High School Concert Choir

Full-Year Curriculum
Abby Helt
 Table of Contents
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS ................................................................................................... 3

PERFORMANCE #1 – FALL CONCERT ................................................................................................. 4

REPERTOIRE ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

SKILLS AND ELEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 4

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................................... 4

SAMPLE LESSON PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 5

PERFORMANCE #2 – WINTER CONCERT ............................................................................................ 6

REPERTOIRE ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

SKILLS AND ELEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 6

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................................... 6

SAMPLE LESSON PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 7

PERFORMANCE #3 – CONTEST .......................................................................................................... 8

REPERTOIRE ......................................................................................................................................................... 8

SKILLS AND ELEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 8

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................................... 8

SAMPLE LESSON PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 9

PERFORMANCE #4 – SPRING CONCERT ........................................................................................... 10

REPERTOIRE ....................................................................................................................................................... 10

SKILLS AND ELEMENTS ....................................................................................................................................... 10

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................... 10

SAMPLE LESSON PLAN ....................................................................................................................................... 11

ASSESSMENTS................................................................................................................................... 12

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COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS
Concert Choir is our top auditioned choir, comprised of sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses.
Singers will be exposed to a variety of musical styles that will develop their musicianship and
expand their knowledge. Students will experience an engaging environment for making music
and creative expression through singings. All members of Concert Choir will work to be good
citizens within the classroom and in society by accepting and understanding their fellow singers
and appreciating the diverse cultures explored through the repertoire.

Students will:
o Identify elements of music, including rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, timbre, form,
and musical expression
o National Standards: 5,6,7
o Develop an appreciation of various styles of music
o National Standards: 8,9
o Develop sight singing skills and a basic understanding of music theory
o National Standards: 1,2,5
o Compose or arrange short passages of music within specified guidelines
o National Standards: 3,4,5
o Nurture creativity through expressing thoughts, ideas, and emotions through musical
means
o National Standard: 8
o Listen to, analyze, and describe music using proper musical terminology
o National Standards: 6,7
o Demonstrate good posture, breath control, articulation, enunciation, and vowel
production
o Perform a large and diverse repertoire of vocal literature, including some pieces from
memory
o National Standards: 1,2,5
o Sing a cappella and accompanied by various instruments
o National Standards: 1,2,5
o Demonstrate requirements for an ensemble singer, including proper rehearsal and
concert behavior, part preparation, and responsibility to the section
o Describe music in relation to history and culture
o National Standards: 8,9

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PERFORMANCE #1 – FALL CONCERT

REPERTOIRE o Harmony
o Consonance
o Dissonance
Good Night, Dear Heart
o Texture
Dan Forrest
o Monophony
o Homophony
Dúlamán
o Polyphony
arr. Rollo Fisher
o Timbre
o Form
Omnia Sol
o Through-composed
Z. Randall Stroope
o Strophic
o Musical Expression
Unclouded Day
o Dynamic contrast
arr. Shawn Kirchner
o Articulation
o Styles/Genres
SKILLS AND ELEMENTS o Secular
o Dance
o Rhythm o Folk Song
o Duple meter o Historical Periods
o Quadruple meter o Modern
o Melody o Cultures
o Conjunct o Irish

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

In the first concert of the year, emphasis will be placed on text importance. With texts in
English, Latin, and Irish, students should understand what they are singing and be able express
musically those ideas. Within these four pieces, there are a wide variety of emotions presented.
Good Night, Dear Heart is somber, frequently performed in memorial occasions. Dúlamán is an
Irish folk love song with a dance-like feeling. Finishing with Omnia Sol, a warm song addressing
the human need to express words of love, and Unclouded Day, a 19th century gospel hymn, will
leave audience members in a joyful mood.

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PERFORMANCE #1 – FALL CONCERT
SAMPLE LESSON PLAN
Omnia Sol

OBJECTIVE
Students will analyze the text and musical elements of Omnia Sol and describe how those
elements help communicate what the text is saying.

MATERIALS
Omnia Sol - music
Omnia Sol - recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MZdTIy7qQE

SEQUENCE
1. Students listen to recording of Omnia Sol while following along in their music. Ask
students to take notes on the musical elements present in the piece
a. Rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, etc.
2. Students discuss ideas with their sections
3. Full class discussion
a. At least one idea shared from each section
4. Students listen to recording again, paying specific attention to the text. Have students
mark in their music places where the music expresses what the text is saying
a. Be prepared to share why
5. Discuss ideas in sections
6. Full class discussion
a. At least one idea shared from each section
7. Ask students how the musical elements help to communicate the ideas the text is
expressing in the music
a. Full class discussion

