Latest Community Posts

Colleagues,   I have a Haitian friend who would very much like to study choral conducting/music education in the US. He is currently conducting a youth choir, but has little formal musical training. Very bright guy in his 20’s, with phenomenal people skills. I’m aware that universities generally do not provide scholarship assistance to international […]

hi there, I would dearly love for our little choir to sing the Durufle “Ubi Caritas”, but what i find out there is written SATTB and we are few voices… we really do best as SATB.     (raising flame shield) can i leave out a part and if so which one or would you recommend the SATB version […]

In Wilhousky’s Battle Hymn of the Republic, in the men’s a capella section, my high school choir was taught to pronounce “transfigures” to rhyme with “triggers” as opposed to rhyming with “figures.” Has anyone else been taught to sing it this way? Is there a rationale behind it?   Thanks for your help!   Katrina

Good morning,   I’m trying to choose a good Baroque piece for a high school choir of 50 with the following criteria…   a) About 5-10 minutes in length b) 2 violin parts in addition to basso continuo c) some solo opportunities for singers, but enough substance for the choir as well d) 4-8 choral […]

Here is a brand new video featuring Ken Medema.  The original text was written by myself as a “Thank You” to my church choirs in gratitude for their work during Christmas.  Ken composed and recorded the music.  It was first shown on December 12, 2010 just prior to our annual Christmas Concert.  The video was designed […]

Back about 40 years ago when I was in Jr. High, in Anaheim, California,  our Madrigal choir sang a version of the Walt Whitman poem ‘O Captain, My Captain’ that was part of a trilogy of texts by  American authors.  This arrangement has been POP for many years, and my junior high closed in 1980, so […]

Friends,   This spring I intend to perform Normal Deio Joio’s ‘A Psalm of David’ as my concert opener with my high school choir. My question to you is do any of you know if there is piano (2 or 4 hand) accompaniment written for this as I do not have the means to use […]

Dear Colleagues —   My church has the traditional choir start its service with an anthem from the back of the sanctuary. With the organist all the way up front and not looking at the congregation (or me in the back) I have made it a habit of using an a cappella selection. I’d like […]

As possibly an opener to my my Spring program of cinema-related choral pieces, I may use the opening chorus to Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”.  Is anyone here aware of a nice full 4-hand piano accompaniment (one piano) for this “tour de force”?  I’d like to “pack a big punch” with this opening gesture, and help […]

I posted this on the MENC forums as well and thought I’d also try here.   I am a choir conductor of 7 years and this is the first time I’ve encountered this issue. Many renaissance pieces in choral literature were written without barlines or meter. It simply flows polyphonically with a focus on phrasing […]