Clayton Parr has been working with men’s choirs for many, many years. When I invited him to share some of his favorites, I knew it would be a varied list. Here is his list of five favorites. Susan.
Hunker Down (Canadian Folksong)
Tobin Stokes
TTBB a cappella, solo
Cypress Publishing CP 1181
Lots of fun to sing, about bad weather — we’ve got lots of that in Michigan!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmxS0VM_Tjk
Chela
Georgian folk song, arr. Clayton Parr
TTB with guitar or chonguri (Georgian lute)
earthsongs S-411
This is the latest in my series with earthsongs. Lyric, heartbreaking.
http://earthsongschoralmusic.com/media/mp3s/chelsws.mp3
I’m Buildin’ Me a Home
arr. Uzee Brown, Jr.
TTBB a cappella, solo
Alfred Music (Lawson-Gould series) LG52366
Terrific spiritual.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTMISj7gS5A&index=18&list=PL5FD8A2B0CD4E714A
Bogoroditse devo
Nikolai Kedroff Jr.
TTBB a cappella
Musica Russica Ke002mc
Gem of Russian repertoire that can be done without really low basses.
http://www.musicarussica.com/sheet_music_pieces/ke002mc
Ständchen, Op. 135, D920a
Franz Schubert
TTBB choir, piano, and mezzo solo
Several editions available
One of the most beautiful pieces in the large body of male chorus work left by Schubert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-NV23qAM9A
Clayton Parr is is Director of Choral Activities at Albion College, Albion, Michigan. A native of Detroit, Dr. Parr graduated from Albion with degrees in music and physics. He taught music and mathematics in the public schools in Michigan and New York and received his Master’s and DMA from Michigan State University. Before coming to Albion, he taught for over 20 years, leading choral ensembles at DePaul University and Miami University in Ohio.
His choirs have performed at conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, Illinois Music Education Association, Ohio Music Educators Association, Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses and College Music Society. His choirs have completed several international tours and have won prizes at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales on two occasions.
His activity as guest conductor, lecturer, adjudicator and performer has taken him to 23 states and 18 foreign countries, including the Republic of Georgia, where he was a Fulbright scholar for the 2005-2006 academic year at the Sarajishvili State Conservatoire. His guest conducting appearances include the Ohio All-State Choir, and he has been chosen to conduct the Men’s Honor Choir for the Michigan School Vocal Music Association in 2016. He is music director of MEME (Michigan Educators Male Ensemble), a men’s singing group made up of teachers from around the state.
As a performer, Parr has sung with the Cincinnati Opera, Music of the Baroque, the Grant Park Music Festival, Oregon Bach Festival, and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. His articles have been published in the Choral Journal, Music Educators Journal, and International Choral Bulletin, and he is editor for the series “Music of the Republic of Georgia” for earthsongs publishing. His solo appearances have included Carmina Burana with the National Music Center Symphony Orchestra in Tbilisi, Georgia. He has served in various leadership positions with the American Choral Directors Association, and is currently Executive Secretary of Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses. He is music director of Ensemble Alioni, a Chicago-based group dedicated to the performance of Georgian folk song.