ASSESSMENT
In-class discussion
Section and full class discussions. Each section stays on task with multiple students
contributing. Each section shares at least one idea in full class discussion.
Music checks
Students are marking answers in music with pencil

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PERFORMANCE #2 – WINTER CONCERT

REPERTOIRE o Consonance
o Dissonance
Glow o Texture
Eric Whitacre o Homophony
o Heterophony
Deck the Halls in 7/8 o Polyphony
arr. James McKelvy o Timbre
o Form
O Nata Lux o Strophic
Morten Lauridson o Binary
o Through-composed
Betelehemu o Musical Expression
Trans. Jonathan Crutchfield o Dynamic contrast
o Articulation
SKILLS AND ELEMENTS o Styles/Genres
o Folk song
o Traditional carol
o Rhythm
o Classical
o Duple meter
o Chant
o Mixed meters
o Historical Periods
o Melody
o Modern
o Conjunct
o Cultures
o Disjunct
o West African
o Harmony

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

For the Winter Concert, our choir will be focusing on rhythm. Starting off with Glow, students
will need to pay attention to the mixed meter used and work on the various entrances among
the parts. With Deck the Halls in 7/8, students will sing a popular carol in a different time
signature, focusing on making the change noticeable to the audience. With chantlike
movement, O Nata Lux will help students learn to keep a steady beat going without rushing or
dragging. Betelehemu will also help students learn how to feel the beat and keep time internally
without rushing or dragging within cut time. Students will also learn the percussion part for
Betelehemu and can choose to audition to play percussion during the concert.

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PERFORMANCE #2 – WINTER CONCERT
SAMPLE LESSON PLAN
Deck the Halls in 7/8

OBJECTIVE
Students will analyze 7/8 meter and identify the subdivision group pattern of each measure.

MATERIALS
Deck the Halls - music
Handout on 7/8 meter explaining subdivision groupings

SEQUENCE
1. Pass out handout notes on 7/8 meter
2. Explain to students the different subdivision groupings
a. 2+2+3
b. 2+3+2
c. 3+2+2
3. Give examples in music where these groupings occur
a. 2+2+3 - m.3
b. 3+2+2 - m.1
4. Students work alone or with a partner to figure out subdivision groupings of every
measure in Deck the Halls in 7/8
5. Full class discussion on what each measure is
a. Each student has to answer at least one measure

ASSESSMENT
In-class discussion
Full class discussion and partner work. Each pair stays on task with everyone
contributing. Each student shares at least one answer in full class discussion.
Music checks
Students have written in pencil subdivision groupings for each measure

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PERFORMANCE #3 – CONTEST

REPERTOIRE o Consonance
o Dissonance
If Music Be the Food of Love o Texture
David Dickau o Homophony
o Polyphony
Set Me as a Seal o Timbre
Rene Clausen o Form
o Ternary
Ubi Caritas o Through-composed
Ola Gjeilo o Musical Expression
o Dynamic contrast
SKILLS AND ELEMENTS o Styles/Genres
o Classical
o Chant
o Rhythm
o Sacred
o Duple meter
o Secular
o Triple meter
o Historical Periods
o Syncopation
o Modern
o Melody
o Romantic
o Conjunct
o Cultures
o Harmony

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

For Contest, we will be performing classic choral pieces that fall under the theme of Love. Each
of these pieces takes fairly common texts but sets them in different ways. If Music Be the Food
of Love takes text from Henry Heveningham (1651-1700) and sets it in a Romantic-era style. Set
Me as a Seal takes its text from the Song of Solomon and sets it in an a cappella chorale style.
Ola Gjeilo’s Ubi Caritas takes the common Latin text and inspiration from the Gregorian chant
tradition to create this chant-style piece. Students will learn from these different styles by
singing these popular choral pieces and become more well-rounded choral singers.

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PERFORMANCE #3 – CONTEST
SAMPLE LESSON PLAN
Set Me as a Seal

OBJECTIVE
Students will analyze Set Me as a Seal and describe the growth and decay of the texture and
dynamics as the piece progresses.

MATERIALS
Set Me as a Seal - music

SEQUENCE
1. (To be done after piece is mostly learned)
2. Students sing through whole piece while being conducted
a. indicate dynamic and textural growth and decay in conducting
3. Show examples in music of dynamic and textural growth and decay
a. m.1 starting in unison and gradually becoming thicker in texture
b. m.9 moving parts vs. held notes
c. m.27 close position D major chord growing to more spread-out chords
d. addition of S1/2, A1/2, T1/2, B1/2 notes - various measures
4. Ask students to work in their sections and find and take notes of other places in the
music where texture or dynamics are expanded and/or lessened
a. “Where is the texture the thickest/thinnest?”
b. “Where is the dynamics the loudest/softest?”
c. “Where do you think is the ‘high point’ of the piece?”
5. Full class discussion on the growth and decay of the piece
a. Each section contributes ideas
6. Students sing through whole piece again while being conducted, making sure to express
the growth and decay

ASSESSMENT
In-class discussion
Section and full class discussion. Students discuss and take notes in sections, making
sure to answer the questions asked. Each section contributes to full class discussion.
Students apply what they talked about when singing the piece a second time.
Performance
Students perform the piece applying what they discussed.

