Open Discussion Forum

Professional Choral Institute 2012
An Initiative of Seraphic Fire and the University of South Florida

July 9 - 23

Featuring Programs for Singers and Conductors

Find out more information and Apply at: www.ProfessionalChoralInstitute.org

The Professional Choral Institute is unlike any other program in the nation. A collaboration between the worlds of art and academia, the focus of PCI is to usher singers from talented amateurs to professional musicians. New to PCI 2012 is an exciting program that will afford aspiring conductors the opportunity to rehearse and conduct both Seraphic Fire and the PCI Choir.

Check out the story behind PCI and Seraphic Fire’s GRAMMY-nominated CD:
http://news.usf.edu/article/templates/?z=38&a=3994

May 22 - June 6

www.ProfessionalChoralInstitute.org

The Professional Choral Institute is unlike any other program in the nation. A collaboration between the worlds of art and academia, the focus of PCI is to usher singers from talented amateurs to professional musicians.

The University of South Florida and South Florida’s own Seraphic Fire are thrilled to team up for the first annual Professional Choral Institute. PCI is a two week long program that will focus on teaching 40 undergraduate, graduate, and pre-professional singers the skills needed to move into the growing field of professional choral singing. There is no age limit for participation. Areas of vocational training will include:

-vocal technique
-rehearsal comportment
-audition skills
-résumé evaluation

Hi, everyone! I don't know if anyone reads these as the forums were hard to find here.
I am a hobbyist choral composer. I have not pursued publishers as of yet. Is there a place for composers like myself to post works for comment or for feedback? I am a mom of 2 small boys and don't have the $$ for further schooling (BA in Music 2000).

Any thoughts? Anyone else like me out there reading this?

Joy

I am writing an analytical paper for my master's degree in choral conducting on quality SAB literature. Does anyone know of articles or books that discuss this topic? I am specifically interested in information on how quality literature can help a choral program grow and the history of SAB music in general.

Thanks!

Larry Martin
Deming, NM

I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a nice a cappella arrangement of the National Anthem for SATB (divisi OK, too).

Thanks.

I'd like to know if there is any educational opportunities in Los Angeles area for choral musicians in jazz. Your comment is greatly appreciated.

HW

John Rutter has produced a new 4-part video on YouTube where he discusses the composition of his beloved "Requiem". A very personal and insightful look at the man and his work - highly recommended.

The four parts are as follows:

Part 1: John Rutter on the 'Requiem'.1: Impulse and influence - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaHO72_mJzI&feature=related
Part 2: John Rutter on the 'Requiem'.2: Liturgical settings - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxsl23yqdso&NR=1
Part 3: John Rutter on the 'Requiem'.3: Form and structure - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoJ-ZeHa2w4&feature=related
Part 4: John Rutter on the 'Requiem'.4: Conception and performance - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajwh7p7Xr50&feature=related

Can anyone suggest a book or resource which discusses teaching chorus in an urban setting? I am a second year chorus teacher in a moderately urban district and I am finding myself running into a lot of walls trying to engage my disinterested students in singing. It certainly doesn't help they had no choice but to sign up for my class; chorus at my school is not an elective, so it's either this or band....

Anything would be helpful! Thanks!

I notice that "Forums" no longer seems to appear in the primary navigation links on this site (due to the new situation with ChoralNet?), but once logged in, there's still a "Create content" link that allows us to start a new "Forum topic."

Please let us know if these forums are still supposed to be accessible to/used by members.

Thanks,
David T.

For those of you in this special region of CA, please check out our Facebook page! Let's get talking!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31009962&id=1090149357#!/group.php?v=wall&ref=mf&gid=349862308507

Our high school has 43 copies of Howard Hanson's "Song of Democracy". We ask that you just reimburse for shipping costs. It was probably last performed in the '60's for a high school/district-wide event. Please email robert.duris@tps.org.

Hello,

I have 27 copies of "One Little Child" by Robert Thygerson(c. 1979) and 18 copies of "Christmas Music for Voices, A Symphonic Scenario" adapted & arranged by John Cacavas(c. 1970) that will no longer be kept in our HS Choral Music Library. They are free; just reimburse me for shipping. Please email me at robert.duris@tps.org if you are interested. Thanks.

I am looking for suggestions on how to teach a choral section to trill effectively. The piece we are working on is an 18th century madrigal in which trilling is used to depict birdsong, so the trills are long -- sometimes four or more beats. Any ideas would be gratefully accepted.

Still 100 days left: The application period for the International a cappella Contest Leipzig 2010 has begun 

The 22^nd Zimriya

World Assembly of Choirs in Israel

16-24 August 2010 

The 22^nd Zimriya will take place on the beautiful campus of the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus, overlooking Jerusalem. 

Six more works presented in Amadeus Contest of Choral Composition will be published soon by InDICCEx (Chant and Choral direction Institute from Extremadura).

After publishing 5 awarded Works in the III edition of the contest, 6 more works considered of interest by the jury will be published as part of a book called “Vocal contemporary music in Extremadura”, carried out by InDICCEx.

