ICB April 2014: Composition for Children's and Youth Choirs by Alberto Grau

This article appears published in the International Choral Bulletin, Volume XXXIII, Number 2 - 2nd Quarter, 2014. Rights Reserved International Federation for Choral Music. The text is an excerpt from the book 'The Forging of a Conductor' by Alberto Grau.

Alberto Grau

Composer, choral conductor, former IFCM Vice-President

Music, the universal language of creation and communication, is one of the basic tools used to develop skills during the teaching and learning process. Experts have stressed the positive influence a child’s musical training has on shaping personality, in encouraging the child’s capacity for teamwork, communication, concentration, discipline and self-esteem. An additional benefit of incorporating music studies within the formal educational system is an improved disposition for logical thinking and performance in scientific areas. Hence, the aim is to reintegrate choral music into the process of social development as one of the most suitable ways of enjoying its potential in developing creativity. The child or young person will learn to love music as they practise a pleasant group activity in place of long periods of academic study.

In all compositions by conductors of music for children and young people, much attention should be paid to the interpretation of the text and its details of character, nuances, dynamic changes, tempo, or accents; its richness is provided through the use of new elements of language and musical notation, uncommon in contemporary children’s choral repertoire.

We can say that there are two possibilities for undertaking a composition or arrangement. The first is to know for certain the characteristics of a specific choral group for whom the work or arrangement is being composed. The second is to write for a general kind of choral group.

When undertaking a choral arrangement or composition, the author must take the level of the group into account, in terms of both theoretical knowledge and the performance ability of group members. The limitations of the range of voices in the choir require composers and arrangers to sharpen their techniques in order to achieve original music. The employment of devices such as contrasts, dissonance, changes in tempo, irregular strains, eurhythmics and choreography enrich the choral arrangements or compositions, thus making them more interesting, beautiful and original.

Some simple rules, which can aid the work of the conductor, can be followed to create arrangements and compositions for children and young people, such as:

• Understanding the difficulties that these small young singers are able to overcome.
• Thinking about enjoyable, original and lively elements which can be added to the compositions, such as eurhythmic or choreographic effects. These can be used to complement the musical piece, and, as such, broaden its artistic, social and spiritual benefits.

It would be useful for the future conductor, with good theoretical-musical knowledge, to use this simple method, and also, if possible, to work with an experienced teacher who can provide some assistance through its knowledge and suggestions.

Other considerations are related to the musical material. Sometimes, the music can be arranged or composed around a popular or newly composed theme. This results in a new arrangement or creation, through transforming and adapting the characteristics of the original piece to fit different requirements.

It is sometimes easy to distinguish and classify a work as an arrangement. In other cases, if the artistic creation has been expanded and developed, and if the music introduces different elements, for example, if it uses the original melodic-poetic motif but then introduces new themes, turns and variations, modifying and transforming most notably the main idea of the piece, then the arrangement could be categorised as a composition. It is at the discretion of the musician making the new creation as to whether to put it in one category or another.

A composition or arrangement, in order to be effective, must be modified at some point, depending on the how the choir is made up and on its musical and vocal abilities. It is always good to rely on leaders (directors with advanced knowledge of composition) who can modify, if required, using good musical judgement, any defects in the writing or notation found in the score. For example, the projection of bass notes is difficult and requires slow formations given that low frequencies are ineffective in flexible musical pieces. This is especially evident when young singers have not yet developed the full potential of their voices in these registers. If the main column or singing voice is in a low pitch, care must be taken to not fill the highest sound region with many long articulations so as not to interfere with the dominant melody and to facilitate understanding of the main discourse.

Projection in high-pitched voices, on the contrary, is provided through passages of rapid and intense articulations. It is better in some cases to transfer the lines of the song to higher positions. This can happen within one choral group, where, by changing members from one section to another, the sound of the choir and its balance may be altered. It is therefore acceptable to balance the arrangement using resources such as chord inversions, re-enforcing the lines of the song with the additional voices of members belonging to other sections, etc.

Nevertheless, choral groups with apparently similar qualities may present differences in vocal quality, in sound balance and in their skills of learning and interpretation. On some occasions, the work of the musical conductor is similar to a good tailor, who must fashion an outfit to fit the client’s measurements.

Composition

General considerations:

• Identify the nature of the choir, in terms of the age and previous experience of the group:

          a. Children or young people with no musical or vocal knowledge.

          b. Children or young people with musical and vocal training and experience.

Steps to follow:

1. Choose a suitable composition for the group of children or young people.
2. Text-rhythm: Some preliminary work on text-rhythm must be carried out, before thinking about the melodic-harmonic aspect.

• The poetry must be repeated with music a number of times in order to find different rhythmic combinations which can then be used in the composition.
• The poem must be re-read numerous times with the aim of finding formulas, syllables or onomatopoeia in the poem.
• Once the rhythmic material has been selected, work can begin on practising different eurhythmics or choreographic formulas which are suitable for the future composition.

Arrangements

Steps to follow:

1. Study and clear knowledge on the part of the director of the characteristics of the song chosen for the arrangement.
2. Research on rhythmic effects and combinations which can be adapted to the chosen song, and on possible eurhythmics and choreographic formulas.

Every day, we see groups of young people or children moving closer to an all-round performance, transforming the static choir into a group without inhibitions in interpreting and performing the music. These artistic-musical groups on many occasions experiment with convincing formulas where body language unites with song, producing better artistic results.

Translated from the Spanish by Jennifer Callaghan, UK

Edited by Gillian Forlivesi Heywood, Italy

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alberto Grau (1937), distinguished composer and maestro, has won a place of honour among the greatest Venezuelan contemporary musicians. Known for his career as a Choir Director, Alberto Grau has become one of the leading figures in choral composition in Latin America, and many of his works have been published by Earthsongs (USA), Oxford University Press (England); A Coeur Joie (France), Kjos Music (USA) and GGM Editores (Venezuela). In 1967 he founded the Schola Cantorum de Caracas and won First Prize in the Guido D’Arezzo International Competition in 1974 in Italy. Since then, he has been invited to many important conferences and festivals with his ensembles and as a guest as a director. He is the founding director of the Schola Cantorum de Venezuela, the Orfeón Universitario Simón Bolívar and the Coral Ave Fenix, and he is a member of the Board of Directors of the State Foundation for Child and Youth Orchestras of Venezuela.

He is an adviser and resident composer on the Pequeños Cantores Program at the Schola Cantorum de Venezuela Foundation and on the CAF Program of Social Action for Music. Email: graudolcet@hotmail.com