Reading choral scores - advice please

sycamore · Post by **sycamore** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:46 pm

T.i.p.s.y wrote:Sycamore, as far as I am aware - although I may be incorrect - most choir schools insist on the choristers boarding although there are a few that do not - Norwich, Wells? to name a few and the very few which accept girls.

My knowledge of choir schools is limited to Salisbury Cathedral, which takes girls (otherwise we wouldn't have given it a thought!), but you probably know more about it than me!

As for the ability to read choral scores, from what I know, the schools are very much interested in a child's raw talent and attitude and would not be put off by a lack of knowledge of musical theory in such a young child. They might, however, be interested in the reasons he left his last school...

Good Luck, I'm not sure I'd have the energy or the patience!

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:51 pm

sycamore wrote:They might, however, be interested in the reasons he left his last school...

Yes, they are very interested!

hopeforthebest · Post by **hopeforthebest** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:03 pm

jah · Post by **jah** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:11 pm

Confusing title to thread. Has he a choral score, or a solo score? If solo score, no problem - sing the voice line. If choral score, need to check which part has the melody. Is he treble (i.e. Soprano) or alto? Soprano will normally have melody, but melody may switch parts (I think it does in Carols for Choirs) and Sops may have descant for some verses. Leave out those verses?

He needs to sing in tune and in time with accompaniment. Does he have singing lessons at the moment. I would get his singing teacher, or school music teacher (anyone who can play the piano...church organist??) to go through it with him; even if only once.

I would be wary about basing his style on Steel-Eye Span. They are a folk-rock group not a choir, and the interpretation is not necessarily appropriate. Needs to sing it as it is in his score/book, not like Maddy Prior.

All the best.

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:14 pm

That's why I recommended the Libera version ....

jah · Post by **jah** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:19 pm

Rereading post about triple crotchet. Sounds as though you may be reading from a piano/organ score. However, hopefully top note should be soprano line. Check the first line of the score and see whether it says S A T B at left hand end.

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:59 pm

Thanks everyone. I am trying to persuade him to sing Suo Gan (English words) as I have the music off of Sibelius and I think it makes his voice sound better. Does anyone have any other songs that would show a wide range and are in English?

jah · Post by **jah** » Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:28 pm

Think of repertoire of famous trebles like Aled Jones. So, how about "Walking in the Air"? In English and quite a range of pitch.

Loopyloulou · Post by **Loopyloulou** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:05 pm

What about "Consider yourself" from "Oliver!"? It's Associated Board RSM Grade 4 standard. He could really impress if at the very end ("...one of US!" he sang US! on a high note (up the octave rather than down) and literally finished on a high. But I don't know him - it might be too difficult.
If he's sallow then you might try "Where is love?" instead.
In case you're not aware, from my experience of a choir school audition (one of the London choir schools - not your DS's) while raw coached singing ability was the most important thing, they were also looking for a few other skills. One was to be able to repeat accurately a tapped rythm - to check I imagine an innate rythmical sense. Similarly to repeat in singing to "La" a short random musical phrase played on a piano. Another was to be able to pick out a note from a chord, eg the lowest one or the one in the middle, and sing it back. Good luck!

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:50 pm

Hi Loopy, do you have a DS who is a chorister?