Autora; Sarah Hopkins Leioa Kantika Korala 2011

It all began with the idea one morning that the "other tune" for Nahum Tate's carol "While shepherds watched" is, of course, the Yorkshire ditty "On Ilkley moor bar t'hat". Well, as the day progressed to afternoon, other tunes got added, resulting in ...  moreIt all began with the idea one morning that the "other tune" for Nahum Tate's carol "While shepherds watched" is, of course, the Yorkshire ditty "On Ilkley moor bar t'hat". Well, as the day progressed to afternoon, other tunes got added, resulting in a curious potpourri for choir and piano. The choir gets to sing "On Ilkla Moor", the Este psalter tune known to all, and also Auld Lang Syne. The second voice, in its madrigalian way, gets a sly English cadence!. Meanwhile, the piano also gets some sly references to "Sing a song of sixpence" and "Scotland the brave". I sang it in G (ATBB) on this video, to fit my multitrack range, but mixed choir versions are also available on musicaneo: in C (SATB) (fairly high for the sopranos) http://www.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-196257_while_shepherds_watched_-_in_various_Melodies.html#196258 and in Bflat (SATB) (fairly low for the basses) http://www.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-196257_while_shepherds_watched_-_in_various_Melodies.html#196257  less

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir] If you’re like me, you’re always tempted to add harmonies to the simplest of Melodies, whether it’s singing along with others or arranging a...

The stage lights fall, the crowd goes quiet, and four harmonious voices rise up and fill the air. The Melodies unfurl into something both familiar and fresh. What comes next may be a classic song by Joni Mitchell or Louis Prima. It may be an old bebop st...  moreThe stage lights fall, the crowd goes quiet, and four harmonious voices rise up and fill the air. The Melodies unfurl into something both familiar and fresh. What comes next may be a classic song by Joni Mitchell or Louis Prima. It may be an old bebop standard or cheeky arrangement of a 1980s hit. But these are arrangements like you’ve never heard them before—containing all the richness of a full band, but performed using just four voices. This is Cadence, Canada’s premiere vocal group. Based in Toronto, this a cappella ensemble has been wowing audiences across the country and around the world for nearly 15 years. Whether performing at sold-out jazz clubs and concert halls, at music festivals, for educational outreach, or for corporate functions, the members of Cadence bring an infectious energy and uncanny verve to every song they sing. The group’s four critically acclaimed studio albums, Cool Yule (2011), Speak Easy (2010), Twenty for One (2005), and Frost Free (2000) have won or been nominated for nume...    less

Since 2005 Rome is host city for  choirs, singers and choral music lovers at our events from all over the world. It is a special place to share the idea of coming together and find yourselves in Melodies in eternal city. Inspired by a vib...

Since 2008 we have been coming together in central London to learn and perform sea-shanties, murder ballads, protest songs, work songs, love Melodies, folkified non-folksongs, and good old knees-up tunes, from across the centuries and all over the world.

First in a series of videos for choral conductors shedding light on Elektra Women's Choir's (http://www.elektra.ca) approach to making music. Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director, takes us through two of her warmups, 1) using folk song Melodies to encourage...  moreFirst in a series of videos for choral conductors shedding light on Elektra Women's Choir's (http://www.elektra.ca) approach to making music. Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director, takes us through two of her warmups, 1) using folk song Melodies to encourage legato singing and natural phrasing and 2) "Umbrellas" to ease the top of a woman's range. Elektra's mandate is "to inspire and lead in the choral art form through excellence in performance and the creation, exploration, and celebration of women's repertoire." Your thoughts on the video? Let's start a conversation! Repertoire referenced in Episode One: Un Canadien errant, Quebec folk song, arr. Mark Sirett ( http://www.marksirett.ca ); Sheet music: Kelman Hall 04/20MMP29 (Music Plus) (http://musicpluscorp.com/KELMAN%20HALL/88/0); Audio recording available on iTunes and on "Pure Elektra" CD (http://elektra.ca/store/products/pure-elektra/ and http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/elektrawomenschoir2)  less

The Avalonian Free State Choir is an unaccompanied natural voice choir with a repertoire of songs from all around the world, including salsa vocal percussion, the awe-inspiring stillness of sacred songs from Georgia and the heartbreaking Melodies from Bulgaria.

SANCTUARY invites audiences to be immersed in an uninterrupted flow of evocative Melodies and sumptuous harmonies from Eastern Europe. This concert will invoke the rich and varied musical cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Islamic, and nature-cente...  moreSANCTUARY invites audiences to be immersed in an uninterrupted flow of evocative Melodies and sumptuous harmonies from Eastern Europe. This concert will invoke the rich and varied musical cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Islamic, and nature-centered traditions that coexist throughout the region. Kitka's program features traditional and contemporary Balkan, Slavic, and Caucasian (Georgian and Armenian) repertoire sung in more than twelve languages.  

Step into the ethereal world of Gregorian Chant with my new video called "Discover the Divine: Gregorian Chant's Sacred Harmony