Below are resources to help students rehearse their music at home. Our music is listed below the TED learning video. There are several ways to practice this music:

• Most effective:

“Select music that is appropriate for your age and vocal range. Obtain copies of the music. A great place to find audition pieces or popular music is musicnotes.com. Print out the lyrics, use highlighters to mark important parts, add breath marks, phrasing, and notes on vowels, and confidently annotate the music. Collect multiple recordings and incorporate them into your routine.”

• Less effective:  to sing along with the audio tracks without looking at the sheet music. This is great if you’re in the car and can repeatedly repeat the songs.
• It is much less effective:   Learning the songs through active singing, rather than passive listening, is crucial for capturing all the details in the recordings.

CHORAL AND MUSIC TECH REPERTOIRE

To be posted in Google Classroom

CHRISTMAS REHEARSAL LIST

Sleigh Ride – 2 Part  Andy Beck’s expert arrangement of this winter pop classic by Leroy Anderson is faithful to the original. From the merry introduction to the final horse’s “neigh” in the trumpet, this exceptional winter song will be a real treat for our singers and audiences!

Winter Wonderland  2 part – “Sleigh bells ring, are you list’nin’?”  Don’t miss the opportunity to perform this superb arrangement of the perennial winter holiday classic!  The part for sleigh bells, included in the octavo, will add much to the sparkling effect, and the accompaniment for woodwinds, brass, and rhythm will take it over the top!

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year  Big, splashy, and set at a bright tempo, this sparkling arrangement will be especially effective as our concert opener.  It’s a pop holiday standard that is a must for yearly holiday performances!

We Need A Little Christmas (2 parts)   “For we need a little Christmas, right this very minute, candles in the window, carols at the spinet…”  Don’t miss our kid-friendly treatment of the all-time favorite holiday show tune from “Mame.”

Carols of the Bells (2 parts) – Christmas.   Click on your part below. This is for our young two-part choirs to enjoy singing this famous work, originally published in 1936 for mixed voices a cappella.

• Carol of the Bells Part 1 Singers
• Carol of the Bells Part 2 Singers

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (SAB)   Of the many arrangements of this song available for school choirs, this one takes the prize!  Mark Hayes.

Once Upon A December (SAB)  From the Broadway musical “Anastasia” comes this beautiful and elegant arrangement of the tender music box song that will enchant our students and audiences! The gentle melody and lyrics yearn for a time that no longer exists. “Things I almost remember, and a song someone sings once upon a December.”

White Winter Hymnal (SAB)

Pentatonix covers Fleet Foxes’ song in their signature acapella style, with only body percussion as accompaniment. With a repeating vocal phrase that gradually extends and a wordless contrasting section, this will be a captivating selection that will surround our audience with sound and rhythm.

Little Saint Nick (SAB):

Our younger choirs will have a jolly good time with this Beach Boys Christmas classic! It’s easy to learn and perfect for adding beach-themed choreography and costumes for a unique performance.

Underneath The Tree (2 part)   “You’re all I need underneath the tree tonight…” From her Wrapped in Red album, this new Christmas song by Kelly Clarkson was an instant addition to everyone’s holiday playlist! Our choirs and pop groups will grove to the throwback 1960s shuffle!

Holiday Road (SAB)  Holiday Road is 1983 single written and recorded by Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and featured in the 1983 film “National Lampoon’s Vacation.” It makes a great up-tempo addition to our seasonal concerts. A sensational selection for our show and pop groups!

Director’s Picks

A Festive Welcome!

This is a joyous, festive arrangement of “Edi Be Thu,” a tune from medieval times. Dance-like rhythms and tempos are used in unison with an optional flute (band student).

• Festive Welcome – Part 1 Singers (higher notes)
• Festive Welcome – Part 2 Singers (lower notes)

(Easter Egg – Yoda, you seek Yoda)  Be the first three students to see the director – claim your treat.

Jubilate Deo – Thrift’s varied meters allows this piece to dance with happiness! Students are ready to sing a cappella or with accompaniment.  This piece is a contender for MPA in February and March.

• Jubilate Deo 1 (Latin) Alto – lower notes
• Jubilate Deo 1 (Latin) Soprano 2 – the middle notes
• Jubilate Deo 1 (Latin) Soprano 1 – the highest notes

Jubilate Deo 2 – MPA.   This highly energetic, pulsating piece provides an accessible opportunity for young singers to experience success, sing in Latin and learn many musical concepts. The piano accompaniment makes the piece “sizzle” with excitement. 

• Jubilate Deo 2 (Latin) – Part 1 Singers
• Jubilate Deo 2 (Latin) – Part 2 Singers

O Vos Omnes –  MPA.  This is one of Victoria’s most well-known motets and is masterfully arranged for SSA choirs by Russell Robinson. This work offers your choir the option of melodic support with the addition of a discreet piano accompaniment that enhances and meshes with the texture of its polyphonic choral melodies. This is our challenge!

• O Vos Omnes (Latin) Soprano 1 – highest notes
• O Vos Omnes (Latin) Soprano 2 – middle notes
• O Vos Omnes (Latin) Alto – lower notes

The Erie Canal – MPA.  We will ride on the Erie Canal, one of America’s time-honored folk songs! Ruth Schram’s rhythmically interesting arrangement is laden with syncopations and will develop excellent diction in young singers. There is an optional second part for part two singers, and it provides an opportunity to teach and hear descant-style harmony.

• The Erie Canal – Part 1 Singers
• The Erie Canal – Part 2 Singers

Carols of the Bells – Christmas.  This is our young two-part choirs can enjoy singing this famous work, originally published in 1936 for mixed voices a cappella. Easy to sing, with a piano accompaniment that is easy to play, this is our perfect holiday concert opener or closer for elementary and middle school singers!

• Carol of the Bells Part 1 Singers
• Carol of the Bells Part 2 Singers

Petit Enfant – Christmas.   Ruth Elaine Schram’s arrangement of this lovely French carol may be performed in French or English. If our ensemble needs the third part—alto—another option is to use it. With canonic-like imitation throughout, singers of all abilities will surely experience success learning and performing this sensitive, haunting, beautiful carol, which is a must for holiday concerts.

• Petit Enfant (French) Part 1 Singers
• Petit Enfant (French) Part 2 Singers
• Petit Enfant (French) Part 3 Singers

Go Down Moses – MPA.  We never tire of singing this time-honored spiritual favorite! Courtney’s jazzy 2-part accompanied arrangement incorporates appealing rhythmic elements flavored with exhilarating melodies.

• Go Down Moses – Part 1 singers
• Go Down Moses – Part 2 Singers

Flight of the Grackles—MPA

This is an excitingly rhythmic work for two-part treble voices with a text by John Parker. The piece depicts the conspiracy of five grackles, birds notorious for their loud, cacophonous nature, as they devour a field of grain. Thrilling!

• Flight of the Grackles – Part 1 Singers
• Flight of the Grackles – Part 2 Singers

By An By – MPA.  “I’m gonna lay down my heavy load” (in the By an by) is the theme of this fantastic spiritual, wonderfully captured in this arrangement for two-part voices and piano. Its upbeat, syncopated melody utilizes a pentatonic scale and rhythms with a swing feel. Partnered with the well-known gospel jewel “When the Morning Comes,” our choirs will sound phenomenal when singing this concert-closing tune.

• By An By – Part 1 Singers
• By an By – Part 2 Singers

---

VOCAL HEALTH AND WARM-UPS

• Curwen Hand Signs for Sight-Singing