Choral Journal Preview

Choral Journal Preview: April 2017

March 6, 2017 by Amanda Bumgarner 1 Comment

The latest issue of Choral Journal is available online! ACDA members can log in with their username and password to view and download the newest edition. You can also read our electronic version. Below is a preview of the articles you will find in this issue. If you are not already a member of ACDA, join today to start receiving your monthly Choral Journal! Associate members can join for only $45 a year.

Missa Brevis: An Ancient Genre Revitalized by Anthony Bernarducci

“During the course of the musical periods preceding the twentieth century, there was an evolution of the Missa Brevis genre amidst an overarching composition style of the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods. In the twentieth century, however, music diverged onto many different paths of musical style and became, in a sense, both a compendium of the past and an innovating force for new areas of composition… This article will outline how Contemporary composers have revitalized this ancient genre.”

A Reconsideration of the Performance of the Chorales in J. S. Bach’s Passio secundum Johannem, BWV 245 by Heather Mitchell

In contemporary recordings and performances, the chorales of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) seem to be often performed in a predictably straightforward and homogenous manner: similar tempi, similar phrase shapes, similar delivery… However, the evidence suggests that the congregation would not have sung the chorales of the Passion. They instead were performed only by Bach’s musicians, thus being more than capable of indulging in unique and dramatic delivery for each chorale. While this argument is perhaps now more generally accepted than it used to be, recordings and performances of Bach’s chorales still say something very different.”

Striking the Balance: Creating and Nurturing Positive Relationships between Voice Teacher and Choral Conductor by Miguel Felipe and Maya Hoover

“Since the dawn of our modern vocal tradition, there have been singers, choirs, and the mentors who guide them. Somewhere along the way, many of these professionals have become convinced that their goals, and the processes involved in reaching them, led them down separate and conflicting paths. In 2017, we conductors and voice teachers have reached a point of evolved pedagogy, yet our philosophical misunderstandings and lack of strong professional relationships continue to impair our ability to move forward. Stepping away from insular perspectives to recognize a larger picture and committing ourselves to cultivating positive relationships will help us to better understand how to set up both ourselves and our singers for success.”

Choral Journal Preview – A Focus on Multigenerational Choral Singing

December 26, 2016 by Amanda Bumgarner Leave a Comment

This special Choral Journal focus issue contains articles and columns that follow our conference theme, “A Life of Song.”

Carol Beynon, Associate Professor in Music Education at the University of Western Ontario, shares three principles for establishing an intergenerational choir, sharing insight and research from the funded project Advanced Interdisciplinary Research in Singing (AIRS). From rationale for the program, curriculum, funding, participation, and lessons learned, readers will be inspired by the work of our colleagues in North America.

Victoria Meredith, also a professor of choral music from Canada, writes specifically about igniting senior voices in multigenerational choirs. This article contains information on multigenerational choral repertoire selection guidelines and rehearsal strategies, the impact of vocal changes on repertoire choices, and identifying musical traits that may present vocal challenges to senior singers.

Karen Brunssen’s article “One Voice, One Life” is a reprint from VOICEPrints, the scholarly journal of the New York Singing Teachers’ Association and has been revised for Choral Journal. As the introduction states, “This article will present a look at various age-related mutations of the evolving voice in relationship to respiration, vibration, and resonance.”

Continuing on the topic of “A Life of Song,” John Hughes and Jon Hurty share considerations for the collegiate-based town and gown choir. Readers will appreciate the author’s case study, in which five conductors of collegiate-based multigenerational choirs describe their respective ensembles.

Finally, Ryan Luhrs shares his dissertation research on intergroup contact theory. This is essentially research behind the question: “Can bringing people together intentionally around song be an effective prescription in the effort to build bridges between people of social groups who don’t otherwise interact in meaningful ways?” Tim Sharp and Kevin Fenton include sections on two programs they are involved in—Conductors Without Borders and A Voice for Peace, respectively—that model the “science” Ryan shares and are a practical testament to how intergroup contact theory can and does function in the twenty-first century.

The Choral Journal is mailed to all active, retired, and life members of ACDA. You can also join ACDA for $45 as an associate member and receive access to read the Choral Journal online!

Choral Journal Preview: ACDA 2017 National Conference

December 5, 2016 by Amanda Bumgarner Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe, but it’s almost time for ACDA’s 2017 National Conference! The January issue of Choral Journal features the full conference preview, with names, photos, and bios of all conductors, clinicians, and performing choirs. There are special events, meetings, and concerts happening throughout the week that you won’t want to miss! We are already at record numbers for registrations, and the 2017 Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, promises to be one of our very best. There will truly be something for everyone.

