| |
 |
| |
Building the Essential Vocal Library
plus New Collections
Simply click on the cover art or on the title for more information, to listen to recordings, and to view sample pages. |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Assembling a Vocal Library
By Sally K. Albrecht
Director of School Choral &
Classroom Publications
 |
|
Growing up, I was always busy as an accompanist. I played for musicals, choirs, solo singers, and instrumentalists alike. When I was in middle school, I accompanied my two older high school sisters and their singing friends at vocal solo contests all over the state of Ohio. Generally, I was handed a vocal collection or some kind of book or piece of sheet music from which to play.
In my junior year of college, I began taking some voice lessons. My teacher always insisted I purchase the necessary books at the beginning of each semester, even if we were only going to study one or two songs from the collection.
My next voice teacher didn’t do that. She just made me photocopies of specific songs from her fabulous library of music. It saved me some money at the time, but a few years down the road, when I was teaching and wanted to perform those songs or see what else of interest might have been in those collections, I had no way of knowing where those treasures had come from! (And way back then, in the dark ages, I couldn’t just search a song title on the internet to find out!)
Fast forward a few decades, and here I am now, closing in on my 30th anniversary in the music publishing industry. Maybe I didn’t know all of the rules about photocopying then, but I have a feeling my instructor did. And, to be honest, I did toss those illegal copies many years (and moves) ago. But I still really wish I had at least some of those songs/books in my vocal library.
So do your students a favor: work with them to purchase those wonderful and important tools called vocal anthologies. What a great investment it will be for their future. Teach your singers how to order music from a retailer. Help them start to assemble an appropriate, important, and wonderful vocal library, containing a variety of literature that will help them grow as performers.
Here’s my list of top “basic” books from Alfred that will stand the test of time in your vocal library. Most are available in Medium High and Medium Low voicings, with or without accompaniment CDs.
1. 26 Italian Songs and Arias - Ed. by John Glenn Paton. Contains the most important songs and arias, along with background information and translations. By far, the best edition on the market.
2. Singer’s Library of Song - Compiled & Ed. by Patrick M. Liebergen. Features 37 songs from the Medieval era through the 20th Century, with historical information, IPA, and translations where needed. Includes a few songs in several different languages, plus a handful of folk songs and spirituals. . . something for everyone. An excellent potpourri for developing vocalists.
There's MORE! Click here to read the full article. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 The Prayer
Compiled by Tom Fettke
Tom Fettke compiled this collection of 15 celebrated inspirational solos. Included are songs made popular by leading artists such as Josh Groban, Sandy Patti, Celine Dion, Keith and Kristyn Getty, and many others. The large, easy-to-read, folio size book features well-crafted keyboard accompaniments which make rehearsal and performance easy. All arranged for medium voice, this extraordinary collection is well within the difficulty range of non-professional church soloists. Included with the book is a fully orchestrated stereo accompaniment CD.
Book & CD (00-32238)...$34.95  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ready to buy? Visit the new alfred.com today!
View our previous email newsletters by clicking here.
To ensure you are receiving e-mails from Alfred, please add promotions@alfred.com to your address book. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
