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K-12 Resources:



         Book Reviews




         Compiled by

         Jamila L. McWhirter











        Jamila L. McWhirter is a profes-     Teaching Music Through Performance   as composers, arrangers, and di-
        sor of music education at Middle  in Contemporary A cappella  is one of   rectors in the genre.  J.D. Frizzell,
        Tennessee State University. She is  the most recent publications in the   Erin Hackel, Deke Sharon, Marc
        the national chair of ACDA’s Stand-  Teaching Music Through Performance   Silverberg, and Ben Spalding each
        ing Committee for Education &  series published by GIA Publica-      contribute meaningful chapters

        Communication.                     tions. If you are familiar with oth-  with specific detail on the learn-
        Jamila.McWhirter@mtsu.edu          er books in the choral series, then   ing and teaching of a cappella.

                                           you will not be surprised that this   The first chapter is an overview
        Editor’s note: The following book re-  follows the same format of infor-  of the musical elements, perfor-
        views were submitted by the mem-   mative chapters followed by the   mance elements, sound reinforce-
        bers of ACDA’s Education & Com-    Teacher Resource Guide. Part one   ment, and stage positioning of
        munication Standing Committee.  is devoted to the fundamentals of    contemporary a cappella, vocal
        These reviews are reprinted from  teaching contemporary a cappella,   jazz, and barbershop styles and is
        ChorTeach  Summer 2022. View  emotional expression, singing in       especially valuable to choral music
        the full summer issue at acda.org/  a variety of contemporary styles,   teachers who desire to teach a cap-
        chorteach.                         and the elements of contempo-     pella styles to their students but per-
                                           rary a cappella competitive singing.   haps feel under prepared or over-
                                           Part two is an invaluable resource   whelmed. Chapter two includes
                                           guide that presents information on   important reminders about the
         Submitted by Jamila McWhirter     various a cappella arrangements,   fundamental task of authentic com-
                                           including barbershop, contempo-   munication, regardless of the vocal
        Teaching Music Through             rary, doo-wop, folk/classical, and   style, through creating a safe space
        Performance in Contemporary        vocal jazz. Lastly, this is followed   for emotional exploration, inter-
        A cappella                         by a user-friendly set of indexes of   personal harmony, emotional con-
        Compiled and Edited by             arrangements listed by diffi  culty   nection through an understanding
        Deke Sharon, J.D. Frizzell,        level, composer/arranger, and title.  of musical elements, and openness.
        and Marc Silverberg                  Written in a straight-forward,    The Spectrum Method of vo-
        Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, Inc.  conversational style, the book is au-  cal instruction discussed in the
        (2020)                             thored by a distinguished panel of   third chapter was particularly in-
        329 pages                          experienced a cappella choral ed-  teresting to me as a reviewer. The
        $29.95 (softcover)                 ucators, who also wear many hats   overview of laryngeal position in

        CHORAL JOURNAL  October 2022                                                                           Volume 63  Number 3            67
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