcarey440.blogspot.com