For the REHEARSAL ... As well as the CONCERT … This is your CURRICULUM!      

In 2007 I presented “The Venus Factor” at National ACDA in Miami.  After 35 years of teaching women’s voices, I set out to find how I could better inspire and empower my singers based upon research being done by neuropsychiatrists, such as Dr. LouAnn Brizendine, on the female brain. My resulting presentation began with the symbolism of Venus (in mythology, astrology, astronomy), moved on to include intriguing new research on the female brain, activities based upon those findings, and music and programming to encourage self esteem, cultivate creativity, and promote community in women’s choirs.

This long, and growing, list of repertoire is grouped to encourage our thinking about choral literature that might be especially appealing to women. All of these pieces will work with high school age singers.  I welcome your comments and suggestions!

Music of the Masters (historical music encouraging vocal artistry)
“Agnus Dei” (Coronation Mass) W.A. Mozart/Jerry Wesley Harris, SSA, Alfred, 51305
“An Die Musik”, Schubert, ed. Stultz, SS, Morning Star, MSM-50-9917
“Art Thou Troubled?”,  Handel, unison, Novello, 16-0066
“Beau Soir”, Debussy/Spevacek, SSA, Hal Leonard, 08756903
“Duet from Cantata No. 78”, Bach ed. Talmadge, SA, Schirmer, 2506
#“Dixit Dominus”, Galuppi, SSAA, Roger Dean, HCMC-108
“Dome Epais”, Delibes/Nunez, SA, Boosey & Hawkes, M-051-472260
“Domine Deus, Agnus Dei”, unison, Vivaldi, ed. Galvan, Roger Dean #15/1857R
“Fire Fire My Heart”, Morley/Greyson, SSA, Bourne, ES 65A
“Lift Thine Eyes”, Mendelssohn, SSA a cappella, Carl Fischer, CM 618
“Ombra Mai Fu”, Handel, arr. Sieving, SSA, Shawnee Press, YS0422
“Pergolesi Suite”, Pergolesi, ed. Rao, SA, Boosey Hawkes, OCTB6703  
“Prepare Thyself, Zion”, Bach arr. Bisbee, unison, Boosey Hawkes  48018853
“Pueri Hebraeorum”, Randall Thompson, SSAA, EC Schirmer, #492
#“Vesperae pro Festo”, Michael Haydn, SSAA, Roger Dean, 45/1074R

Music Celebrating Beauty in Nature

“And Nature Smiled”, Allen Koepke, SSA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 36
“Away From The Roll Of The Sea”, MacGillivray arr. Loomer, SSAA, Intrada, CP1001
“Barter”, Rene Clausen, SSA, Santa Barbara, SBMP527
*“Come In From The Firefly Darkness”, Amy Bernon, SSA, Heritage, 15/1689H
“For The Beauty Of The Earth”, Rutter, SA, Hinshaw, HMC-469
*“I Lift My Eyes”, Joan Szymko, SSAA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 658
*“I Thank You God”, Gwyneth Walker, SSA, ECS, 5331
*“Look To This Day”, Judith Herrington, SSAA a cappella, Colla Voce, 20-96210
“The Snow”, Edward Elgar, SSA, National Music Publishers, CMS128
“Song For The Mira”, MacGillivray, arr. Calvert, SSA, Oxford, G-326
*“Torna A Surriento”, Curtis/Valerie Shields, SSA, Boosey, M-051-47390-8
*“West Of My Heart”, Vicki Nurre, SSA, Colla Voce, 20-96490
“Wood River”, Kaldor/Zwozdesky, SSAA, Rhythmic Trident, RTCP-004

Music of Life and Death (inspiration, making connections)
*“The Angels Will Guide You Home”, Eleanor Daley, SSA, Alliance, 0581
“Ani Ma’Amin”, Caldwell/Ivory, unison, earthsongs,
*“I Dream A World”,  Joan Szymko, SSAA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 613
“The Poet Sings”, A. Randall Stroope, SSA, Heritage, 15/1375H
“Silver Creek Lullaby”, Riley/Collins, SSA, Walton, HL08501560
“Sing Me To Heaven”, Gawthrop/Carey, SSAA, Dunston House, DH0319
“Weep No More”, David Childs, SSAA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 249
*“When I Am Silent”, Joan Varner, SA, Alliance, AMP 0210

Music that Transports Us to Another Place and Time (choral settings of great poetry)
*“Dark Brown Is The River”, Audrey Snyder, SSA, Hal Leonard, 45004013
*“My Heart’s In The Highlands”, Donna Garman Schultz, SSA, Boosey, M-051-47393-9
*”The Night Shall Be Filled With Music”, Laura Farnell, SSA, Heritage, 15/2276H
“She Walks In Beauty”, David Childs, SSAA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 435
“There Is Sweet Music Here”, John Clements, SSA, Mills, 60383
*“What Do The Stars Do?”, Sherri Porterfield, SSA, Alfred, 11602

Music of Romantic Love

“Dance On My Heart”, Allen Koepke, SSA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 34
*“Love Is A Rain of Diamonds”, Gwyneth Walker, SSAA, EC Schirmer
“My Romance”,Rodgers/Hart, arr.Shaw, SSAA a cappella Hal Leonard 08742832
“A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square”, Sherwin/Neaum, SSA, HL, ECS 321
“O Pastorelle, Addio”, Giordano/Serposs, SSA, G. Schirmer, 11602
“Someone To Watch Over Me”, Gershwin, arr. Althouse, SSA, Alfred, 25080

