FEMEA Reading Session order/outline January 17, 2015

Jubilate Deo Praetorius/Rao Sing through melody, emphasis on vowel pronunciation and placement, sing as canon 2x, endings as written

Cantate Deo Handel/Mayo Water Music Hornpipe, re-emphasize pure Latin vowels, basic Cantate Deo phrasing, read through

Somebody's Knockin' Spiritual set w jazzy feel (not swing), watch for tonality change w lowered 7ths and occasional 3rds, body percussion L, R stomps, 2 claps. I personally left out pointing. Back off in volume on every "oh", staccato or lift on "don't"--no "chews!" Optional second part. Follow dynamics at end, tiny sound, precise cutoff

Little Birch Tree Russian Folk/Bohlin Wonderful little canon, with compelling change to 5/8 time in B section. Work to arc phrases as written. Cello a warm addition, as well as wood block. Graceful. pp at end

Child of Tomorrow Patterson Lovely warm-fuzzy piece, good concert-closer, easy light descant in last section. Breathe after every "child of tomorrow". Good piece to build skill in breath support prep for long phrases. Murray quote

Risseldy Rosseldy. Nonsense song/Broeker Measure 25, speak, pronounce t's and ck's. 3 parts, easy, --melody, melody w octave jumps, step-wise ascending pattern. Second theme at 74, measure 95 switch from traditional compound time to 3 against 2--great little learning tool for understanding rudimentary rhythmic complexities. at 127 free silent measure for conductor to turn to audience and elicit their participation.

Ching A Ring-Chaw Minstrel Song/Copland Excellent for an understanding of Copland's love for Americana music. Introduce/speak 1st page. Refrain-verse pattern but w different elements each time---dynamics, rhythm, word changes, even melody--watch measure 51! Sing last p for them, then run through. A fun challenge!

Firefly Beck Light, simple, echo singing, two parts, could be sung unison there. Singers will enjoy dynamics and whispered ending. take care with ah vowel

This Little Light of Mine Spiritual/Berg Lovely, slow, gentle, sustained, moving. Exquisite climax at measures 58-59. Beautiful cello obligato adds to the depth of emotional feeling of piece.

I Am Horne Delightful, singable piece, useful for performance about nature. Simple, well-sequenced way to help young singers understand harmony and song structure. 3 verses (1 and 3 the same text), refrain has 2 separate melodies, each sung separately, then together. Solo intro, thoughtful coda.

Tumbalalaika. Russian folk/Broeker Simple and elegant, can be well done unison or 2-part. Clarinet obligato adds to the ethnic feel of the piece

Monkeys In The House arr. Giebler Al Holcomb, have done this adding stuffed monkeys, hand clapping patterns, motions. Fun! Make sure you use dynamics written in at the end!

Keep Your Lamps. Spiritual/Gilpin LOVE this arrangement! Both parts are interesting and colorful. Dynamics and especially phrasing dynamics combine to make a very musical experience for singers.

Shine Lessia A great song to help young singers establish a muscle memory lifetime skill of singing AH in words with the i vowel. Encourage from the get go! I always had my young choirs do this unison, but the parts are lovely. They will be forced to follow in measure 44. A loooong pause before the last chord is effective.