There's TONS of great stuff on earthsongs website, and you can hear the pieces, and they have CDs.  I've used much of it over time.   Also Third Planet Music.  Lots of choral music from Venezuela, Argentina, etc.

 

David

There is an enormous amount of exciting choral music that has come out of Latin America and the Caribbean in recent decades. Some, but not all of it is published in easy-to-find places, and even when something circulates in samizdat, the internet has made it easier to track down the composers and arrangers. 

 

Can you give a clearer indication of what you need? That will help the ChoralNet community out here make suggestions. Are you looking mostly for choral arrangements of folksongs, popular songs, or classical works? (These categories overlap enormously, of course.) Do you want to focus on particular regions? Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, and Cuba (just to name a places) all have rich musical traditions that are totally distinct. 

 

Some stuff that I have been thinking about recently are choral songs by the Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino, Venezuelan llanero (cowboy) songs arranged by Josefina Severino, and the works of Cuban composer Beatriz Corona. And there's always Ariel Ramirez.

 

- Nat

One of my absolute favorites is "La Paloma," arranged by C. Grases, published by Walton.

You can look in the Latin America Choral Music series published by Neil A. Kjos, Music Publishers at http://www.kjos.com/sub_section.php?division=2&series=109 

Will you be doing any SSA repertoire?  If so, take a look at my "Victor, Catarina," on the villancico by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, published by Walton: http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=8501538&lid=477&seriesfeature=&menuid=1323&subsiteid=32&;

Here's a recent performance of it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kTT70BYR0A

Please check out Violeta Parra's great folk anthem Gracias a la vida. I have recently published it for SATB and SSAA voices. Visit www.rhythmictrident.com for information. Thank you. Willi Zwozdesky

Thank you all for your responses! To clarify a bit, I am doing a mixed SATB choir, but i am also open to whatever other arrangement of music there are. I am looking more into popular, contemporary Latin music, as well as classical. It can be from whatever area of Latin America, and it could be in either a Spanish or Latin text. 

 

Thank you again!!!

¡Hola compañeros!

 

How exciting Joshua! I started El Coro, an Iberian / Latin American choir in Sydney Australia in 2010, and before that I directed the Sydney Spanish Choir. There is an enormous wealth of material available these days, although not much of it reaches Australia! In the beginning I found it very difficult to find scores and recordings, but as I'm getting to know the repertoire gradually over time, my knowledge and access to works has been increasing exponentially.

 

One of the first books I used was Suzanne Tiemstra's sourcebook The Choral Music of Latin America, available through Amazon.com as hard copy or for e-reader, and from other sellers, and no doubt in several libraries in the U.S. as well. In Australia I think there was only 1 copy, in the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, until I bought my own - so now there are 2 in our country, to my knowledge. Suzanne is a Choralnet subscriber (or was, last I heard), and is always more than happy to share her knowledge with others. She also has a website http://www.latinamericanchoralmusic.org/ which is well worth exploring.

 

Ariel Ramirez' Misa Criolla and Navidad Nuestra are always big favourites with choirs and audiences, and I'm planning to do these later this year, but Ramirez wrote other excellent works as well. The Kjos series mentioned by Oscar is excellent, and he should know, as he is the editor! One of them, Guastavino's S'equivocó la paloma is exquisite and there are also arrangements of tango, folk songs, and much more. If you're interested in early music, there's quite a lot on the Choral Public Domain website. And don't be afraid to google other choirs or watch them on youtube, and contact the directors for repertoire information. Most are delighted to share their passion for latin american music with others.

 

Bruce and Willi, thank you for your suggestions! I am going to look them up right now! Joshua, if you want to explore this conversation further, do feel free to contact me privately.

 

Saludos a todos

Margot.

I teach middle and high school, so some of these pieces may be a little simple for your group, but might be useful for a newly established group.  These are a few I've done that the kids really enjoyed:

A La Nanita Nana (x-mas carol)

Riu Riu Chiu

Baila Esta Cumbia (recorded by Salena)

Oye (Papoulis/Nunez)

 

Good luck!

Erin

I have recently started "Cantamos" here in Winston-Salem with grades 3-9, treble.  It's been a learning experience and I've been searching for good materials as well.  Here are a couple of things I've recently come across:

Somos El Barco (We are the Boat) by Larre Wyatt, SA,TB (optional piano; guitar)

La Paloma, arr. Grases (advanced)

Cantar-- is fun and easy, and the instruments add a lot:  arr. Jay Althouse, Alfred Publishing

De Colores, arr. Weston

A La Media Noche -- Joan Szymko (advanced)

At the recent Children's Choir Conductor Retreat in Denver we had a session on the music of Columbia by Maria Teresa Guillen Becerra;  here's the website for music:  www.gomezguillenmusic.com.

 

Dear Joshua,

 

I was away from the web for a few days, so I missed your inquiry. I am so grateful that so many people offered you so many options. If you need any help beyond these suggestions, do check out my website and feel free to call or write to me.

 

Sincerely,

Suzanne Tiemstra

www.latinamericanchoralmusic.org

sstiemstra(a)sbcglobal.net

616-949-2528

Hello Joshua,

 

I agree with all of the above. There is a wealth of music out there.  Do not discount Brazillian music, especially if you want to venture down the Jobin, Gilberto, Jorge Ben path.

 

I am doing a Latin american program with my college choir and have found some Mexican Baroque works via CPDL.

Other notable works

Gloria, Argento

Se Equivoco La Paloma, Guastavino

Piazolla: The Seasons and Oblivion

Maria Pancha, Cristian Grases.

El Manisero, Moises Simons

Cancion de Cuna  Fernandez

Missa Criolla, Ramirez

 

I also have some manuscript from works brought to me by a choral conductor from Ecuador who gave a presentation to my choir.  Some are in Quechua.

 

Good luck.  There's enough out there for many programs.

 

 

John Cuk

Direcotr of Choirs

Manhattanville College

Purchase, NY