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Discovering the Magic of Children’s Voices Composing and Programming for Elementary Choirs

for early elementary voices might incorporate an I admire poets and wordsmiths and the craftsman-
audial cue just before the singers enter—a spe- ship it requires to compose a text. This type of creative
cific, recognizable rhythmic or melodic pattern. work does not come naturally to me, so when I compose
children’s anthems, I most often seek out the words of
• Does the accompaniment double the melody too of- others—a hymn text, a poem, or a quote. My husband
ten? Give young singers more credit and trust di- is a copywriter, and his clever mastery of language and
rectors to prepare their singers well. Make room communication leaves me speechless at times. He can
for singers to create a melodic line, not just double look at a paragraph and find a way to capture its es-
it. sence in one sentence. When we seek to write or pro-
gram music for our children’s choirs, take a keen eye
• Does the accompaniment overpower a unison line? to the text. Does it offer a clear, concise message worth
Be aware of how dense your accompaniment is, singing? Does it inspire, challenge, or build? Does it
or becomes. Can young voices be heard over the spark imagination, communicate truth, or cause one
accompaniment? Can you use inversions to cre- to reflect? Does it encourage children to wonder, to be
ate a different color in the keyboard, or can you brave, or to embrace their full selves?
utilize a different octave to get out of the way of
the vocal timbre and allow it to shine?

When you are selecting or writing
• Is the accompaniment too simple to support a unison “
line? When young voices feel anchored and sup- music for children, seek out a text that
ported, they will do amazing things. Look for an is truly brought to life through song.
accompaniment that provides a solid foundation
for developing singers.

Composers, research the part-singing continuum Mark Burrows is a composer, conductor, and edu-
(hierarchy) and make an intentional choice regarding cator who is a master of writing texts worth singing.
the types of harmony you choose to include in your His music has been used to build bridges and bring
composition. Spend as much time crafting the accom- messages of welcome and empowerment to communi-
paniment as you do the vocal parts. Remember: any ties around the world. Even Mark’s choral warm-ups
harmonic voice (including the piano accompaniment) contain meaningful messages! In his new collection,
should enhance the singer’s experience. The Little Book of Ups, Mark provides vocalises, rounds,
and ensemble songs that feature community-building
and self-affirming texts. Using the familiar scale-degree
A Significant, Meaningful Message warm-up, Mark composed the text in Figure 1 on the
In my work as a choral editor, hundreds of scores next page.
pass my desk each year. The first thing I review in a In this warm-up, purpose meets intent. Sequential
new submission for children’s choirs is the text. I use scale degrees are transformed into an affirming mes-
three questions in my evaluation: sage that cultivates acceptance, love, and community.
That is a message worth singing.
• Is this a message worth singing? I asked Mark what piece of advice he’d give to com-
posers and directors of children’s choirs, and he said:
• Does the text sing (actually sing, in this setting)? “Understand that children experience, and need to ex-
press, an entire range of emotions—joy, sorrow, frustra-
• Is the text relevant to a child’s experience? tion, anxiety, wonder, compassion. It’s so helpful when
the music we write can reflect that range, sometimes

22 CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2023 Volume 63 Number 7