Recommended Music Literature for
Middle School Choral Programs
David Conrad, Mike Snyder, Susan Turner, Laura Marcotte
Manteno Community Unit School District #5
Manteno, Illinois
last updated on
December 31, 2007
3-Part Mixed Choral Music
We like using 3-part mixed choral music for this level. The
boys range in a typical 3-part mixed arrangement is between F3
and E4. However, some arrangements are inconsistent, including
notes as low as D3. Be sure to check sample copies of these
arrangements before buying. Some publishers include a handy
range chart on the inside cover of their publications for quick
reference.
In 7th and 8th grade, we introduce limited SATB music with
our mixed choir. We choose music with targeted bass ranges
based on the needs of the students
Occasionally, arrangements marked SAB will include limited
bass ranges and/or alternate pitch choices for cambiata voices.
| Title |
Composer/Arranger |
Style/Genre |
Publisher |
| All That Life Can Be |
Besig |
SATB |
Shawnee |
| Like An Eagle |
Strommen |
SATB |
WB |
| Sing We Alleluia |
Althouse |
Anthem |
Alfred |
| Let Me Ride |
Emerson |
Spiritual |
|
| Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel |
Emerson |
Spiritual |
|
| Lady of the Harbor |
Eilers |
Festival |
Studio |
| My Lord, What A Morning |
Emerson |
Spiritual |
HL |
| Take A Chance |
Johnson |
|
HL |
| Festival Song |
|
|
Alfred |
| When I Hear Music |
Gilpin |
|
Shawnee |
| Three Latin Settings |
Estes |
Anthem / Latin |
Alfred (?) |
| Set Down Servant |
Emerson |
Spiritual |
HL |
| Go Down, Moses |
Shaw |
Spiritual |
HL |
| Jubilate Deo |
Crocker |
Anthem / Latin |
HL |
| Night Flight from Denver |
Eilers |
Ballad |
HL |
| Blue Skies |
Emerson |
Broadway |
HL |
| Festival of Music |
Gilpin |
Multi-Cultural |
Shawnee |
| Can't Buy Me Love |
|
Pop |
HL |
| One Small Voice |
|
Pop Ballad |
HL |
| Tomorrow's Child |
|
Pop Ballad |
HL |
| If You Can't Rock Me |
|
SAB Swing |
HL |
| Your Mama Don't Dance |
Funk |
Pop Medley |
WB |
| Tomorrow's Looking Up |
Billingsley |
Pop |
HL |
| Hey! Look At Us Now! |
Emerson |
Pop |
HL |
| We've Got To Sing |
Billingsley |
Pop-Gospel |
HL |
| We Go Together from "Grease" |
arr. Billingsley |
Pop |
HL |
| Don't Look Back |
Reese |
Pop |
HL |
| Star-Spangled Banner |
Conrad |
Patriotic |
dconrad@manteno5.org |
| Hark The Herald Angels Sing! |
Snyder |
Holiday |
vonsnyder@aol.com |
| Adoramus Te |
Crocker |
Anthem / Latin |
HL |
| Joshua's Battle |
Gilpin |
Spiritual |
BriLee |
| Rock 'N Roll Party |
Albrecht |
Pop |
Alfred |
| How Can I Stop Singing My Song? |
Gray |
Festival |
Heritage |
| I Gave My Love a Red, Red Rose |
Donnelly/Strid |
Ballad |
HL |
| Gloria in Excelsis from "Heiligmesse" |
Haydn/Moore |
Anthem / Latin |
Brilee |
| God Bless The USA |
Greenwood/Emerson |
Patriotic |
HL |
| This Little Light of Mine |
arr. Johnson |
Spiritual |
HL |
| Bound for The Rio Grande |
Crocker |
Folk |
HL |
2-Part Choral Music
With 6th grade mixed voices, we start the year with 2-part
music for our November concert. We begin introducing 3-part
mixed materials in December.
When using 2-part music in a mixed choir of 11-12 year old
children, you have some options with the boys:
- Have the boys sing Part I an octave lower than written
- Choose music with targeted ranges in Part II
We do both, depending on the needs of the students. It's
important to use the terms "PART I" and "PART II" when teaching
2-part music in a mixed ensemble. Don't associate these parts
with "alto" and "soprano"....call them Part I and Part II.
