Rhythmic and engaging, the sentiment "it takes a village to raise a child" is expressed in a traditional Swahili (Kijita) text along with sections of English text. Detailed performance notes are also included regarding the pronunciation and setup of the piece. Short solos and small ensembles are interspersed with energetic choral singing to mirror the role of the village calling out to the children. Percussion parts are included, along with an option to include a children's choir to create a truly multigenerational ensemble for a striking interpretation of the message.
In Praise of the Village
Updated
Anthem Information
Composer
Publisher
Season
Voicing
Year Published
Ordering Information
Catalog No.
CGA1520
Editor review
1 review
In Praise of the Village
Overall rating
5.0
Choral Integrity
5.0
Textual Quality
5.0
Teachability
5.0
Audience Response
5.0
As the publisher's summary states, there are excellent performance notes with suggested details in front of the printed piece for directors, and they are highly recommended. This is a composed piece, not a folk melody, but it is in the style of world music so many directors are including in concerts over the past decade or so.
It begins with soloists layering the parts and as the sections enter, then it becomes a fully SATB choral piece supported by well-written percussion parts for accessible to skilled djembe and shekere players. Substitute instrument options are also spelled out in the performance notes.
It begins with soloists layering the parts and as the sections enter, then it becomes a fully SATB choral piece supported by well-written percussion parts for accessible to skilled djembe and shekere players. Substitute instrument options are also spelled out in the performance notes.
The Bottom Line
Pros
An excellent piece written in the style of the world music so popular for the last few years.
SP
Sandi Parks
1 reviews
User reviews
There are no user reviews for this listing.
