There is a set of repertoire that is considered “standard.” But choral educators are all too often left to learn these works on their own, with little guidance other than their own acquired taste. Though some undergraduate programs do require or offer a course on choral repertoire appropriate for the school setting, most address it sporadically, with smatterings in choral methods courses, ensembles, and conducting classes. Many teachers are left to learn the core repertoire “on the job.”
This issue’s column is the first in a continuing series that will list some mainstays of the choral repertory. Space does not allow me to get to all of them, certainly, but this will serve as an introduction for the young teacher