An excellent way to introduce 2-part singing is through
partner songs.
| Title |
Composer |
Style/Genre |
Publisher |
What do the boys sing? |
| Cripple Creek |
Crocker |
Folk |
HL |
sing part II (A3-E4) |
| Appalachian Dances |
Miller |
Folk |
HL |
sing part II with notes 8va basso as needed |
| Scales and Arpeggios from "The Artistocats" |
Snyder |
Movie |
HL |
Excellent for teaching solfege, intervals, and
arpeggios -- you can use this
teaching poster in your classroom |
| Red River Dances |
Miller |
Folk |
HL |
sing part II with notes 8va basso as needed |
| When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter |
Miller |
Holiday |
HL |
sing part II -- includes a spoken "rap" for boys |
| Steal Away |
Conrad |
Spiritual |
HL |
|
| All My Trials |
Conrad |
Spiritual |
HL |
|
| A Simple Silent Night |
Miller |
Holiday |
HL |
2-part mixed |
Solo-Ensemble Literature
Pop solos are often found in collections of pop vocal solos.
Because copyright licensing frequently changes, collections are
quickly out-of-print. Use
www.jwpepper.com to search for pop tunes by title within
collections.
For vocal duets with girls, we use 2-part treble octavos with
targeted ranges.
|
Title |
Composer |
Publisher |
Voicing / Instrumentation |
|
Pass It Along |
Linda Spevacek |
Jenson |
2-part treble |
|
A Better World |
Don Besig |
Shawnee |
2-part treble |
|
A Voice From a Dream |
Joyce Elaine Eilers |
Belwin Mills |
2-part treble |
|
You’ll Always Be a Friend To Me |
George L.O. Strid |
Jenson |
2-part treble |
|
Our World |
Lana Walter |
Jenson |
2-part treble |
| Homeward Bound |
Jay Althouse |
Alfred |
Vocal Solo |
|
Folk Songs for Solo Singers Vocal
Collection |
Jay Althouse |
Alfred |
medium high vocal solo collection |
|
Folk Songs for Solo Singers Vocal
Collection |
Jay Althouse |
Alfred |
medium low vocal solo collection |
|
Flying Free (from collection "Songs of
the Heart") |
Don Besig |
Shawnee |
Medium solo voice |
|
Maybe Someday (We’ll Meet Again) (from
collection "Songs of the Heart") |
Terre McPheeters |
Shawnee |
Medium solo voice |
|
Follow Rain and Rivers (from collection
"Songs of the Heart") |
Robert J. Gielas |
Shawnee |
Medium solo voice |
|
Take These Wings (from collection "Songs
of the Heart") |
Don Besig |
Shawnee |
Medium solo voice |
|
If Only You Believe (from collection
"Songs of the Heart") |
Robert J. Gielas |
Shawnee |
Medium solo voice |
|
It’s The Hard-Knock Life (from Annie) |
Charles Strouse |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Maybe (from Annie) |
Charles Strouse |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Castle on a Cloud (from Les Miserables) |
Claude-Michel Schonberg |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
I Whistle a Happy Tune (from The King
and I) |
Richard Rodgers |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Where is Love? (From Oliver) |
Lionel Bart |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
I Won’t Grow Up (from Peter Pan) |
Mark Charlap |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Wendy (from Peter Pan) |
Jule Styne |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
The Girl I Mean To Be (from The Secret
Garden) |
Lucy Simon |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Close Every Door (from Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) |
Andrew Lloyd Webber |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep
(from White Christmas) |
Irving Berlin |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Dream for Your Inspiration ( from The
Muppets Take Manhattan) |
Scott Brownlee |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
If Momma Was Married (from Gypsy) |
Jule Styne |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
In My Own Little Corner (from
Cinderella) |
Richard Rodgers |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
The Rainbow Connection (from The Muppet
Movie) |
Paul Williams and Kenneth L. Ascher |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Saying Goodbye (from The Muppets Take
Manhattan) |
Jeff Moss |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Side By Side |
Harry Woods |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
Sing (from Sesame Street) |
Joe Raposo |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
|
A Spoonful of Sugar (from Mary Poppins) |
Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman |
HL |
Vocal Solo |
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|
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