The National Repertoire & Resources Team has put together their favorite resources to help you jump start your school year and professional learning!
Creating Artistry Through Movement and the Maturing Male Voice by Henry Leck & Randy Stenson; view
This is such a great resource for warm-ups, tone building, technique development, and threading kinesthetic activity into the choral rehearsal. Highly recommended for middle-level and high school directors who lead tenor-bass singers.
Recommended by: Nathan Dame, National TTBB Choirs Chair
World Music Pedagogy, Volume V: Choral Music Education by Sarah Bartolome; view
I highly recommend World Music Pedagogy, Volume V: Choral Music Education by Sarah Bartolome as a resource for choral conductors and elementary, middle, and high school educators interested in expanding their understanding and practice of world musics and cultures. What I appreciate most is how the book balances thoughtful pedagogy with practical tools for rehearsal and performance. It encourages culturally aware teaching without overwhelming the reader and offers meaningful ways to connect singers with global traditions. In addition, the book includes an extensive list of resources that can further enhance the study depth for every choir director. The listening, movement, and contextual elements are especially helpful for creating authentic experiences. This is a book I return to often, and one I think every choral director should have.
Recommend by: Madlen Batchvarova, National World Musics & Cultures Chair
Teaching with Respect: Inclusive Pedagogy for Choral Directors by Stephen Seick, 2nd edition; view
Stephen Sieck’s text is required reading for our choral methods students at BW! He examines the intersection of choral music with many different identity points including race, gender, religion, and ability. By establishing his own positionality, and being vulnerable enough to admit mistakes, he gently guides teacher/conductors through many potential pitfalls in our programming and process in an effort to create expansive and welcoming spaces for all singers.
Recommend by: Jami Lercher, National Co-Chair Student Activities
IPA Alphabet by Cristian Grases, 2nd edition; view
As I perform score prep, there are times I need a quick reference guide to pronunciation of common languages. IPA Alphabet by Christian Grases allows me to find the IPA for Spanish, Italian, Latin, French, and German organized in an easy to use and pocket-sized format. It also includes a pronunciation guide of common IPA symbols. Although this publication does not replace more comprehensive guides to diction, this inexpensive resource is a must-have for any choral conductor looking for a compact guide to the IPA Alphabet in commonly sung languages.
Recommended by: Dean Luethi, National 4-year Colleges & Universities Chair
We Will Sing by Doreen Rao; view
We Will Sing! is authored by internationally acclaimed choral music educator Doreen Rao. You will find an insightful approach to singing that aims to foster a lifelong love of music and a solid foundation in musical understanding and singing skills.
This resource features 18 unison and 2-part treble arrangements in various styles, including folk, classical, and jazz. It covers the essentials of producing a good singing tone, basic music theory, reading, ear training, vocal exercises, rehearsal guides, evaluation questions, and assessment materials.
Convenient pupil songbooks are available in economy packs, and CDs provide demonstrations/keyboard accompaniments for all the songs.
Recommended by: Donna Thomasson Smith, National Youth Choirs Coordinator
The Business of Choir by Emily Williams Burch and Alex Gartner; view
The Business of Choir is a valuable resource for children’s and youth choral conductors because it focuses on everything outside the rehearsal room, including communication, fundraising, marketing, and volunteer coordination. While conductors are often strong teachers, this book provides clear and practical guidance for managing the organizational side of choir leadership. Written in a conversational and approachable style, it helps conductors strengthen their programs, reduce stress, and find renewed joy in their work by building a solid foundation behind the scenes.
Recommended by: Troy Meeker, National Children and Community Youth Choirs Chair
Consonare Choral Community Website; view
For those seeking diverse and accessible choral repertoire—particularly for treble ensembles and pieces by female composers—a valuable resource is available through the Consonare Choral Community. Sarah Kaufold, Artistic Director of Consonare, has thoughtfully compiled a collection of materials aimed at facilitating the discovery and programming of inclusive repertoire. This resource includes a concise article authored by Sarah, links to external platforms dedicated to diverse choral literature, and detailed repertoire lists from Consonare’s ensembles: Choir Matrix, a community-based SSAA choir, and Voices of Concinnity, a professional SATB chamber ensemble specializing in primarily a cappella works.
Recommended by: Carolina Flores, National 2-year Colleges Chair
St. James Music Press; view
For those in Music in Worship, this is a yearly subscription service that aids in planning and music selection for the entire liturgical year. A subscription to St. James Music Press also allows you to freely copy and distribute music found on their site. Preview tracks, difficulty meter, and alternative voicings are also frequently available.
Chorus Connection; view
This blog has a one stop shop for many of the Community Choir websites, music dealers, and quick tips right in one place. Instead of combing for hours, stop by here an see their compiled list of resources.
Recommended by: Jack Cleghorn, National LIfelong Choirs Coordinator
Contemporary A Cappella Arranger Database; view
It can be difficult to find independently published pop a cappella arrangements for your group! This database is continually updated, and includes links to the websites and work of a number of self-published contemporary a cappella arrangers.
Recommended by: Rob Dietz, National Contemporary A Cappella Chair
Elektra Choir’s Repertoire Database; view
Elektra treble choir has all of their repertoire performed since 1987 listed online. You can search/organize by multiple categories, and many listings include publisher and composer links, text, English translation, and conductor’s notes. A wealth of repertoire ideas for treble choirs – it is one of the first things I consult when looking for new music!
Recommended by: Erin Plisco, National Soprano-Alto Choirs Chair
