“Five from the Folder: Middle School Men” by Gretchen Harrison

FIVE FROM THE FOLDER: MIDDLE SCHOOL MEN by Gretchen Harrison

 

1.  "Canto del Agua," David Hill, TTB, Alliance SMP 0834

This Venezuelan folk song is fun and full of teachable concepts.  GREAT bass line!  Absolutely appropriate for MS men's choirs.  There is lots of text so memorization can be tricky.

 

2.  "Tenting Tonight," Earlene Rentz, TB, Alliance AMP 0625

This rather somber Civil War song gives lots of opportunity to develop sensitive singing skills. 

 

3.  "Kansas City Kitty," Jacob Narverud, TB, SBMP 1137

This snappy piece is an arrangement of a 1929 song.  Fun, engaging & pleases singers and the audience.  Opportunity to study “Roaring Twenties” as singers work though learning process.

 

4.  "Grumble Too Much," Schram, TTB, Heritage 15/2113H

Jamaican folk song. Fun piece that takes the position that women grumble too much!  Lots of percussion “spice up” piece.  Bass part drops too low for most MS males, but can be rewritten..

 

5.  "Jambo, Jacob," Narverud, TTB, SBMP 1139

Kenyan folk song is arranged brilliantly for men.  Beautiful language.  Vowels are pure & clean like Italian.  Small consonant pronunciation changes necessary.  Percussion opportunities.

 

(“Five from the Folder” provides brief, text-length reviews of vocal works currently in the folders of choral directors throughout the United States.  To share five from your folder, contact Scott Dorsey at )