Choruses

Choral singing builds musical skills in a fun, social environment. For children who also are learning an instrument, it strengthens sight-reading, ear-training, and rhythmic security. For others, it's an excellent introduction to music. And for all, it's a rich experience of creativity and self-expression.

The Music School offers a variety of choruses, including small adult ensembles, the 120-voice Songweavers chorus, and the Purple Finches children's choral program.

The Purple Finches - (Children's chorus, grades K-8) Maria Isaak, director (Download the spring 2012 registration form. Click here to register online.)

There are three sections - the Fledglings, the Fliers, and the Finches. All teach musical literacy through regular rhythm, solfege and ear-training, based on Kodaly methods. The choruses perform frequently.

The Fledglings (grades K-3) - Development of the child's natural voice and a good singing range through rounds, partner songs, folk songs, composed songs and other high-quality repertoire

The Fliers (grades 4 - 6) - Widening the vocal range and developing further harmonic and rhythmic security through work with songs in two-and three-part harmony

The Finches (grades 5 – 8) - Open by audition to students with choral experience who are ready to learn more about vocal technique and choral singing. This chorus focuses on intonation, breathing, proper vocal production, and diction skills. Performances of a wide variety of repertoire develop musical maturity and vocal confidence.

Teen Vocal Ensemble (grades 9 -12) (Download the spring 2012 registration form. Click here to register online.)

Led by Hannah Murray. Open to all, and with a focus on musical friendships, this ensemble performs a wide variety of repertoire while focusing on group vocal technique including blend, pitch, and appropriate musical style.

Songweavers - Led by Peggo Horstmann Hodes (Download the spring 2012 registration form. Click here to register online.)

Songweavers Chorus - Tuesdays at 7:30 pm. or Wednesdays at 9:30 am. for 90 minutes. Based on the belief that everyone can sing, members of this large women's chorus learn songs by rote, in the African-American tradition; music-reading skills are not a prerequisite. Songweavers rehearse in two groups (Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning) and present an annual spring concert. The repertoire includes music from many ethnic traditions. The singing is predominantly a cappella, although drums and other instruments are often used as accompaniment.

The Songweaver Drummers - Tuesdays at 6:00 pm. for 75 minutes. Led by Grace and Lindsey Schust. This ensemble explores African-style hand drumming and other percussion, including agogos (bells), shakers, and claves. The ensemble performs with the Songweavers at the annual spring concert.

Sunflower Singers- Led by Katy Gibney

Sunflower Singers brings adults with developmental disabilities and their care providers together from across central New Hampshire each week to sing familiar songs, accompanied by spontaneous harmonica and percussion playing. This joyful sing-along is free of charge, thanks to the generosity of its funders.

Other Adult Vocal Ensembles

Small ensembles open to all. Emphasis is on developing healthy vocal habits through posture, breath support, and voice placement; learning to read parts in music; blending voices in harmony through rounds and a variety of music arrangements. Repertoire includes Renaissance through modern jazz.

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Choruses