Winter 2022 Choir Program: Repertoire Roundup
Less than one week until our winter choir program! This year is especially exciting because we are teaming up with an area brass band. Who doesn’t love a little brass and singing to get them into the holiday spirit? Below, I share the treble choir, bass choir, and all-choir pieces I will be conducting on this all-choir concert. Check out our program and notes below!
- Treble Choir Winter Selections
- Bass Choir Winter Selections
- All Choir and Brass Winter Selection
- Choir Teacher Resources
Treble Winter Choir Program Selections
Winter Sun
With gorgeous six-part harmonies and poignant text by Canadian poet Malca Litovitz, Don MacDonald’s Winter Sun eases us into the winter season. The excellent voice leading and gorgeous word painting emulate the bright, blinding, wild sun on a cold winter’s day. Click the link below to learn more about the composer and poet behind the piece, consider the celebrations of light that influence our feelings about winter, and examine the word painting utilized by the composer in Winter Sun.
We Toast the Days
Winter seems to be a natural time for reflection and celebration. In the cold winter months, we can’t help but look back on the good and bad of the year before us, and anticipate the year to come. We Toast the Days by Linda Kachelmeier illuminates the mixed feelings we often have at the turn of the New Year. With a folksy, Irish lilt-y feel, relatable lyrics, and catchy melody, this piece appeals to a wide range of choir singers and audience members.
Bass Winter Choir Program Selections
Quest of the Kings
Utilizing the traditional melody and text of We Three Kings, but putting a new spin on the piece through varied phrasing, expression, and voicing, Jacob Narverud created a beautiful and engaging processional. With its driving 6/8 feel, bass drum accompaniment, and gorgeous harmonies, this piece will provide a much-needed contrast to the bright and brassy music within the program.
Feliz Navidad
Tom Gentry’s barbershop arrangement of Feliz Navidad manages to stays true to the message and aesthetic of the original pop tune, while utilizing different aspects of the tenor/bass voice. Click the link below to learn more about the story behind Feliz Navidad, the history of Barbershop style, and the context of New Years Celebrations around the world.
Choir and Brass Winter Choir Program Selection
Christmas Lullaby
Christmas Lullaby by John Rutter is a beautiful carol that is deeply rooted in British choral tradition. Check out the post linked below to learn a bit about the iconic British composer, examine the good and bad elements of British choral tradition, dive into the origins of lullabies, and look at the way mothers around the world have used lullabies for thousands of years.
Two More Brass Band & Choir Selections
We will have two more brass band and choir selections on the concert: A Festive Christmas and Adeste Fideles, both arranged by Howard Lorriman. What other brass band and large choir pieces do you love to program? Let me know in the comments below!
I’d Love to Hear from You!
What do you think of the winter concert program selections? Which other winter pieces must we consider for a Sounds of the Seasons concert? What would you like to see next on Inspired Choir? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!
Winter Concert Teacher Resources
Planning Your Next Choir Concert?
Join the Five-Day Concert Planning Challenge with Inspired Choir!
Free Comprehension Worksheets
Choir Leaders! I have begun to include short comprehension worksheets with each Inspired Choir blog post. Each worksheet includes 5-6 knowledge-based questions about the post and concludes with a musical decisions/applications question. Use as a homework assignment, sub activity, listening challenge, or guide for conversation in class. Available for all Winter Concert posts now!
Lesson Plan Bundles
Are you a choir teacher who has programmed any of the pieces above? Let me share my teaching resources with you! Check out the Inspired Choir Shop for lesson plan bundles with five short and transferable lessons each, all with connections to National Standards and SEL Competencies.
