As we start off another academic year in 2024, here are a few pieces of repertoire for Tenors and Basses that I highly recommend for any choral program.

“Danza, Danza, Fanciulla Gentile” by Linda Spevacek

• • This particular piece is great for any beginning Tenor/Bass choir. It is a fantastic arrangement that helps introduce your choir to this well-known art song. It is upbeat and fun so students enjoy learning the piece and the Italian is quite accessible.

“Regina Coeli” by Dan Davison

• • Another great piece for beginner Tenor/Bass choirs as it is written for two parts and has accessible ranges. This piece is written in Latin and works great for a festival opener where the students can demonstrate a wide variety of articulations.

“What Shall We Sing for the Child?” by Howard Helvey

• • For a slightly more advanced Tenor/Bass ensemble, this piece works wonderful if you need a more sacred piece for a winter/holiday/christmas concert. Helvey wrote a wonderful 4-hand piano accompaniment that is smooth and compliments the voices well.

“Dans Les Chantiers” by Mark Sirett

• • If you are wanting a slightly more challenging piece for your beginner Tenor/Bass choir that still allows them to be very successful for festival season, this is the piece for you! The French is a great way to incorporate some variety into your program as well as help your students learn a new approach to phrasing as they work with the language and fairly simple rhythms.

“Mis on inimene?” by Pärt Uusberg

• • This piece provides a great opportunity to expose students to a very different language and approach to choral music as it is written in Estonian. More advanced Tenor/Bass choirs can flourish as they learn the beautiful harmonies, long phrases, and mixed meter. A gorgeous piece for any choir that wants a little bit of a challenge but still something that is very doable. There is also a great pronunciation guide on the GIA music website to help in learning/teaching the Estonian.

“O Love” by Elaine Hagenberg

1. • I’m sure you probably have heard of Elaine Hagenberg and her many wonderful pieces, but if you haven’t yet programmed her arrangement of “O Love” for Tenors and Basses, you should do so soon. It is written for 4-part TTBB, but Hagenberg writes in a way that most Tenor/Bass choirs could be successful. It is a gorgeous piece and provides a chance to incorporate a cello accompaniment along with the piano.

“Noel” by Brad Holmes

• • If you are looking for a piece that is quite different from the traditional winter/holiday pieces, be sure to add this piece to your repertoire list for your Tenors and Basses. It is written for 4-part TTBB, but the piece is fairly repetitive and easy to put together once your students have learned the individual pieces. It is a fun, upbeat piece that will add a lot to your concert, and the students will be sure to enjoy it! 

“Rozszumialy sie Wierzby Placzace” by Derek J. Myler

1. • If you are wanting to take on a unique challenge for your Tenors and Basses, then this piece will provide just that. The piece is in Polish and has some tricky clapping and stomping, but the vocal lines themselves are fairly easy to pick up for most students. If you break down this piece into a well-organized scaffold, your students will be successful and will enjoy this unique and exciting piece.

“Tell My Father” by Andrea Ramsey

1. • For a pop-style or musical theater-style concert, you definitely should take a look at this piece arranged from the musical “The Civil War: An American  Musical.” It is not as rambunctious and loud but your Tenors and Basses will fall in love with the beautiful melody and harmonies as the piece provides a stark reality of war.

“Fields of Gold” by Ethan Sperry

• • Another great piece for a pop-style concert for your more advanced Tenor/Bass choir is this one arranged from the classic song by Sting. It is a cappella and provides a great chance for students to learn how to tune some tricky chords while also enjoying a fun, lyrical melody. This piece also provides a great opportunity to feature a soloist or two if desired.