• Facebook
  • Instagram
Giving Voice Chorus
  • Home
  • Start a Chorus
      • Start a Giving Voice Chorus

        Use our Toolkit below to get started on creating a chorus in your community.

      • Start a Chorus
    • Initial Assessment & Planning
      • People
      • Community need
      • Hosting
      • Resources
      • Planning
    • The Choral Experience
      • Philosophy
      • Facilities
      • Rehearsals
      • Performances
      • Repertoire
      • Care partners
      • Singer feedback
    • Program Administration
      • Staffing
      • Registration & outreach
      • Dementia-friendly environment
      • Volunteers
      • Finances
    • FAQ and Information Forum
      • Ask a question
  • Join a Chorus
  • About us
    • About Giving Voice
      • Our Staff, Board, & Founders
      • Stories from our singers
    • Singing & Memory
      • Research
      • Resources
        • Websites
        • Movies
        • Books & Toolkits
      • Stories
  • News & Events
  • Donate
  • Twin Cities Choruses
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
You are here: Home1 / Start a Chorus2 / The Choral Experience3 / Repertoire

Repertoire

In this section:

  • Selection
  • Arrangements
  • Music and Lyric Preparation

  • Music Notebooks
  • Practice CDs
  • Copyright

Selection

The singers play a major role in the repertoire selection process. Research has shown that people usually are most emotionally attached to the music they heard between the ages of 12 and 25, and this rings true with the songs most often requested by our singers. Younger music directors will need to become familiar with music of the relevant time period and be open to suggestions from the singers. Music directors should know and become familiar with a wide range of music styles and genres. Establishing a theme for each performance (for example, “Friends & Family,” “An American Sampler,” or “Peace, Love, Joy”) will provide some structure to the program.

In addition to the factors that would guide the selection of repertoire for a typical chorus, the music director will want to consider these factors in choosing songs for a chorus that welcomes people with dementia:

  • Familiarity of the song. A familiar song will be easier to learn; an unfamiliar song will challenge and inspire the singers
  • Availability in desired vocal parts (typically three or fewer parts)
  • Appropriate difficulty level
  • Ease in adapting to meet singers’ needs (for example, transposing to a lower key or simplifying harmonies)

Tip

Try to have at least 80% of the repertoire be familiar to most of the singers. The performance repertoire is usually 8-10 songs. Each rehearsal session covers 4-6 songs during the learning phase.

Knowing how much and how often to challenge the chorus is one key skill of a successful music director. As the chorus rehearses, certain pieces may be too difficult or not work well for some other reason. In these cases, it may be necessary to delete or add pieces to the repertoire. Some singers may find it difficult to adapt, so keep changes to a minimum and try to take care of all repertoire changes within the first week of rehearsals.

Suggested music

Arrangements

The right mix of simple and more complex arrangements challenges the singers to reach their potential without frustrating or tiring them. Our chorus has had fun with rounds and partner songs. Simple movements can serve as memory triggers and add total body engagement. Two-part harmonies are easiest to teach, but published arrangements are not always voiced for adult men and women. When challenged to learn three-part songs (SAB), our chorus has had remarkable success. Some editing, transposing, shortening, or adaptation of an arrangement will often be necessary to fit the particular needs and skills of the chorus.

Music and Lyric Preparation

Copyright rules generally require that the chorus purchase one octavo score for each singer. It may be necessary to buy or prepare large-print versions for some singers.

Some singers will benefit from a lyrics-only version of the sheet music. Others might prefer printed music showing only their part (S, A, or B) rather than all the parts.

Music Notebooks

Each singer receives a personalized three-ring notebook of sheet music in the format that works best for that singer. The notebooks include the complete version (music and lyrics—all parts) of each song and a lyrics-only version, each marked with corresponding measure numbers, and any other specially adapted version prepared for the singer. A song index is in the front of the notebook and colored numbered tabs separate the songs. Singers take their notebooks home to practice during the week between rehearsals.

Music/Lyric sheet example

Practice CDs

Part-specific practice CDs can be an extremely helpful learning tool for singers. Under the direction of the music director, a male singer, a female singer and accompanist record each song and prepare separate versions emphasizing each SAB part. Each singer receives a copy appropriate for his or her section and uses it to learn and sing along at home.

Copyright

Copying sheet music, and performing or recording music of any kind composed by another person, raise questions about copyright laws. While some traditional tunes and older classical music are in the public domain and are available for use without permission, copying the printed (paper or electronic) versions or recordings of that same music usually requires permission of the copyright owner. Additional information about music copyright is available on the MTNA Copyright Guidelines for Music Teachers website. The Choral Public Domain Library includes an extensive collection of choral works that are not subject to copyright restrictions and are available for free.

  • Initial Assessment & Planning
  • The Choral Experience
    • Philosophy
    • Facilities
    • Rehearsals
    • Performances
    • Repertoire
      • Suggested music
    • Care partners
    • Singer feedback
  • Program Administration
    • Staffing
    • Registration & Outreach
    • Dementia-Friendly Environment
    • Volunteers
    • Finances
  • FAQ and Information Forum
    • Ask a Question
  • Print the Giving Voice Toolkit

Donate today.

With your support, people with dementia can experience joy and friendship though music.

Donate

Sign up for emails.

Stay up to date with the latest from Giving Voice Initiative.

Contact us.

Giving Voice Initiative
7400 Metro Boulevard #255
Edina, MN 55439
(612) 440-9660

contact

©2019 - Giving Voice Initiative     Terms of Use
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
Scroll to top

By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OKLearn more

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Google Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Other cookies

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

Accept settingsHide notification only