FA ’17: MUED 376: Choral Music, Methods and Materials

Dr. van der Vat-Chromy

A-24. Concert Programming Assignment

MUED 376: Choral Music, Methods and Materials

Concert Programming Assignment

Conductor Name: Kathryn Bailey

Date: 10/15/18

Concert Theme/Title: Stars I Shall Find

To be performed by:
- The Tiny Trebles
- Women’s Select Choir
- Voicemale
- Concert Choir

Concert Rationale:
Every student goes through a journey in their life, and run across many obstacles and
milestones that define who they are. Each piece in this concert is a story of friendship,
unity, scenery, battles, and settling down into where you were meant to be.

PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
(List pieces, composers, accompanists, soloists and instrumentalists as needed)

TITLE Composer/dates

1. One Minute Madrigal (The Tiny Trebles) Donald Moore (b. 1946)

2. Just One Candle (The Tiny Trebles) Teresa Jennings (b. 1956)

3. Shenandoah (Women’s Select Choir) arr. Althouse (b. 1951)

4. Threaded with Stars (Women’s Select Choir) Susan LaBarr (b. 1981)

5. Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (Women’s Select Choir) J. David Moore (b. 1962)

6. Exultate Justi (VoiceMale) Lodovico Viadana (1560-1627)

7. Ain’t Got Time to Die (VoiceMale) Philip Duey (1902-1982)

8. Loch Lomond (VoiceMale) arr. Quick (b. 1970)

9. Beati quorum via (Concert Choir) Charles Stanford (1852-1924)

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10. There Will Be Rest (Concert Choir) Frank Tichelli (b.1958)

11. The Road Home (Concert Choir) Stephen Paulus (b. 1949-2014)

12. The Battle of Jericho (Combined) Moses Hogan (1957-2003)

PIECE #1
Title One Minute Madrigal
Composer Donald Moore
Arranger N/A
Voicing SSA
Length About 1 minute
Time period/genre/style Contemporary, Renaissance Madrigal style
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A Cappella
Difficulty level & age level Any age, Medium Easy
Key(s) G
Meter(s) Cut time
Publisher and Publisher # Alfred Music Publishing 10008427
Cost per octavo $2.25
Miscellaneous

This short and clever one-minute song captures the character and charm of a true
Renaissance Madrigal. The 2 short verses and three short refrains take on many
surprises, and speak of friendship, making this very humorous. Listen closely to the
lyrics!

PIECE #2
Title Just One Candle
Composer Teresa Jennings
Arranger N/A
Voicing 3-part
Length 4 min
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) CD accompaniment
Difficulty level & age level 4-6 Grade, Easy
Key(s) C
Meter(s) 4/4
Publisher and Publisher # Music K-8
Cost per octavo 14.59 for the kit (not available in octavos)
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Miscellaneous

Annotated discussion, program notes, and/or important information for consideration:

This simple anthem promoting unity is one of the greatest pieces written for young choral singers. The
image of passing one candle to make the world brighter is a wonderful message for students to send to each
other. Listen for the beautiful addition of voices to each phrase.
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PIECE #3
Title Shenandoah
Composer Traditional
Arranger Jay Althouse
Voicing SSA
Length 3:30
Time period/genre/style American Folk Song
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) w/ Piano
Difficulty level & age level HS, Medium Easy
Key(s) C
Meter(s) 4/4
Publisher and Publisher # Alfred Music Publishing #3015617
Cost per octavo $2.25
Miscellaneous
Annotated discussion, program notes, and/or important information for consideration:
This beautiful arrangement of the traditional American folk song features the beauty of
the female voice with its use of vowels and textured voice layering. The harmonies in this
piece are often dense and beautiful while still delivering the stunning message of the
valley.

PIECE #4
Title Threaded with Stars
Composer Susan LaBarr
Arranger N/A
Voicing SSAA
Length 4 min
Time period/genre/style Contemporary
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A cappella
Difficulty level & age level Medium, High School
Key(s) A major
Meter(s) 4/4
Publisher and Publisher # Santa Barbara Music Publishing
Cost per octavo $2.05
Miscellaneous

Sara Teasdale’s poem “Dew” set by Susan La Barr is a lovely text about reaching the stars. The
piece gradually builds from unison to four part harmonies to the climax of the piece before the
soft and tender closing of the piece.
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PIECE #5
Title Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
Composer Traditional Appalachian
Arranger J. David Moore
Voicing SSAA
Length 3 minutes
Time period/genre/style Traditional Appalachian
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A Cappella
Difficulty level & age level Medium
Key(s) E Major
Meter(s) 4/4
Publisher and Publisher # Fresh Ayre Music 10341993
Cost per octavo
Miscellaneous
This upbeat and unifying piece combines the styles of bluegrass trios and gospel quartets. While there have
been many versions of this classic text, J. David Moore chooses updated verses that speak to young choir
singers with the line “I was singing with my friends,” as one of the highlighted musical moments.

