Last-Minute Gift Solution!

“‘Tis the Season” for gift-giving and gift certificates at Stanton’s!
Don’t know what to buy for that musical person in your life–consider buying a gift certificate from Stanton’s. You’ll be glad to know that when you purchase a gift certificate at Stanton’s, it will never expire. People always love to receive gift certificates and your teacher, choir director or student will be able to put it to good use! Contact us at 1-800-42-MUSIC to discuss payment and shipping options.

Help…I Need a Sub!

If you are a General/Elementary Music teacher who wonders what you will ever do if you need a substitute at some point–worry no more! We have some good answers for you. One of the best resource books we have found is Alfred’s Publishing’s “The Music Substitute Sourcebook”. This book has everything you will need to confidently put your class in the hands of a substitute. It tells in detail what you will need to have ready for the substitute (for example: it suggests that a daily schedule be set up with students’ names, duties, class roster, seating charts, etc. and keep a copy of this  on file in the school office).  This book goes on to list suggestions that are easy for the sub. to follow and activities to jump start the students for a fun day of learning.  There are two levels of this book – K-3 and 4-8.

Another good substitute resource book is Heritage Music Press’ “The Ultimate Substitute Teacher’s Music Resource Guide”.  This book contains puzzles, games and activities that are very clever and easy for the students to do and they will be learning as they are having fun.

The best thing about these books is that the substitute does not have to be a music genius. Any substitute can take over  the class with these step by step guides. These are excellent choices for you and your substitute teacher.

For more information please call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC or visit us via e-mail or our website.

A-caroling we go…

December is upon us, and soon many groups of singers will be heading out into the frosty air to share the holiday gift of song.  Even with limited rehearsal time, you’re sure to find something for your group in one of these collections:

The new SATB collection Sing a Merry Christmas by John Leavitt is perfect for many performance occasions.  The tasteful and creative arrangements exemplify Leavitt’s choral expertise.  Whether you’re caroling door-to-door or looking for tasteful a cappella arrangements for your concert, this is a sure-fire winner. 

The Christmas Caroling Songbook contains 50 well-known carols arranged for any combination of voices.  Ideal for holiday sing-alongs, community or family get-togethers, or house-to-house singing, this collection makes it simple to have a successful caroling experience.

For younger groups, the 3-part mixed collection A-Caroling We Go is a perfect choice.  Ten carol favorites are arranged in easy-to-sing a cappella settings, each with a special choral introduction and coda.  Also available for SSA voices.

Contact us for more choral collections for Christmas!

It’s the Holiday Season…

…And it’s coming upon us a bit faster than some of us are ready for! Do any of you elementary music teachers need some good ideas for some holiday songs?  Relax–we have some great solutions for you.  One of the best holiday collections we’ve seen is “Around the World at Christmas Time.” This collection has songs from Germany to Mexico and Scandinavia to Israel. The songs in this book can be performed individually or all together as a choral revue. This is a good way for your students to learn a bit about how the holidays are celebrated in other countries as well as here in the good old USA.
Another great collection that has  more upbeat and fun tunes is “All Aboard the Holiday Express”. This collection contains secular holiday tunes and a couple of Hannukah songs as well. Other holiday collections you may want to check out are “Happy Holidays“, “Songs for Christmas” and “Silly Songs & Sing-Alongs for Christmas.”  All of these collections have accompaniment CDs available.
For more information or questions please call us at 1-800-42-music, email or visit our website.

Online Resources for Public Domain Materials

Are you aware that there are a number of online libraries for sheet music in the public domain? While not an authoritative resource, these sites can be very useful for research, educational exercises and, in some cases, even performance.

The Choral Public Domain Library (CPDL) is a large archive of free choral music. Anyone may contribute, so selections range from early music to the unpublished work of current composers.

International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) is a WIKI site offering scanned-in public domain scores which can be browsed by composer, time period or instrument.

Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA) contains an EXTENSIVE list of links to other online public domain libraries.

Wind Band Invitational and New Music Reading Session

There’s a bite in the air and the leaves are changing colors and dropping from the trees. It’s time for the Eighth Annual 2009 New Concert Band Reading Clinic! This extremely popular clinic weekend, especially helpful for 1st and 2nd year teachers, allows participants to have a “hands on” experience with the latest and best new music. The featured composer/director this year is Ray Cramer, famed musician, band pedagogue and director emeritus of Indiana University. Taking place on Friday and Saturday, November 13-14, at Capital University in Columbus, OH. Make your plans now to attend. Navigate to the clinic website for details.

Are budget cuts adding a hitch to your Holiday?

If you need to stretch your music budget this fall, but still want to get your elementary students up on the stage, Stanton’s Sheet Music recommends one of following titles. Each one includes the teacher edition/score, reproducible student parts and a performance/accompaniment CD—all for $50 or less!