Here is a PDF showing all the interest sessions and clinicians that were chosen for the 2017 conference.
Here is a PDF showing all conference events and performers.
Find out even more information about the conference here.

ACDA members can read the Choral Journal online by clicking here. Non members can review the benefits and membership categories here. (There is an associate membership option for only $45 a year!)

September Choral Journal Preview

August 8, 2016 by Amanda Bumgarner Leave a Comment

Coordinating Vocal Colors in Women’s Choruses by Philip Silvey

“When singers in women’s choruses combine their individual vocal colors, they create vibrant sonorities. As members of an equal voice ensemble, they must learn to coordinate these distinct colors to form an integrated whole, one that captures the expressive intent of a range of musical compositions… This article is intended primarily for the ensemble needs of high school and collegiate women’s choruses, with potential application to adult women’s choruses.”

Literacy in the Choral Classroom: A Pedagogical Analysis Celebrating Contemporary Choral Compositions by Donna Menhart

“This pedagogical analysis of three choral works composed from 2013 to 2015 presents folk songs and musicianship solf-fa exercises using moveable-do major and la-based minor as the stepping stones to create connections between students’ past musical experiences, their present musical understanding, and their confident musical futures.”

A Guide to Improving Student-Led Section Rehearsals by Felicia Mulé, James Robison, and Ryan Kelly

“Many high school and college choirs hold section rehearsals that are directed by student leaders… Student leaders can employ a number of strategies to help them lead better and understand the needs of their sections. Likewise, teachers can take steps to guide their leaders with greater direction and oversight. This article’s goal is to offer both students and teachers strategies for improving their choirs’ sectionals so that they are more productive, musical, and unifying experiences for singers.”

CJ Replay: Focus on Children and Community Youth

June 13, 2016 by Amanda Bumgarner Leave a Comment

The March 2016 issue of Choral Journal was a Focus on Children and Community Youth, guest edited by Robyn Lana. This issue contains the following feature articles and is available to ACDA members to read and download here.

On Our Way: Programming a Martin Luther King Jr. Concert for Youth Choir by Anthony Trecek-King

There are many resources available to serve as starting points for planning a program for youth choir that centers on civil rights and social justice. This article describes some of those resources and provides and overview of the music contained within.

From Kindergarten to College: Understanding Young Voices and Keeping Them Healthy by Wendy LeBorgne

“As choral directors, voice pedagogues, and conductors, it [is] imperative to understand the key physiological developmental markers associated with the vocal instrument and its impact on vocal output at various stages of life. Providing accurate information to impressionable singers will help these singers maintain healthy vocal habits throughout their lifetime.”

Creativity and Artistry in the Children’s Choir Rehearsal by Karen Bruno

This article discusses the meaning of creativity and choral artistry as it pertains to work with children’s and youth choirs. Topics include identifying quality repertoire, engaging singers, characteristics of quality music, and our responsibility as teachers and conductors.

The Better C: Building Community through Collaboration by Roberta Jackson and Debra Burgess

“Building community within a choir can be challenging, especially when working with singers from diverse backgrounds, with different values, and from different schools. In this article we will explore the use of collaboration both as an overarching philosophy and a daily practice within an organization.”

Read this issue online or download the PDF here.

Do You Sing in Translation?

May 23, 2016 by Amanda Bumgarner 1 Comment

The May 2016 issue of the Choral Journal features a cover article written by Daniel Mahraun titled “What Language Shall I Borrow? Singing in Translation” in which he presents ways to make performance in translation “satisfying, not merely satisfactory.” (Read the entire article here)

Mahraun first revisits four arguments against translations that were listed by Roger Doyle in his 1980 Choral Journal article “What? Sing It in English? What Will the Neighbors Think?” (Click here to read Doyle’s article)

The arguments are:

The nuance of the composer’s language is integral to the flow of the music.
Translations are provided in the printed programs.
The audience can’t understand the English either.
Good English versions are very scarce.

Readers are then urged to consider the advantages of translations, and the author uses case studies from Mendelssohn’s “Es wird ein Stern” from Christus, Bach’s Matthäus-Passion, and Hindemith’s “La biche” from Six chansons to solidify his points.

When considering translations in choral singing, which side do you fall on? Do you think there can be benefits to singing in translation? Have you had any negative experiences? Positive? Can you think of any other works besides those listed above that might lend themselves to a satisfying performance in translation?

Feel free to share your thoughts here on ChoralNet in the comment section or even send in a “Letter to the Editor” for publication in an upcoming issue of Choral Journal. I would love to hear from you! Better still, perhaps you should write an article or column in the Choral Journal. You can contact me at . Daniel Mahraun can be contacted at .

Choral Journal writing guidelines can be viewed by clicking here.