by Megan Higle, Boychoir and Children’s Choirs R&R Chair
Greetings to you from the R&R Chair for Boychoirs and Children’s Choirs!
I’m going to simply dive right in…moving to a new city (from Detroit to Lansing) and restarting my conducting career has brought me new opportunities and challenges.
Opportunity:
As a church musician, having the opportunity to work for a “big” church in downtown Lansing, has afforded me many opportunities to perform some of my favorite sacred choral pieces: “Rejoice in the Lamb” (Britten), “Christmas Cantata” (Pinkham), “Requiem” (Fauré), “Christmas Day” (Holst), to name a few. It has also allowed me to challenge, encourage and invigorate a group of dedicated singers, which, in turn, keeps me ever on my toes to find quality choral literature and to make art whenever possible. How lucky can a church conductor be?!
Challenge:
Coming from Detroit (yes, I actually lived IN Detroit for 12 years) where the decline of the public schools offering of the arts is felt and pained over…I felt I was given a huge challenge when Lansing Schools began cutting general music from its elementary schools. What could I do to foster a love of singing, to bring the sweet refuge of music to children and youth in my new town? So I, along with some dedicated musicians, church members and lovers of the City of Lansing started the Lansing Children’s Choir. We started our season in September 2015, where, at the first two rehearsals it was me and our assistant conductor. By the end of our first season, we had just over 25 children and youth participating in a tuition-free children’s choir! Preparing for our second season, we have 40+ registered to sing with us!
Why am I telling you this? Possibly to let you know, if you are in a similar situation, that you are not alone. It’s really hard to start over and it’s been a struggle to break into the established choral music scene in Lansing. Maybe it’s to subtlety inspire you to create opportunity in your own community, not just to wave your arms in front of a choir, but to find ways to positively affect the world around you.
So, for my first article for Bella Voce, I hope that you find ways to challenge and inspire your own singers! We were able to do that our first season with the Lansing Children’s Choir by offering a varied program by both of our choirs:
Children’s Choir (ages 8 – 13, treble voices)
“Shalom Chaverim” arr by Stan Pethel (3-part; Choristers Guild, CGA868)
“Kookaburra” arr by Melissa Keylock & Jill Friedersdorf (treble voices; Colla Voce Music, #24-96770)
“Good Night (A Russian Song)” arr by Doreen Rao (unison/2-part; Boosey & Hawkes, OCUB6441)
“Ain-a’ That Good News?” arr. Mark Patterson (unison/2-part, Choristers Guild, CGA1029)
“Bye Bye Blackbird” arr by Jay Althouse (2-part, also available SATB, 3-part mixed; Alfred Music)
“Benedictus” by Greg Gilpin (2-part; Heritage Music Press, 15/1992H-2)
“Dide ta Deo” by Mark Weston (2-part; Heritage Music Press, 15/3231H-2)
“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” arr by Roger Emerson (2-part, also available 3-part mixed; Hal Leonard #08551779)
“Moh lee hwah” arr by B. Wayne Bisbee (SA; Santa Barbara Music, SBMP677)
“The Papaya Song” arr by Greg Gilpin (2-part; Alfred Music)
Intermediate Choir (ages 13 – 18)
“Cuncti simus” ed by Ricardo Soto (unison, Santa Barbara Music, SBMP306)
“A la Puerta del Cielo” arr by Shirley W. McRae (2-part; Hinshaw Music, HMC2205)
“Al Shlosha D’Varim” by Allan E. Naplan (2-part; Boosey & Hawkes, OCTB6783)
“Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burnin’” arr by Greg Gilpin (2-part, Colla Voce Music #20-96430)
“Believe” from Polar Express arr by Mark Hayes (2-part, also available SATB, SSAB and SSA; Alfred Music)
“Blackbird” by THE BEATLES, arr by Audrey Snyder (2-part, also available 3-part mixed; Hal Leonard #08552122)
“Canto de Pilon” arr by Cristian Grases (SA, Pavane Publishing, P1403)
“Inscription of Hope” by Z. Randall Stroope (2-part, also available SATB, 3-part mixed; Heritage Music Press, 15/1081H-3)
“She Sings…” by Amy F. Bernon (2-part, also available 3-part mixed; Heritage Music Press, #15/2384H-2)
“Three Quotes by Mark Twain” by Andrea Ramsey (SA; Santa Barbara Music Publishing, SBMP892)
Both Choirs
“A Blessing” by Jay Althouse (2-part, also available SATB, SAB and SSA; Alfred Music Publishing)
“I was hungry” by Thomas LaVoy (SATB and children’s choir, available from composer)
