As a Colorado native, I always love to incorporate pieces in my spring concert that created imagery of what was about to appear when the snow melted away! For me, the text painting, expression (both musically and visually), and blend always came naturally to students when working on these songs because of the visualization and collaboration that was possible in the rehearsal process.
These songs come in a variety of arrangements but all have one thing in common - flowers (and okay one plant)! Check them out and welcome spring! A Rose Touched by the Sun's Warm Rays by Jean Berger Why I love it: This beautiful legato piece for SATB features lovely harmonies and can be sung in English or German. It's acapella and there are a lot of great places to work on balance, watching the conductor, and intonation. Afternoon on a Hill by Eric William Barnum Why I love it: Although this song can be a challenge, the final product is so stunning. The text paints a beautiful picture and is great to work vowels, diction, and phrasing. It's also an opportunity to discuss the poet (Edna St. Vincent Millay was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1923!) or collaborate with an English teacher on analyzing poetry and poetry writing. The dynamic contrasts are possibly one of the best parts of the song, ever changing and always taking a turn... execution from the ensemble is key! Come to my Garden (The Secret Garden) arr. John Leavitt Why I love it: I've programmed this song more times than I can count and every single time the product is different and just as beautiful. There are moments in this song where you disappear into the text and melodic lines, and the singers will be captivated by the beauty. Although it's technically musical theater, it can be sung with a more choral tone if you prefer. Additionally, there's room for optional solos if you want to highlight some individual singers! Dome Epais (Lakme) Delibes arr. Francisco J. Nunez Why I love it: This gorgeous song has such powerful harmonies (rightfully so for "the flower duet!"). It can work for a multitude of ensembles and opens so many doors - singing in a foreign language (French), diving into opera, learning about French composers (Leo Delibes), or collaborating with your school's art department - the work comes at the pivot between impressionism and neo-impressionalism in French painting, so you could compare the descriptive text with Pissaro, Monet, or Renoir paintings! Sakura arr. Linda Spevacek Why I love it: Sakura is a great song for a beginning choir. The two part arrangement of this Japanese folk song is accessible but stunning, and showing photos of the cherry blossoms will help your singers connect with the text. This song is another great opportunity for students to sing in a foreign language, develop tone and phrasing, and dive into Japanese culture! The Four Leaf Clover by Kevin Padworski Why I love it: This song will expose your students to more complex (and changing!) time signatures all while telling the story of the four-leaf clover. It's positive message makes diction is a must, and keeping the phrasing while enunciating the words will be a great workout for your singers. Additionally, I love to support local Colorado composers and Kevin is a fantastic one! He is a passionate educator and composes such creative music that is accessible for any level of choir. What are your favorite floral choral arrangements? Let me know in the comments below!
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