by Debbie
(Nashville, TN)
I have been looking for a very, very long time for a website like this! WOW! I have been teaching for over 20 years and it's nice to have a resource such as this!
Would you have a book available for sale for combinations of vocal music for younger voices including Elementary to Middle School?
I would be interested in purchasing several for my voice students. There is really not alot out there for this age group that I've been able to find. I would also be open to suggestions or things that have worked for you!
Dana:
Thanks for your kind words, Debbie! I'm glad that you find the site useful. It makes me happy when I get comments like yours. :)
I'm not exactly sure what you're after -- some kind of harmonized songs for your students? Take a look at "Folk Songs for Two" by Jay Althouse. Here's a list of the songs:
Amazing Grace
Poor Wayfaring Stranger
Siyahamba
Sky Boat Song
Camptown Races
All Through The Night
He's Gone Away
Scarborough Fair
Homeward Bound
Cindy
Shenandoah
Here's the songs we have done & liked:
Skye Boat Song
Homeward Bound
Siyahamba
There are some very pretty 2-part songs in there that I think middle-schoolers can handle, and elementary kids too, with enough support and practice. Another book I used with singers this year, fairly easy, that the kids really liked (but they were mostly over 14) because they were full of energy, very singable: Spirituals for Two. Here's a list of the songs:
Chariot's Comin' (Swing Low, Sweet Chariot)
Peace Like A River, Kum Ba Yah
Ezekiel's Wheel (Ezekiel Saw The Wheel & There's A Little Wheel A-turnin' In My Heart)
Amazing Grace
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
Follow Me! (Fisherman Peter)
Gonna Be A Great Day (Great Day)
All Night, All Day
I Feel The Spirit! (Do, Lord! & Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit)
From the Spirituals book, my singers did
Gonna Be a Great Day (harmony might be hard for younger singers) & All Night, All Day this last year. We all agreed that they were fun.
I'd also try working with rounds and simple duets that I have on my Vocal page. What Wondrous Love arranged 4-part is not very hard, but is very pretty -- take a look on this page: What Wondrous Love.
I have also had success with The Spanish Lady: at the bottom of this page is a version that breaks into 3-part harmony (you need several people on a part for confidence).
These are just some ideas... Dana