Recommended Repertoire for a New GALA Chorus
Notes compiled by Dr. Tim Seelig
Opening Numbers: Want to use the hall to the fullest.
Antiphonal/solos/small groups, etc.
Gloria, Haec Dies, Carpe Diem, Hosanna, Jazz Cantate
Bonse Aba – Zambian Song - Fun, processional
Lush and Beautiful Selections:
*hope, faith, life, love - Eric Whitacre
Text: e.e. cummings
From: Three Songs of Praise
Gorgeous, quintessential Whitacre.
If Music Be the Food of Love – David Dickau
Gorgeous, gorgeous
We Are One – Brian Tate
Great, easy, gospel swing – perfect words
Need to add percussion or something
"Prayer of the Children" by Kurt Bestur. It is strophic, so once you know one verse, you know it
all. This will chill your audience. Strikingly beautiful. Significant message. SATB, SSAA, TTBB
A blessing of music – Joseph Martin
Perfect text – simple
The Epitaph – Joseph Martin
“do not stand at my grave and weep”
Earth Song – Frank Ticheli
Stunning, simple and accessible
*I thank you god – Gwyneth Walker
Fabulous
*Amor de mi Alma by Z. Randall Stroope (SATB divisi).
Fabulous text, stirring and sonorous.
*Hope for Resolution SATB w/ sub SATB group.
Really amazing juxtaposition of African style/language and chant! Accessible. It builds
and builds and builds! Though it's not scored for percussion, you can def insert some
African drums for when the African part comes in (later in the piece). Potential
showstopper material. Also religious.
*Sudden Light by Robert Young. SATB divisi, a cappella.
About having loved someone so much that you think you must have known them in
another life. Very striking lines. Amazing, loving text.
Serenade of Music – Vaughan Williams
Challenging repertoire
*Mass for the Armed Man by Karl Jenkins
One selection
There are recordings of all of the following on the Santa Barbara Music Press web site if you
would like to hear them.
Alleluia by Terry Schenker
Santa Barbara Press
SBMP 707
Timor et Tremor by Terry Schenker
SBMP 701
Roll, Jordan, Roll arr. Ken Berg
SBMP 819
Canticle of Praise by Rene Claussen
SBMP 655
Rytmus by Hrusovsky
SBMP 319
Carpe Diem by Joan Szymko
SBMP 862
Gloria – by Michael Elgin
SBMP 827
Haec Dies by Brant Adams
SBMP 389
Selah – Dan Forrest
Text: Hebrew for “pause” or “rest”
Hinshaw HMC2097
Hosanna – Dan Forrest
Text – Hosanna
Multiple meters – challenging, not sure about memorizing
Life’s Mirror – Eleanor Daley
Great text
I Carry Your Heart with Me – Randall Stroope
Beautiful – maybe too lovey
The Dreamer – Mark Hayes
Written for someone you know
Jazz Cantate – Greg Gilpin
Fun, different, perky
Fun/Entertaining (NEED HELP HERE – unless we decide on The
Seasonings)
Food Songs
Play With Your Food Paul Carvey Walton Music
Hard and fabulous
*The Seasonings P. D. Q. Bach
20 minute oratorio
Such a Nice Brisket
Cute – madrigal-ish
*Coffee (In a Cardboard Cup), Kander & Ebb, arranged by Kevin Robison, commissioned by
Heartland and GMCLA. (TTBB) Hal Leonard
Caffeine Overload Polka, Eric Lane Barnes. elb@ericlanebarnes.com (TTBB & SATB)
Bittersweet Tango, Eric Lane Barnes. elb@ericlanebarnes.com (TTBB, SATB, and SSA)
Very funny about chocolate
*Not About Cheese!, Robert Convery. EC Schirmer (SATB). 5 movements, each available
separately:
o
o
o
o
o
Six Sausages for Sale
Baby Bear's Lament
Indigestible You [my favorite]
No Time For Zeus
Miss Muffet's Revenge
*Food Glorious Food (from Oliver), Lionel Bart arranged Aden G. Lewis. Hal Leonard (voicing
unclear)
*Dinner Anyone by Thomas Bucci Published by Edition Musicus
1. Potato-Vegetable Chowder
2. Minced Turkey
3. Harlequin Salad
4. Coffee Parfait
*The Feast by Allan Robert Pelker
Sweet One
Appetizing Prelude
Celery
Food, Food, Food
Sweet Two
The Honeycomb
On Tomato Ketcup
Eating Song
Sweet Three
Do You Carrot All for Me?
Peas
Cherry Ripe
Finale
Dessert
Published by Pavane Publishing
SSAA Repertoire
*I will lift up my eyes – Z. Randall Stroope
Beautiful
*Las Amarillas by Stephen Hatfield. SSA. Showstopper. A cappella. Rhythmically difficult but an
incredible song.
*Fear No More the Heat o' the Sun SSA. Not sacred. Very ballad. Very big. Extremely
inspirational. Gorgeous vocally and accomp. Touches the soul in a very powerful and MIGHTY
way. So much dignity in this piece, and you will thank God for this text.
*Lux Aeterna by Z. Randall Stroope (SSA) Gorgeous, gorgeous lines! It's good for when there
are lots of busy pieces in the program and you need something to simplify the texture of the
programming.
*In Remembrance by Eleanor Daly. SSAA. Wonderful painting opportunity. Wonderful, solid a
cappella writing and stunning text.
Miss Celie’s Blues
Quincy Jones, Arr. J. David Moore (MUSE: Sing to the Universe)
TTBB Repertoire
"Manly Men" This is a spoof on men's choral genres. It is a showstopper and funny as hell.
Kurt Knecht - Walton Music
"Prayer of the Children" by Kurt Bestur. It is strophic, so once you know one verse, you know it
all. TTBB. This will chill your audience. Strikingly beautiful. Significant message.
Benedictus – James Eakin
Text: Michael Browne
From FLOWERS ON THE GRAVE OF WAR
4-hand piano/3 female soloists
O Earth, O Earth, Return - Bill Douglas
Text: William Blake
Third Planet Music
Lux Aeterna – John Rutter
REQUIEM
Family Repertoire
Miss Celie’s Blues
Quincy Jones, Arr. J. David Moore (MUSE: Sing to the Universe)
Brother:
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
Arr. Mark Hayes
Children:
Lullabye
SERENADE OF LIFE
A Light
ONLY HUMAN
On Children
Ysaye Maria Barnwell, Text: Kahil Giran
Barnwell’s Notes Publishing/BMI
(MUSE Sing to the Universe)
We Are
Ysaye Maria Barnwell
Barnwell’s Notes Publishing/BMI
Mother:
Music in My Mother’s House
J. David Moore
In My Mother’s Eyes
TO A DANCING STAR
Grandmother: Sit By Me
In My Grandmother’s Garden
ONLY HUMAN
Requiem
Memories: Wanting Memories
Ysaye Maria Barnwell
Barnwell’s Notes Publishing/BMI
(MUSE Growing Into Our Roots)