Choral Music in the US

1. Choral Music in the US The highlight reel

2. About the Presenter

3. Questions/observations Class Survey Results

4. Survey - cont. • Who is on the list? Symphonic partners Commercially successful names Major “American” names Major African American names University affiliates

5. Who is not on the list? • (many) women • Not-for-profit choirs • Minority groups other than African Americans • Forms of music other than classical derivatives or “traditional” composition • (many) youth names, groups

6. State of the Research • After careful investigation, the American Concert Choir and Choral Foundation finds that the necessary tools for study of performance techniques and for the selection of repertoire are woefully inadequate. There has been no central agency from which advice on the organization and administration of choral groups could be obtained. - Margaret Hillis, 1948

7. Dedicated Resources • Journals: American Choral Review, American Choral Journal (available full text –RILM), Voice of Chorus America • Groups: ACDA, Chorus America, MSVMA (all w/ online presence) • Authors: David DeVenney, Nick Strimple

8. Source Limitations • Most general music survey • Search under specific name or topic heading (see Crawford) • Small amount on choral music proportionately • Small amount on American music proportionately

9. Chronology 1640 - 1800 • Sacred music, singing schools • 1640: Bay Psalm Book • 1698: 9th edition with music • 1741: Moravians settle in PA • 1770: Billings’ The New England Psalm Singer (note not rote) • 1794: Law’s The Art of Singing

10. 1800 - 1900 • Academic & social presence • 1815: Handel & Haydn Society • 1844: Original Sacred Harp • 1852: first Journal of Music • 1874: New York Oratorio Soc. Mendelssohn Club in Philly • 1875: Paine 1st music prof in US • 1898: Bethlehem PA Bach Choir

11. 1900 - 1960 • Nat’l prof/acad/org presence • 1912: St. Olaf Choir founded • 1916: Waring’s Pennsylvanians • 1921: Westminster Choir • 1941: Shaw’s Collegiate Chorale • 1959: ACDA founded Hillis named CSC director • 1960s choral conduct DMA prog

12. 1960 - present • Reaching a wider community • 1960s gospel choirs • 1965: Chichester Psalms • 1977: Chorus America • 1982: GALA choirs • Community outreach programs • Choirs for all levels & interests

13. Programming Activity • Do we have a responsibility as public school educators to present the full spectrum of American music to our students?

14. Ann Arbor, MI • Choral opportunities • SATB: UMS Choral Union, Ann Arbor Cantata Singers • Men’s: Measure for Measure • Women’s: A2 W’s Chamber Chorus • LGBT: Out Loud Chorus • Youth: Boychoir of A2, A2 Youth Chorale • Special Interest: Sacred Harp, SPEBSQUA

15. Choral Performances • UMS Concert Series • Meadowbrook, Summer Sings • Ann Arbor Summer Festival • Ann Arbor Gospel Festival • Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival • University: choirs, a capella, Glee • Strong church & school prog.

16. Choral Composition • Outside sacred sphere, very few choral (only) composers • Varied body of music • Varied options for composers: • A capella, chorus + piano, chorus + orchestra • Thompson excerpt • Action item: youth choral music

17. J.Knowles Paine Horatio Parker Amy Beach Edward MacDowell Leonard Bernstein Aaron Copland William Billings William Dawson Lukas Foss Daniel Pinkham Ned Rorem Robert Shaw Alice Parker Rand. Thompson Composers

18. Contemp. Composers • DeVenney – how to know if music will stand the test of time • Sally Albrecht • David Conte • Lee Hoiby • Morten Lauridsen • Nick Page • Eric Whitacre

19. “Golden Age” of choirs • Small professional choirs • Robert Shaw Chorale • Folk arrangements • Roger Wagner Chorale • Dale Warland Singers • Forum for new works • Gregg Smith Singers • Also a composer

20. Choral Sound • St. Olaf Choir: pyramid of sound • Gregg Smith Singers: transparent sound (new & early) • Moses Hogan Chorale: natural, organic sound • Robert Shaw Chorale: not all professional singers

21. Choral Programming • Commercial viability • “Greatest”/compilations • Sacred choruses • Patriotic songs • Recognizable classical music • “Updated” classical • Vehicle for conductor/composer • Niche: new/little known works

22. Margaret Hillis • Encouraged not to be an orchestral cond. • Studied with Shaw at Juilliard • CSC – first professional symphony chorus • Stepped in for Solti at Carnegie • Founded American Choral Review “There's only one woman I know of who could never be a symphony conductor, and that's the Venus de Milo.”

23. Alice Parker • Went to Smith College, Juilliard Hated twelve-tone composition • Found own aesthetic • Spare musical syntax • Folk & sacred genres • Composer, conductor, teacher • Enrichment opportunities for mid-career professionals

24. Gregg Smith Singers • Not-for-profit chorus • Grant driven • Programming implications • Mission: 20th Century new works • Affiliations: Chorus America, Meet the Composer • Summer Festivals, outreach

25. GSS: who? • Regular programming of new works: connoisseur music = small audiences • Limited resources = small staff • Little self-promotion • No web presence

26. References • Crawford, R. (2001). An introduction to America’s music.New York: W.W. Norton & Co. • DeVenney, D. P. (1999). Towards a canon: Monuments of American choral music. American Choral Review 42 (1), 1-4. • DeVenney, D. P. (1999). Varied carols: A survey of American choral literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

27. References cont. • DeVenney, D. P. (2000). American choral music at the millenium. In J. Heintze & M. Saffle (Eds.), Reflections on American Music: The twentieth century and the new millenium (119-126). Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press. • Thompson, R. (1980). Writing for the amateur chorus: A chance and a challenge. In D. DeVenney (Ed.), Source readings in American choral music (192-204). Missoula, MT: The College Music Society.

28. The Clague Consort • Folk song: • “I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger” • Spiritual: • “Keep Your Lamps”