Transcript Contemporary Choral Music for Beginning High School Choirs

Contemporary Choral Music for
Beginning High School Choirs
What is contemporary choral music?
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Contemporary music is more than just Eric
Whitacre and Morten Lauridsen
Contemporary music does not have to be
(and for choral, is usually not) atonal
Contemporary music can be fun for singers
of all ages and abilities, as the genre is very
broad
How do you perform contemporary
music with a choir?
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Follow the score! Contemporary composers
have marked in dynamics, tempos, and
stylistic elements in order to enhance their
work
Many contemporary scores have
“performance notes” sections, which will say
how the piece should be performed
Of course, these sections are not law, rather
suggestions
Some contemporary composers
suitable for early high school…
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Rollo Dilworth (b.1970)
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Assistant Professor of Music
and Director of Choral Activities
and Music Education at
the North Park University
School of Music in Chicago,
Illinois
Active composer and conducter
Composer of many spiritual and
gospel style choral works, of
which many are accessible by
high school choirs
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…cont’d
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René Clausen (b.1953)
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Serves as conductor for The
Concordia Choir at Concordia
College in Minnesota
Composes works for high
school choirs, as well as
collegiate level choirs and
church choirs
Frequent guest conductor
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…cont’d
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Mary Lynn Lightfoot
(b.1952)
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Choral Editor for Heritage
Music Press
Composes both sacred and
secular music
Her music is greatly accessible
for beginning choirs, as well as
smaller choirs
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Examples: Women’s Choir pieces
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Set Me As A Seal by René Clausen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3IdpGVr9S4
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Omnia Sol (Let Your Heart be Staid) by Z.
Randall Stroope http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/OmniaSol-Let-Your-Heart-be-Staid/7445604#
Examples: Mixed Choir pieces
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The Lord Bless You and Keep You by John
Rutter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvyCQTDxpBc
Examples: Men’s Choir pieces
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Loch Lomond arr. Greg Gilpin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8N8ivPrHkA
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In That Great Gettin’ Up Mornin’ arr. Jester
Hairston http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_wq9OmVQ-Y
Where to find contemporary music
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Publishing houses such as Boosey and
Hawkes, Alliance, and Colla Voce offer
extensive collections of quality contemporary
choral music for all skill levels
ChoralNet also has many threads about
where to find music, as well as differentiating
between good music and bad music