With the national ACDA conference nearly here, many conductors are looking at, or about to look at new repertoire. I invite you to consider these four pieces by four talented composers.

It is important to remember to use your conductor’s ear when perusing scores and listening to recordings of these pieces. Not every recording is great, even though the pieces are. I have found many terrific pieces that don’t have great recordings by “cleaning up” the sound and imagining them as they could and should sound. Click here for tips on finding great artist owned repertoire.

***Disclaimer: I am not being remunerated or even asked to promote these composers and their pieces, but I do retail music with MusicSpoke and Sheetmusicplus, from which come two of these pieces.***

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Timothy Paul Banks

Piece: i am a little church SATB(MusicSpoke: full perusal score and recording) 

Personal Website: http://www.highlandshousemusic.com/

Here is a charming and touching setting of an e.e. cummings poem. It has a sense of simplicity and straight forwardness that fits the subject. The piece could work well as a heart-piece that invokes nostalgia in listeners. The message reminds us that greatness is found in humbly being oneself and filling the calling God has placed upon us, whether large or small.

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Susan Conant

Piece: Sing We Now Of Christmas SATB (sheetmusicplus: partial perusal score and full recording)

Personal Website: http://www.conantpoint.com/susanconant.htm

For choir directors, anytime is a good time to consider holiday piece. I conducted this piece with my high school advanced choir at Christmas time in 2017. It was one of the most fun pieces I have ever taught and conducted, and one of the favorite pieces for Christmas for many of my singers. It is accompanied by Irish band (whistle, one or two fiddles, bodhran, and guitar). The ordering process is a flat rate, but somewhat confusing, especially off of sheetmusicplus.com. I ordered the piece off of Susan’s website, which was more clear about reproduction permission.

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Jennifer Durham

Piece: Shenandoah SSA (Swirly Music: full perusal score and recording)

Here is a very accessible, but artistic setting of the well known folk song for treble choir. It uses tension and release in the form of musical suspensions between parts to create emotional affect. This could be an ideal piece for middle, high school, or children’s choirs, but has appeal enough to still be interesting to more mature groups.

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Paul Busselberg

Piece: Sweet Rivers Of Redeeming Love SATB, SSA, or Unison (JW Pepper – My Score)

Personal Website: https://www.sharpemusicpress.org/

This piece has a lovely lilt with a folksy spiritual feel. The accompaniment clearly depicts a flowing river. Like many texts coming from the Great Awakening, imagery of longing for heaven is compared to the crossing of the Jordan River. I think this piece could work well with a college or festival choir as a gentle, but thrilling closer, if one wishes to finish a concert in a more contemplative feel.

______________________________________________________________________________ I hope this has been helpful and informative!

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