3. Choose music that will demonstrate the best qualities of the ensemble and minimize the weaker points. If your tenors are a weak section, try to choose music with tenor parts that are not demanding. If the soprano section is strident in the upper range, try to avoid pieces that have a high soprano tessitura. Avoid music that requires your weakest voices to sing any exposed passages.
4. The range of the parts is always an important consideration, but it is especially important in the selection of contest music. Each part must be carefully examined to be sure that it presents no problems for any of the sections of the specific choir under consideration. As a director you may feel more inclined to ignore a few range problems in order to perform some literature in concert that you feel to be of educational value. In contest literature, however, one cannot ignore any range problems. If the piece you are considering contains any problems in the area of range, it is better to look elsewhere rather than hazard the success of the ensemble.
A word regarding the transposition of music may be in order at this point. Directors should not be afraid to transpose a piece to a more suitable key for a specific ensemble. Usually transposition is a consideration given to music written before the twentieth century. It should be remembered that many
editions have already been transposed and that further transposition will not defile an early composer's name. One must be cautious, however, when transposing to cure the range of one part, that the transposition does not create problems in another part. When transposing, it is best to include a note on the music to that effect for the judge's benefit. However, be certain the contest rules allow for key transposition.
5. With groups of limited experience it is best to avoid pieces that divide parts to a large extent. In fact, a conservative approach is best with an experienced ensemble also. There are many fine choral works that require only four parts, or divide only occasionally. One should not assume that because a piece has divided parts it is necessarily better or will impress a judge. The judge will be impressed only by the quality of the performance.
6. The length of the work should be another consideration in the selection of contest repertoire. Usually a time limit is included in the contest rules. Do not assume that all of the time must be used. Most contest rules allow large ensembles to perform more than one piece. In fact some state rules require it. It is better to use two selections of a contrasting nature than to use one longer work. Longer works require a continuity that may be difficult to achieve with young performers who are performing under an unusually large amount of pressure. Two shorter works give the ensemble an opportunity to achieve musical clarity and demonstrate the musical style in a short space of time.
It is also easier to achieve a contrast musically when using two works. You can select works that contrast, such as:
A. One sacred and one secular piece
B. One Renaissance and one twentieth-century piece
C. Two works in contrasting tempos
D. One work in a foreign language and one in English
7. Foreign language departments that include several languages do not exist in mostly high schools. However, there are usually faculty who speak other languages and can serve as a resource for the choral director. If a director would like to do one or more works in a foreign language, it would be easiest to choose one that is presently being taught in the school. This is particularly true in cases where students have not previously performed works in other languages. The students will be familiar with the foreign language before it is presented to the ensemble. The director also has the foreign language teacher available as a consultant if he has not studied that language. If a director decides to perform a piece in a foreign language at contest, he should be doubly sure that he knows exactly how the text is pronounced. Latin, since it is not taught as a living, currently spoken language is not assume to be a foreign language. Because of its history in choral music there are many resources for correct liturgical Latin pronunciation for choral singing. Regarding other spoken foreign languages, judges seem to have less patience with ensembles that pronounce a foreign language badly than they do with poor English diction. Usually a judge assumes that if the group cannot pronounce the foreign language correctly, the work could have been done in English.
Latin pronunciation is improving with choral groups, but some flagrant violations still occur in concert and contest groups. There is no reason for the poor singing of Latin that does occur. The fault can obviously be placed directly on the individual conductor, whose responsibility is to determine the correct pronunciation. Many resources are available to consult regarding liturgical Latin pronunciation in choral singing.
8. The final rehearsals for a contest are similar to those for a concert, except that the ensemble will probably be performing far less repertoire for the contest performance. This can be an advantage if handled properly. One can polish several pieces in the last few rehearsals and not have to be concerned with the pacing of an entire program. It does have the disadvantage
of offering so much repetition to young singers that they tire of rehearsing the music. It can become difficult to achieve the spontaneity that is desirable in a live performance. Often contest ensembles can sound mechanical if the conductor has not allowed the music to rise above the rather mechanical functions of tuning, precision, etc. The information in chapter ten should be applied to the final rehearsals before contest.
Some of the information that specifically applies to small ensembles is also applicable to larger ensembles. Some of the previous suggestions for choirs also apply to the small ensemble.