Granny McBee’s Christmas Eve
Running about 15 minutes and appropriate for all elementary grades, Granny McBee’s bedtime story lures all the children off into dreamland.

Humbug
Based on Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” this 30 minute musical sets the action in the present-day classroom of grumpy teacher Ms. Ebenezer. K-3

Is Santa Smarter?
This Christmas musical/revue features your school’s fifth graders on a game show with Santa as the celebrity contestant, but can include all grades.

It’s Christmas Everywhere
This multicultural delight is explores both familiar and lesser-known carols and traditions from Germany, Japan, Australia, Africa, Mexico, Canada, and Spain.

Mrs Claus and the Great Elf Rebellion
When the elves begin feeling overwhelmed and rebellious, Mrs. Claus must help them realize how special and important they are to children all over the world.

Pictures of December
These songs written in a variety of styles touch on all aspects of December: snow, Christmas trees, a Hanukkah dance, the tenants of Kwanzaa, caroling, bells, and more.

For other great ideas for your winter concert or program, contact Stanton’s general music specialists!

It’s Christmas Around the World!

Looking for a way to liven up your holiday choral concert?  Try one of these great arrangements, and infuse your performance with musical flavor from all around the world!

Spanish Christmas carols, or villancicos, are festive in mood and influenced by the popular culture of Spain and the Castilian region.  Try Spanish Allelu, Fum Fum Fum, Three Spanish Christmas Carols of the 16th Century, or long-time favorite, Riu Riu Chiu.

Christmas carols from France are known for their dance-like quality, and many have become standards in the American carol repertoire.  Take a look at Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella, La Bonne Nouvelle for women’s voices, or this incredibly fresh and original arrangement of Il est ne.

Including carols and Christmas songs from Africa can lend a great world-music touch to your concert.  Sing We All Noel intermingles with “Siyahamba” in this setting for young choirs.  Combined groups will excel with Hope for Resolution, which partners the chant “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” with a South African freedom song.  It’s inspirational and unforgettable!

Your elementary students will enjoy the collection It’s Christmas Everywhere!  Exploring carols and traditions from Germany, Japan, Australia, Africa, Mexico, Canada, and Spain, each song can be performed individually, or use the optional narration to combine them into a 25-30 minute program.  Both familiar and lesser-known carols are included, as well as an upbeat theme song which incorporates holiday greetings in six languages.  The book is fully reproducible, and includes a handy performance/accompaniment CD.

Still want more?  Try Kling Glockchen (from Germany), Huron Carol (from Canada), Jamaican Noel (from…well, you know), or Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (from Poland).

For more exciting winter concert repertoire from around the world, please contact us!

A Very Rhythmic Christmas to You!

Are you tired of singing the same old carols with your choir?  Freshen up your winter concert with one of these great arrangements – all are a fantastic opportunity to teach complex meters!

Deck the Halls in 7/8 is a long-time choral favorite!  The rollicking “Fa-la-la’s” give great motion to the arrangement.  Also available for men’s and women’s choirs.  It’s a sure-fire audience pleaser!

The familiar carol “O Christmas Tree” gets a fresh new arrangement in Tannenbaum in 5/8 for SSA voices.  Creative countermelodies enhance the melody and the text weaves English and German together.

Your guys will love Earlene Rentz’s imaginative setting of We Three Kings!  The jazz-flavored 5/8 meter is fresh, easily learned, and fun to sing.

God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen gets a “Take 5” treatment in Donald Moore’s new arrangement.  Smooth unisons, some basic scat singing, and cool jazz chords make this perfect for high school groups – might be especially effective as your show choir’s ballad on this year’s concert.

John Rutter’s original Donkey Carol is set in an unbalanced 5/8 meter, and it really evokes the feeling of a donkey lumbering its way toward Bethlehem.  It can be particularly successful when sung by children’s choirs in the 2-part or unison voicing.

For more creative winter concert programming ideas, contact us!

New Madrigal Collection for 3-Part Mixed Choirs

Dr. Russell Robinson is well-known for his madrigal arrangements for young choirs.  Now you can get six of his great arrangements in the budget-stretching collection All Ye Who Music Love: Six A Cappella Madrigals for 3-part Mixed Choirs.  In his note at the beginning of the collection, Robinson says: “My goal has always been to arrange [madrigals] carefully for young voices, so that developing singers can experience this timeless, exciting, and aesthetically pleasing music.”  Robinson has given special care to reducing the a cappella voice parts to only three, while maintaining the integrity and artistry of the original works.  One of the most useful aspects of the book is the inclusion of informative performance notes for each piece, as well as helpful suggestions for teaching and rehearsing.  Containing works by Baldassare Donato, Thomas Morley, Michael East and Henry Purcell, this fine collection will provide many successful and satisfying musical experiences, and will endure year after year in choral libraries.  For more repertoire ideas for young choirs, please contact us.