Pick Six from Star Program By:
Michael Walsh
Buffalo High School
mwalsh@buffalo.k12.mn.us
For our Pick Six, I tried to identify the pieces most enjoyed and requested by students while including a breadth of styles.
Baba Yetu
Christopher Tin
Alfred 27827
SATB
From Christopher Tin’s major work “Calling All Dawns” and from the video game Civilization IV, this has been our most popular mass number closing our World Music concert. I’ve used it with the CD accompaniment and synced it with a video on YouTube which uses images from cultures around the world. The text is a Swahili adaptation of the Lord’s Prayer.
Banquet Fugue
John Rutter
Hinshaw Music HMC-759
SATB and piano
From Rutter’s larger work, “The Reluctant Dragon”, this has been a fun but challenging piece for my Freshman Choirs. While overall easy in terms of range (although it is a little low for the basses at times) it requires independence on the part of each section and is an excellent way to teach about fugue form. The piano accompaniment is very easy.
Domine, Ad Adjuvandum Me
Il Padre G. B. Martini
Concordia Publishing House 97-6304
SATB
A classic piece from the Category I contest list by one of Mozart’s teachers. It is like a mini-major work with solo sections (which can be done by soloists or as section features) and a Largo introduction. This piece is great for teaching classical style. It holds a special place for me as it was one of the pieces that sparked my interest in choral music when I sang it in high school. It works well with either piano or strings.
Jenga Imani Yako
Israel Kagaruki ed. Eugene Rogers
Hal Leonard 08750933
SATB
We had the pleasure of singing this with the composer and the Imuka Singers from Tanzania when they were on their 2011 United States tour. Lots of Swahili text but easy enough musically to do with younger choirs as well.
The Stars Above the Hill
David Dickau
Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP 953
SATB
I am a big fan of David Dickau’s music and I program something of his almost every year. His lyrical writing and lush harmonies feed my Romantic sensibilities. This work is one of our favorites and students frequently ask if they can sing it again and again. We have used it with our chamber choir but it would work just as nicely with a Concert Choir. (We were honored to provide the recording for the work on the Santa Barbara website.)
The World for Christmas
Anders Edenroth
Walton Music HL00118443
SATB
Our vocal jazz/chamber choirs sing music by The Real Group and Anders Edenroth regularly. This is a wonderful text about preserving the world for future generations that makes a nice addition to a holiday program. It is set with the very memorable melodies and the great jazz harmonies you can expect from Edenroth.