Dr. Aaron Humble, 4 Year College and University R&R Chair

In my years working in university choral programs, I’ve always approached programming concerts with a combination of excitement and trepidation.  Will I have the right voices this year?  Will the students connect to the music?  Will there be some unforeseen world event that will render some of my programming irrelevant or worse?  But I’ve also observed three different approaches from colleagues. . .

1. The lucky conductor who is able to audition a perfectly balanced choir the previous spring and finishes fall repertoire selection before June 1. 
2. The eager conductor who follows the same schedule without any knowledge of who they will have in choir…who may still end up starting with the Justice Choir Songbook or finding some e-print options the last week of August.
3. The realist who is refreshing their class list twice a day in early August trying to forecast balance and rolling the dice on repertoire, hoping to “fill it out” as the semester moves along.

In actuality, we can likely see past versions of ourselves in all three of these categories. But if there is one thing we all know, it is that things have changed since we returned to campus and while we are all (re)building, progress is not always linear.  So, if you’re looking to find one more piece to fill out a program, or if you’re finding yourself back at square one, here are a few things that might come in handy from choral colleagues in a variety of programs across the country. 

Stardust by B.E. Boykin with text by Brittny Ray Crowell

Graphite Publishing

SSA, TBB, SATB, Piano and Djembe

Accessible writing, good voice leading, poignant and meaningful text.

TāReKiTa by Reena Esmail

Oxford University Press

SSAA, TTBB, SATB, a cappella

Fun rhythm, but not overly complex; some repetition of patterns, up tempo,

Drum-sound syllables, no translation or text, Indian Classical melodic framework.

A Path to Each Other by Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy C. Takach with text by Julie Klatt Singer

Graphite Publishing

3-part canon, any voicing

This can be as simple or complex as you want to make it, a great thing to start with if you need a little time with your group to choose more repertoire.  Opportunity for simple audience participation as well. 

Champa Battambang by Sinn Sisamouth, Darita Seth (arranger)

Pavane Publishing

SATB (with divisi and soloist), a cappella

Beautiful melody by a popular Cambodian artist, arranged here for choir.  There is quite a bit of divisi, but the harmony is very accessible, sweet, and tonal.  The accessible voice leading and repetition makes this more accessible than first meets the eye. 

All of Me by Kyle Pederson

Galaxy Publishing

SATB with optional solos, piano and violin

Excepted from a longer work, this personal and reflective text in combination with singable and tuneful lines makes it an audience and singer favorite.  Some rhythms look trickier on the page then they actually are, but overall the piece is quite accessible. 

                  If you are considering something bigger, this might be a great year to consider Jocelyn Hagen’s multimedia symphony Here I Am for SATB choir, treble choir, soprano soloist, chamber orchestra, and illuminated portraits.  Written for the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th amendment (suffrage), this powerful work also includes spoken quotes from women who have left an indelible mark on our global society.  The piece is full of tuneful melodies, innovative orchestration, and the choral parts are quite accessible. 

                  No matter what you’re looking for this year, if I can ever be a resource to you or your program, please do not hesitate to reach out.  I’m proud to be serving Western ACDA in this role and I promise to provide support for all programs we represent, big and small.  Have a great year making wonderful music!

Aaron Humble, D. Mus

4 Year College and University R&R Chair

Western ACDA