Pick Six By:
Gene Peterson
Repertoire and Resources Chair for TTTB Choirs
Bethel University
gene-peterson@bethel.edu
Exultate Justi in Domino
Brant Adams
Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP 173
TTBB with piano accompaniment
Also available in SATB and SA
From full voiced to light lilting rhythmic to lyric legato singing, this setting of the familiar Latin sacred text will afford many opportunities to teach different aspects of vocalism. There are also opportunities to teach the concept of terraced dynamics through a number of musical sequences. This piece will be worth the work from both performance and educational perspectives.
Blow Ye the Trumpet
Kirke Mechem
TTBB with piano accompaniment
Taken from Kirke Mechem’s Opera, John Brown, this powerful text. Read what Mr.
Mechem says:
Blow Ye The Trumpet," from my opera John Brown, was the name of Brown’s favorite hymn. A number of different hymn tunes and verses have this same title; as I have been unable to discover which version Brown knew, I have chosen the text I found most beautiful and appropriate – indeed, prophetic – for his life and death. It seems to prophesy both the day of jubilee and the martyr’s death which Brown knew would hasten the destruction of slavery. None of the existing hymn tunes seemed to me to do justice to these words, however, so I gave them a new melody in the style of early American folk music.
Masterfully composed, this text and setting will give students the chance to perform music from an American composer’s opera and also give the teacher an opportunity to talk about opera in the US, and the history of slavery.
Journeyman’s Song
Braeden Ayres
Three-Part men’s voices with piano accompaniment
This song of encouragement empowers young men through the hardships of life, but also challenges them to overcome and become the best version of who they are. It is structured as a pop ballad with a minimalistic accompaniment that supports the voices. There are optional voicings that may be appropriate for the unchanged male voices in more advanced middle school choirs. The chorus comes to a wonderful crescendo musically and textually:
I will cross the mountains capped with snowfall, I will fight through the river’s rage, undeterred by the hottest desert, I’ll continue, turn the page.
Alleluia Incantation
Andrew Miller
Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP 1191
Unaccompanied
This particular setting of the “Alleluia Amen” gives the teacher the opportunity to teach chant and music without a sense of barline — that the syllabic emphasis actually gives us meter and musical direction. I would suggest that the teacher also introduce the Liber Usualis and basic concepts of neumes. This piece could be performed with just men as if they were monks chanting or could be done with any voicing. Furthermore, the open fifth can teach about different tunings and to get a little more ring to use a slightly wider fifth than the equal temperament of the piano.
Jing-ga-lye-ya
Bruce Sled
TTBB unaccompanied
Also available in SATB
This nonsense-text piece utilizes cyclical repetition to create a groove, and rhythmically is fun for every chorus that sings it. The syncopation can be utilized to teach the idea of upward intention and internal rhythms. Having the choir sing in a circle will give every voice part the opportunity to hear how the motives move around, and allows for teaching a basic understanding (in a fun way) of counterpoint.
Pirate Song
Tim Y. Jones
Alliance Music Publications AMP 0760
TTBB with piano accompaniment
This is a very fun piece that both singers and audiences will love. A perfect change for guys to move around a little and get their imaginations going. If your chorus resists finding the physicality in signing, you may want to use a song like this and teach movement that mimics the musical quality in which you would like them to sing. The bottom line is to have fun with this piece, but use it for your educational intentions!