Music that Motivates Movement (sign language, choreography, procession)
“Adiemus” (Songs of Sanctuary) Karl Jenkins, SA, Boosey Hawkes, 10374
“Al Shlosha D’Varim”, Allan Naplan, SA, Boosey Hawkes, OCTB6783
“Amani”, Jim Papoulis, ed. Nunez, SSA, Boosey Hawkes, M051475025
*“Dormi, Dormi”, Mary Goetze, unison, Boosey & Hawkes, 6128
“Living In A Holy City”, Hatfield, 5 part treble, Boosey Hawkes M051472765
“Musica, Dei Donum Optimi”, Cory Johnson, SSA, Kensington, #1014
“Oye”, Jim Papoulis, SSA, Boosey Hawkes, M-051-47500-1
“Stand Together”, Jim Papoulis, SSA, Boosey Hawkes, 48019165

Music Celebrating Spirituality

“Angels’ Carol”, John Rutter, SA, Hinshaw, HMC-986
*“Ave Maria”, Ellen Keating, SSA a cappella, Mark Foste, MF922
#“Ceremony of Carols, Benjamin Britten, SSA, Boosey,& Hawkes, 16832
“Dies Irae”, Z. Randall Stroope, SSA, Alliance, AMP 0575
“Esto Les Digo”, Kinley Lange, SSAA a cappella, Alliance, AMP 0568
“Go Where I Send Thee”, Caldwell/Ivory, SSA, earthsongs
“Jesu, Dulcis Memoria”, Cleveland, SSAA, Treble Celf, TC-148
*“How Excellent Is Thy Name”, Audrey Snyder, SSAA, Studio PR, SV8556
*“Lullaby Carol”, Eleanor Daley, SSA, Alliance, AMP 0599
“Magnificat”, Z. Randall Stroope, SSAA,Alliance, AMP 0400
#“Mass No. 6”, Gyorgy Orban, SA, Hinshaw,  HMB-223
*“Pie Jesu”, Mary Lynn Lightfoot, SA, Heritage, 15/1227H
“O Gloriosa Domina”, Byrd, ed. Marvin, SSA a cappella, Mark Foster MF3101
*“O Nata Lux”, Deborah Lutz, SSA, Colla Voce, 40-96720
“Ride On King Jesus”, Moses Hogan, SSAA, Hal Leonard, 08703296
“Tching-Tchinga-Ryah”, David Maddux, SSAA, Alliance, AMP 0585
*“Thou My Everlasting Portion”, Vails/Baker, SSA, Alliance, AMP 0465
“Tota Pulchra Es” from “Quatre Motets”, Durufle, SSA, Presser, 312-41672
“Ubi Caritas”, Rupert Lang, SSAA, Boosey Hawkes, OCTB7143
*“What Sweeter Music”, Eleanor Daley, SSA, Alliance, AMP 0443
“Zion’s Walls”, Copland/Koponen, SSAA, Boosey Hawkes, M-0151-46071-7

Music in Delectable Foreign Languages

“A La Ru”, Paul Stuart, SA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 283
“Benedicamus Domino”, Brad Printz, SSAA, Heritage, 15/1510H
“Hotaru Koi”, Ogura, SSA, Theodore Presser, 312-41520
“Kalinka”, arr. Gregoryk, SSA, Boosy Hawkes, )CTB6785
*“L’Amicizia”, Faustina Hass Hodges, SS, Treble Clef, TC-199
“Metsa Telegramm”, Uno Naissoo, SSA, Mark Foster, YS 602
“Vois Sur Ton Chemin”, Bruno Coulais, SA, Hal Leonard, 08744850

Music that is Textless and Promotes Singing With Abandon!
“La Lluvia”, Stephen Hatfield, SSA, Boosey Hawkes, OCTB6941
“Mouth Music”, Keane/Faulkner, SSAA, earthsongs,
“Overture To Marriage of Figaro”, W.A. Mozart/ed. Bartle, SSA a cap, Hinshaw HMC-1328
“Reel A’Bouche”, Dalglish/Leck, SSA, Plymouth, HL-205
*“Sarasponda”, Ruth Boshkoff, SA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 303
“Snowforms”, R. Murray Schaeffer, SA, Arcana, Grouse, GR-101-C
“Three Ways To Vacuum Your House”, Hatfield, SSA, Boosey, OCTB6909

Music that is Light-Hearted (encouraging humor and playfulness, building community)
“Dance On My Heart”, Allen Koepke, SSA, Santa Barbara, SBMP 34
“Hello Girls”, Lloyd Pfautsch, SSA, Alfred, 52453
“The Log Driver’s Waltz”, Hemsworth, SSA, Intrada, CP 1030
“Ma, He’s Makin’ Eyes At Me”, Conrad/Spevacek, SSAA, Heritage, 15/2038H
“The Next Room”, Stephen Hatfield, SSA, Lorenz, 15/1739R
“Oh, Dear, What Can The Matter Be?”, Peter Shaw, SSA, Presser, 392-41983
“Reuben, Reuben”, Vijay Singh, SSA, National, NMP282
“Three Little Maids”, Gilbert Sullivan/Leavitt, SSA, Shawnee Press, B0596

Music to Encourage Self-Esteem and Empowerment (strong women, moral affirmation)
*“Fair Warning”, Shirley McRae, SSA, Plymouth, HL-206
“Get On Board”, Caldwell/Ivory, SSA, earthsongs
*“How Can I Keep From Singing?”, Gwyneth Walker, SSA, EC Schirmer, 5655
*“Still I Rise”, Rosephanye Powell, SSAA, Gentry HL, JG2346
“Victor, Catarina!”, Bruce Rockwell, SSA, Bruce Rockwell.com
“Will You Teach Me”, Eric Unruh, SSA, Pavane HL, P1263
“When It Was Yet Dark”, Stephen Hatfield, SSA, Boosey Hawkes, OCTB6872
*“Women On The Plains”, Alice Parker, SSAA, Treble Clef, TC 117, 118, 119

*Music written BY women 
#Large Works