By Michael McGlynn I was brought up as a Roman Catholic. My parents endeavoured to give me every opportunity to be exposed to a vast range of music, strongly encouraging our explorations, be they rock or classical music. In school the main exposure to singing was musical drama in the form of Gilbert and Sullivan […]
composers
An Introduction to Jennifer Higdon’s Choral Works
The June/July 2022 issue of Choral Journal is online and features an article titled “An Introduction to Jennifer Higdon’s Choral Works” by William Skoog. The 2023 National Conference will feature a premiere of the ACDA Brock Commission, composed by Jennifer Higdon. Read an introduction to the composer’s choral works in the current June/July issue acda.org/choraljournal. Following is […]
Songs of reImagining: Your Turn
At my previous institution, I taught a senior capstone class. The class could be about any topic in performance, theory, or history, which left it pretty wide open. I felt strongly that the students should have a class on what I called “silenced voices,” a class that went back and covered the same survey timeline […]
Writing Music People LIKE to Sing with Alan Bullard
For this Oxford Press conversation, I was able to speak to composer Alan Bullard about his life, career and approach to choral music. We talked about what it was like to study with Herbert Howells, the need for music for flexible voicings, the contrasting economy of sheet music sales in the US and UK, as […]
The Impact of ACDA’s Genesis Prize Continues
By Dan Forrest The COVID pandemic has deeply affected composers of choral music. Our normal revenue streams have diminished or dried up, and the collaborative opportunities that normally provide encouragement, affirmation, and inspiration have been put on hold. Our national ACDA Composition Initiatives Committee met in mid-2020 to discuss ways to support choral composers through […]
CJ Preview: Ours to See: Emerging Trends in Today’s Choral Compositions
The October 2019 issue of Choral Journal is now available online. Below is an excerpt of the cover article “Ours to See: Emerging Trends in Today’s Choral Compositions” by Alan Denney. You can read it in its entirety online at acda.org/choraljournal. Click “Search Archives” and choose October 2019 from the dropdown menu._____________________________ Choral conductors consistently strive to […]