What’s in the Folder?

As we get back into the swing of classes at West Fargo High School, the choirs are currently working towards their Spring concert on March 2nd , as well as the WFPS combined high school choir concert currently slated for mid-May. As much as they have a time and place, my kids are extremely excited to be done singing Christmas carols and songs about winter, so morale in the department is very high! Here’s a couple pieces from the folder and my thoughts on them:

One piece that I am extremely excited about is “O Love,” by Elaine Hagenberg. From the first read through my kids were hooked, and now they exclaim with excitement whenever they see it listed on the daily schedule. Hagenberg has crafted such a sublimely beautiful piece with a painfully gorgeous text by George Matheson, it’s sure to be a hit with your group. My SATB Concert Choir is currently learning the piece, but it is available in multiple voicings that are equally beautiful.

One piece that will be a challenge for my singers is “Il est bel et bon,” by Passereau. My Madrigal Singers group is tackling this piece currently, and it is a departure from the style of music we have done in that ensemble this year so far. The Madrigals transition to The Carolers during the holiday season, so going from homophonic settings of “Let it Snow” to a fast, polyphonic madrigal such as this will be a bit of a mental switch for them, but I know they are up for the challenge. This piece will also be a challenge for me as a teacher, as my experience with teaching imitative polyphonic music is not as padded as some other genres of choral music, but I am also excited for the challenge!

One piece that is “different” for my singers is Russ Robinson’s arrangement of “Over the Rainbow” (score preview) (recording). As I’ve stepped into my first year at WFHS, the choral tradition laid out by my predecessor is very evident; the sense of community and belonging that my choirs have make my job very easy, and I feel blessed every day to come to work in such a wonderful program. But of course, as a new teacher I just HAVE to switch things up a little and give a choir that has never sung jazz a very crunchy and shimmery tune that makes their faces scrunch up. They have latched on immediately and it is becoming one of their favorite songs, but I hear the choir say things that prove they haven’t had much exposure to music like this in the past. Talking about a major 7th chord, one of my altos told me: “I wrote ‘ugly’ in my music, so I remember that I have the note that makes the chord sound the way it does.” They’ll learn soon enough that dissonance is their friend…

It’s going to be an amazing spring semester at WFHS, and I wish a wonderful back half of the year to all of you choristers out there!

Brady Ritland West Fargo High School