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Lifting Up the Littles Highlighting your Youngest Singers Through Commissioned Works, Effective Rehearsal, and Performance Opportunities

creates a three-part harmony (the Bumblebees omitted the • Choosing what the piece is about
G-sharp; the open fifth was enough of a challenge for this
group). • Choosing specific musical elements, like which percus-
sion instruments to include

So now you are ready to commission a piece for your • Composing the first line of the melody for the composer
elementary-age group! As you work with the composer, you to draw from
can specify or have conversations about the following:
• Choosing the overall form of the piece
• Vocal range

Part Two:
• Special musical elements (e.g., adding body percussion,
highlighting an instrumentalist from one of your groups) Singer-friendly Rehearsals
Movement
• Musical concepts to focus on
Many of us utilize movement in the rehearsal to attain
• Voicing strategies for successful two- or three-part sing- and reinforce musical concepts, to increase student engage-
ing ment, and to help unlock healthy sounds through connec-
tion with the body. These movements are often dropped for
• Accompaniment style the performance or turned into “choralography” that has
less to do with the desired musical effect. However, creating
• Flexibility: what options are there to simplify the piece movement that both aids the singer and works for the stage
further if needed? is essential for nearly every piece the Bees rehearse and per-
form. This approach serves many purposes: harnessing the
Here are some ideas for involving your singers in the pro- group’s energy, increasing focus, allowing space for singer
cess: input and creativity, and providing consistency between re-
hearsal and performance spaces.
• Writing lyrics through individual submissions or as a Specific movements within “Now We Have Rivers” were
group project
developed to encourage specific tone, articulation, rhythm,
and dynamics. They are not written into the score; rather,

ChorTeach Volume 15 • Issue 1 22 Fall 2022