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I Saw Three Ships SAB/SATB
arr. by Russell Robinson
Carl Fischer Music Antiphonal Deck the Hall
Duration 2:15 by Greg Gilpin
Also available in SATB/two-part Alfred Music
Duration 2:33
A staple piece for any young choir (by one of the giants Available in SATB/SAB/two-part
of middle school arranging, Russell Robinson), this setting
of the classic English carol works especially well for groups Just as the title suggests, this piece relies heavily on an
new to homophonic singing, as it only features one such antiphonal texture, which makes it a great choice for your
section that gets repeated a few times. I had my eighth- eighth- or ninth-grade choirs with limited experience. Writ-
grade chorus sing this a few years ago with much success, ten by Greg Gilpin in a lilting 6/8 texture with a relatively
and I am sure you will find it a welcome addition to your easy accompaniment, this piece has always been a success
program. with my students because it allows each section to have their
own distinct melody in the B sections, with an antiphonal A
section that is repeated often with different text.
Shiru l’Adonai
arr. by David Neches
BriLee Music, Bethlehem Spiritual
Duration 1:30 by Donald Moore
Available in two-part Alfred Music
Duration 2:15
This is piece based on a well-known Hebrew prayer. Ar- Available in SATB/SSAB/TTBB
ranger David Neches has chosen to set it canonically for
the A section and recapitulation, with a short homophonic This original a cappella work has been in circulation for
B section. It’s an accessible tune that students can quickly many years, but it’s a favorite of mine with choirs that can
learn, and the middle section can be easily learned via handle a cappella singing and a lower line for baritones.
practice tracks. An excellent piece to give your students suc- What makes it accessible for rebuilding ensembles is the
cessful musical moments. ostinato-like layering of each voice line in the A sections,
which allows students to learn their parts separately and
only requires a limited time to put it together. The B section
Shout Allelu is homophonic, but half of it is in unison. Bethlehem Spiritual
by Roger Emerson is an exciting piece with a driving groove to challenge your
Hal Leonard students and entertain your audiences.
Duration 2:35
Available in SSA
Hanukkah Hayom
This upbeat piece can be used during the holiday season by Michael Larkin
or any time. Although the song contains a large amount Alfred Music
of unison singing, the mixed-meter piano accompaniment Duration 2:00
and funky bass line make this exciting for both students and Available in SAB/two-part
audiences! It also features a great teachable moment with a
bridge section in quartal harmony. One word of warning: Michael Larkin’s Hanukkah Hayom was an excellent
while marked three-part mixed, part 3 is a little lower (E3) addition to my library of Hanukkah music. My eighth-
than I personally prefer for developing men’s voices, so it grade men loved this song because it allowed them to
might be best for eighth-grade singers. sing into their low range with a big, bold sound. What

ChorTeach Volume 15 • Issue 2 29 Winter 2023