PIECE #7
Title Ain’t Got Time to Die
Composer Traditional Spiritual
Arranger Stacey V. Gibbs
Voicing TTBB
Length 3 min
Time period/genre/style Traditional Spiritual
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A cappella
Difficulty level & age level Medium
Key(s) F
Meter(s) 2/2
Publisher and Publisher # National Music Publishers #10511509
Cost per octavo $2.45
Miscellaneous

This piece was premiered at the ACDA National Conference in 2015, and brought the
house down under the director Jefferson Johnson. The choir has enjoyed learning the
traditional spiritual style of Stacey V. Gibbs’ arrangement of this timeless piece.
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PIECE #8
Title Loch Lomond
Composer Traditional Scottish
Arranger Jonathan Quick
Voicing TTBB
Length 5 min
Time period/genre/style Traditional Scottish
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A Cappella
Difficulty level & age level HS Medium
Key(s) Gb
Meter(s) Common time (with some mixed meter)
Publisher and Publisher # Cypress Choral Music
Cost per octavo $2.35
Miscellaneous
The dense harmonies in Quick’s arrangement of Loch Lomond make this piece a joy for young men to sing
with each other. It has become a popular choice with festival choirs since its publication in 2000.

PIECE #9
Title Beati quorum via
Composer Charles Stanford
Arranger N/A
Voicing SSATBB
Length 4 min
Time period/genre/style Romantic, lyrical
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A cappella
Difficulty level & age level HS Medium
Key(s) G
Meter(s) 3/4
Publisher and Publisher # Roger Dean Music Co. 10737141
Cost per octavo $1.50
Miscellaneous

Beati quorum via is in six parts, with divided sopranos and basses, and is meditative in
character. Effective use is made of contrasting the three upper and three lower voices, and
the piece is rightly regarded as one of Stanford’s most exquisite unaccompanied
compositions. The text is from Psalm 119, verse 1:
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
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PIECE #10
Title There Will Be Rest
Composer Frank Tichelli
Arranger N/A
Voicing SSAATTBB
Length 4:30
Time period/genre/style Contemporary
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A cappella
Difficulty level & age level HS Advanced
Key(s) Eb
Meter(s) 4/4
Publisher and Publisher # Hinshaw Music, Inc. #8020232
Cost per octavo $2.65
Miscellaneous
Another poem by Sara Teasdale, Ticheli sets There Will Be Rest to capture the purity of spirit and delicate
lyricism that Teasdale has crafted. The lyrics are known for their ending, Stars I shall find, which is the
theme of this concert, as every person has the capability to find and make their own stars in their life.

PIECE #11
Title The Road Home
Composer Stephen Paulus
Arranger N/A
Voicing SATB
Length 3 min
Time period/genre/style Contemporary
Sacred/secular Secular
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A Cappella
Difficulty level & age level HS Medium Easy
Key(s) G
Meter(s) 3/4
Publisher and Publisher # Paulus Publications #8069226
Cost per octavo $1.99
Miscellaneous

There is an idea that we will all come home one day. Some take this with a religious
connotation, but others take it as though we all find our homes in our life with family and
friends. This message from Stephen Paulus is one that is kept in the heart of Choral
singers everywhere.
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PIECE #12
Title The Battle of Jericho
Composer Traditional Spiritual
Arranger Moses Hogan
Voicing SSAATTBB
Length 2:30
Time period/genre/style Traditional Spiritual
Sacred/secular Sacred
Forces (a cappella, instruments?) A cappella
Difficulty level & age level Medium Advanced
Key(s) Ab
Meter(s) 4/4
Publisher and Publisher # Hal Leonard Corp. #3017027
Cost per octavo $2.10
Miscellaneous

This show stopping closer shows off the superb musical skills of the choir. Moses Hogan writes incredible
renditions of Traditional Spirituals that are fun and challenging for choirs all over. The message of spiritual
journeys are present throughout the whole text, and the soaring soprano solo at the end could be heard as a
cry of joy for the Promised Land.