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PERFORMANCE #4 – SPRING CONCERT

REPERTOIRE o Conjunct
o Disjunct
Cantate Domino o Harmony
Giuseppe Pitoni o Consonance
o Dissonance
A Cappella Overtures o Texture
arr. Andy Beck o Homophony
o Heterophony
Five Hebrew Love Songs o Polyphony
1. Temuná (A Picture) o Timbre
2. Kalá Kallá (Light Bride) o Form
3. Laróv (Mostly) o Through-composed
4. Ézye shéleg! (What Snow!) o Musical Expression
5. Rakút (Tenderness) o Dynamic contrast
Eric Whitacre o Articulation
o Styles/Genres
Baba Yetu o Sacred
Chris Kiagiri & Christopher Tin o Motet
o A Cappella
SKILLS AND ELEMENTS o Traditional
o Historical Periods
o Baroque
o Rhythm
o Classical
o Duple meter
o Modern
o Triple meter
o Cultures
o Hemiola
o Hebrew
o Melody
o Swahili

RATIONALE/SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

For our final concert of the year, students will be focusing on musical expression through a wide
variety of pieces. Starting in the Baroque Period with Cantate Domino, students will sing in
polyphonic and homophonic textures, paying special attention to the dynamic contrasts
marked in the music. A Cappella Overtures arranges overtures from several operas composed in
the Classical period by composers such as Beethoven, Rossini, J. Strauss, and Mozart in an a
cappella setting. Students will demonstrate the character contrasts involved with this piece of
music. In Five Hebrew Love Songs, students will express the feelings communicated by the text
through the contrast of the five movements. Through Baba Yetu, students will express a Swahili
translation of “The Lord’s Prayer” with the challenging rhythms and interjecting lines. Included
in these pieces are multiple percussion parts that students will learn and audition for.

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PERFORMANCE #4 – SPRING CONCERT
SAMPLE LESSON PLAN
A Cappella Overtures

OBJECTIVE
Students will research and present on Classical era operas and composers included in A
Cappella Overtures.

MATERIALS
Student presentation tools
Computer/projector
Internet

SEQUENCE
1. Assign students to 6 groups and assign operas
a. Beethoven’s Fidelio
b. Rossini’s Barber of Seville
c. Strauss’s Die Fledermaus
d. Mozart’s Magic Flute
e. Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro
f. Rossini’s William Tell
2. Students work on presentation about opera
a. Must include:
i. Brief bio on composer including dates
ii. Brief synopsis of opera
iii. Visuals
3. If time, present projects; if not, present next class

ASSESSMENT
Presentations
Group presentations on operas. Presentations include all requirements: bio on
composer, synopsis of opera, and visuals of some kind.

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ASSESSMENTS
RECORDINGS
Audio and video recordings are very beneficial to both solo singers and members of an
ensemble. They give the teacher an idea of how the student is progressing and the student is
able to listen to themselves and learn what they need to work on. Students should use these
recordings while they practice for their own benefit and for recording assignments to turn in.

REFLECTIONS
Students should write a weekly reflection based on rehearsal that week, personal practice, and
recordings. These can be written or typed and turned in by the end of class on Fridays.

MUSIC CHECKS
At various points in the year, music will be checked for written notes – MUST USE PENCIL.
Examples of music checks include measure numbers, solfege, and notes taken during rehearsal.
These will help ensure that students are paying attention during rehearsal and marking changes
the director makes.

SINGING TESTS
Students will complete several singing tests during the course of the year. These include both
solo and small group checks. These ensure that each student is learning their part and hold
them accountable as members of the ensemble.

IN-CLASS DISCUSSIONS
Student participation is a significant portion of Concert Choir. There will be many opportunities
for partner, sectional, and full group discussions over musical elements, text, and other
concepts taught in choir.

PRESENTATIONS
Over the course of the year, there will be a few group presentations assigned. Students will be
required to work as a group to research and present on their topic. These presentations give
students the opportunity to become “experts” on their topic and teach the class.

PERFORMANCES
There will be three concerts during the year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and Contest that Concert
Choir will perform at. These performances are mandatory for everyone, except for extenuating
circumstances.

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