Interreligious Meeting of Participating Choirs – Double Victory for “Maulbronner Kammerchor”  

Tulsa, Okla., Oct. 30, 2009 – Sweet Adelines International crowned Zing!
quartet as the new Queens of Harmony on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009, in
Nashville, Tenn. The judges and audience were wowed by Zing! as they

Coro Amadeus from Puebla de la Calzada (Badajoz-Spain) announces its IV Choral Composition Contest with the aim/purpose of promoting new compositions and composers and with a special emphasis on music from Extremadura.

Distinguished Concerts International New York is proud to announce the New York premiere of the concert version of American composer and choral idol Eric Whitacre's award-winning musical, Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings, at Carnegie Hall on June 15, 2010. The concert version of Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings combines trance, ambient and techno electronic with choral, cinematic, and operatic traditions. Grammy Award-winning soprano Hila Plitmann will sing the lead role of the angel Extasis, and Whitacre himself will be conducting, complete with taiko drummers, electronic playback, and a supporting onstage choir. DCINY is looking for choral ensembles and individual singers of exceptional quality to comprise the choir.

I've tried in vain to find sheet music for this wonderful piece (featured on Polish disc Totus tuum).
Any ideas?

I am looking for ideas for new names for my choirs. We have a mixed jr high choir, and mixed hs choir, a mixed show choir, a chamber group (actually just a select group of 12 that get to sing special music on the concert - more advanced students), a girls show choir, and a madrigal group. This is a private Christian School - mascot is the Eagles, if that helps. School colors are Red White and Blue, and the girls group wears red sequin dresses, and the mixed sc group wears blue with some sequins.

Any name suggestions would be appreciated. I am kind of in a hurry for this, so if you could post quickly, that would be AWESOME!

Geneva Whitmire

Colleagues: I am looking for an orchestra reduction score of the orchestra part for the first 15 minutes of the Fantasy. I am referring to the portion before the singer enters. This would be used as a preparation tool for the solo pianist as he prepares for combining with the actual orchestra. Is there any other way to accompany the piano soloist besides playing from the full orchestra score?

Thank you.

our legal counsel is questioning whether we can say in the constituion of our male and female choirs that membership is open to male students or female students specifically. They are pushing for changing our audition criteria to something based on vocal range and quality as opposed to gender. Does anybody have any counsel for me?

David Kipp
Director of Choral Activities
Texas A&M University

Are you a former ACDA member? Do you know someone who was an ACDA member but did not renew their membership?
We at ACDA strive to give our members all of the benefits of the premiere professional choral association, and with new members-only features on our www.acda.org website such as conference recordings, Choral Journal indexes and back issues, and other new web resources such as ChorTeach that are being added daily for our members, now is the time to renew your ACDA membership.

Please renew online at www.acda.org, fill out the membership form or call me at 405-232-8161.

We look forward to having you back!

DCINY Welcomes New Addition to its Advisory Board
Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt, Associate Director of Music at Ohio State University, Accepts Invitation

NEW YORK, N.Y. – September 4, 2009 – Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY), a New York City based classical music production company, has announced its newest addition to its Advisory Board – Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt, Associate Director of the School of Music, Professor of Choral Studies, and the Director of Choral Activities at Ohio State University. DCINY is pleased to make the announcement amidst continued growth and dynamism, with its third concert season set to launch in January 2010.

Betty Buckley Creates Holiday “Memories” with SMC:11/28 & 11/29
 

UMBRIAN SERENADES is a life-transforming choral program that brings together passionate singers from all over the U.S. who seek opportunities to perform exquisite a cappella repertoire within a small vocal chamber ensemble. These choral enthusiasts come together to enhance their vocal, musicianship, and ensemble skills, as well as savor all that small medieval hilltop towns in the heart of Italy can offer culturally, be it wine, olive oil, cooking, and the like. This select chamber ensemble performs sacred a cappella vocal works, spanning from Renaissance to Gospel,
Spiritual and contemporary repertoire in unique spaces throughout the lush and breathtaking hills of Umbria.

WORD ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE RESOURCE, YOUTH MUSIC VAULT 

The Philippine Madrigal Singers: The Los Angeles Concert
November 7, 2009 at 7:30 pm
The White Memorial Church
1720 Cesar Chavez Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90033

Tickets: general admission at $25, students at $20
For info: (323) 259-8358 or madzconcertlosangeles@gmail.com

Does anybody know where I can find recordings of the following?

"Galop" Ken Berg
"We Will" Jim Papoulis

I used to get concert shoes for the women in my choirs from Wal-mart or Payless for around $10. They no longer carry them and I can't find similar shoes for anywhere near the same price. I'm looking for a black, closed-toe, flat or low-heel shoe and I'm wondering if anyone has a good resource.

$1.7 Million Gift From Voice Teacher Helen Hodam To Fund New Scholarship at the Oberlin Conservatory Of Music

Hodam’s Life and Long Teaching Career Will Be Celebrated in a Recital by Former 
Student Denyce Graves on Sunday, October 11, at 4 p.m. in Oberlin’s Finney Chapel