“Elements” and “Ascend”: Middle School Festival Programs Rep Round-Up

Nanuma

An arrangement of a traditional greeting song from Ghana, Nunuma is a sweet entrance piece for any program. The octavo does not include a translation or language designation for the text. I did some digging and combined interpretations from a variety of resources and in turn shared the following message with the singers: “As we travel through life, have we done enough good?” We discussed the good we can do within our natural environments.

Additionally, I shared maps and pictures of Ghana with the ensemble to establish an understanding of the country and the people who live there. As I discussed in my post about the South African piece Modimo, we often present only one story of the whole continent of Africa, and I endeavored to share multiple stories with these students.

Natsu No Yo Wa

With a sweet, pentatonic melody, accessible harmonies, and Japanese folk roots, Ruth Morris Gray’s Natsu No Yo Wa is an excellent choice for beginner choirs of all ages. Because the Young Voices singers learned the melodies, harmonies, and text so quickly, we were able to spend a nice amount of rehearsal focusing on musicianship and story-telling. With the knowledge of the history and context of the piece, these young singers painted a beautiful aural image of the moon setting behind the mountains of Kyōto. Learn more about the story and poetry and current Japanese music in this post.

When I Grow Up

Ask a kid what they want to be when they grow up, and they’ll likely have a list of professions ready to go for you. Not only did the Young Voices singers enjoy the variety of styles and textures throughout the piece, they loved talking about their visions of growing up, sharing their interpretations of the text, and learning about the composer, Connor Koppin, and lyricist, Coty Raven Morris. Due to the stellar message of the piece and skillful text-setting, the singers had much to talk about as they interpreted When I Grow Up. Read more about it here.

Turn the World Around

Harry Belafonte and Robert Freedman’s Turn the World Around as arranged by Mark Hayes connected perfectly to When I Grow Up through the discussion of the elements: fire, water, earth, and air (spirit in this piece). Not only does this piece present an engaging melody and beat, but also it encourages discussion of getting to know and appreciate one another within our natural world. This is a perfect piece to dig into social emotional learning – especially the concepts of social awareness and relationship building.

Walk Through Life

This piece by Pinkzebra is an excellent set closer with upbeat pop rhythms, soaring vocals, and uplifting lyrics. A favorite of many of the singers, Walk Through Life encourages singers and listeners to shine bright, think of every day as a new day, and keep moving forward because life just keeps getting better.

Viva!

Viva! provides a window into music of the Classical period, with Italian language, Austrian connections, and celebratory energy throughout. This piece appeals to the singer or audience member who enjoys a traditional piece, while also introducing foundations of choral music to those who typically prefer contemporary choral music. To learn more about Mozart, the historical context of the piece, and the technicalities of singing in Italian, visit this post on Viva!

Justice Choir Handbook Selections

Coedited by co-edited by Abbie Betinis, Ahmed Anzaldúa, and Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, the Justice Choir Handbook contains 34 songs promoting social and environmental justice through community singing. The tenor/bass honors choir will be performing “To Testify” and “Lift Up Your Voice” from the handbook. These two pieces will open up the door to discussion about speaking up for ourselves and others with joy and courage. The Handbook can be downloaded for free at this link.

Fly Away Home

With sweet melodies, charming text, and approachable harmonies, Fly Away Home by Pinkzebra is available and accessible for choirs of all voicing types. As singers consider the meaning of home and the feelings they associate with concept, choirs have the opportunity to share and connect – and perhaps find the freedom of home with each other. Check out this post about Fly Away Home to learn more about the composer and their work, the lyrics of the piece, and the use of pop tonalities in choir.

TaReKiTa

Los Angeles based Reena Esmail composes in a style that is a wonderful fusion of Western and Indian classical musics. As a first-generation Indian American, Esmail found her musical style by searching for “places between my cultural identities that felt resonant to me.” Click here to read more about the composer, examine the way she utilized Indian classical frameworks (including an ever-present ascending raga) throughout TāReKiTa, and explore musical contexts that can help any singer or listener of the piece understand and appreciate it that much more.