| Comment: Re: Holiday Suggestions for Treble/High School Women's Choir and Orchestra | Brian Holmes | May 17, 2012 |
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I have written A Christmas Lullaby, a setting of a poem of Eleanor Farjeon.
The setting is SA. (It is part of a set of twelve Farjeon settings called Come Christmas.)
You can see sample pages of the vocal score here: http://www.THOrpemusic.com/holmes01.html
I have orchestrated this piece f... |
| Community Forum Post: Cantabile Youth Chorus | Brian Holmes | May 10, 2012 |
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Cantabile Youth Singers, under Elena Sharkova and assistant
director Shane Troll, will sing a concert "Singing Outside the Box"
in Campbell, CA this Saturday May 12 and next Saturday May 19.
Full details are here: http://www.cantabile.org/
I pass the word along because they will b... |
| Comment: Re: Worldwide Winter Holidays/Festivals Literature | Brian Holmes | May 5, 2012 |
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I have written The Shortest Day. It is an unaccompanied setting for mixed
chorus of a Winter Solstice poem of Susan Cooper. This piece won the
most recent Amadeus Choir (Toronoto) Seasonal Song-writing Contest,
You can find a score and computer demo at the Composers Showcase
here on Chor... |
| Comment: Re: humorous choral music | Brian Holmes | May 4, 2012 |
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Another piece you might or might not consider is my Rabbit Skunk.
SATB and piano or SSAA and piano. The poem was written by
an elementary school student. It deals with the tribulations of
someone who summons a rabbit, only to discover that it's
a skunk. With the result one would expe... |
| Comment: Re: In Search of Varied SSATB Repertoire | Brian Holmes | May 3, 2012 |
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Bruce:
Consider my setting of e e cummings' poem when god lets my body be.
It is one of a set called 4 e e cummings songs. (The other three are SATB.)
I wrote these for the San Francisco Choral Artists, under Magen
Solomon. The set has won a couple of composition contests, and thi... |
| Comment: Re: Competition winning choral repertoire | Brian Holmes | April 30, 2012 |
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Douglas:
What an interesting idea. Here are some possibilities:
4 e e cummings songs - SATB unaccompanied (one is SSATB)
Duration ca. 9 minutes.
Won the Choral Arts Ensemble Choral Commisioning Contest (2011)
Won the Freudig Singers Composition Contest (2011)
The Cat ... |
| Comment: Re: Food Repertoire | Brian Holmes | April 27, 2012 |
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Would you care for a premier? I have composed a piece called
Ghosts' Grace. The poem, from Paul Fleischman's book Big Talk,
consists of chatter among ghosts, watching through a window
as a family shares a meal. Fleischman wrote the poem to be
recited by four voices, sometimes indepen... |
| Comment: Re: New Women's Group forming - REP? | Brian Holmes | April 27, 2012 |
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I am assuming that you will have a piano accompaniment. If so, you might consider
two pieces of mine, which have been received with particularly warmth by the
groups singing them.
Let Evening Come is a setting of a poem of Jane Kenyon. You can find the text
on line. SSAA + pia... |
| Comment: Re: Your favorite funny/amusing choral pieces for HS and adult voices? | Brian Holmes | April 21, 2012 |
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Hi Julia:
One of my pieces for women's chorus is remarkably
silly. It is called Rabbit Skunk. It was commissioned
by the Peninsula Women's Chorus. The text is by an elementary
school student:
Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit come out of your hole
Skipity scopity skipity scop skip... |
| Comment: Re: Repertoire Pertaining to Animals and the Winter Holidays? | Brian Holmes | April 17, 2012 |
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Michael:
I was going to mention Carol of the Field Mice, but Allen beat me to it.
Another piece for Christmas of mine is The Brown Birds. SATB unaccompanied; not difficult; about 1:15.
The touching poem is by Eleanor Farjeon. This won the Amadeus Choir carol writing contest
a... |
| Comment: Re: choral lyrics from children's literature | Brian Holmes | April 16, 2012 |
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Adam:
I have published two settings of poems from The Wind in the Willows
Carol of the Field Mice SA + piano or SATB unaccompanied
Available from William Thorpe
for sample pages and audio, visit http://www.thorpemusic.com/holmes01.html
The Song of Mr Toad SSA + baritone... |
| Comment: Re: Fear Not: Theme for Women's Choir | Brian Holmes | April 7, 2012 |
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Please consider my piece Let Evening Come. SSAA plus piano. 4:30. Not difficult.
The poem by Jane Kenyon suits your theme: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175711
Here is a live performance by the Peninsula Women's Chorus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHiDUREyPo0
... |
| PDF Document: The Music of the Spheres | Brian Holmes | March 28, 2012 |
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| PDF Document: The Shortest Day | Brian Holmes | March 27, 2012 |
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| PDF Document: Jolly Jankin | Brian Holmes | March 26, 2012 |
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| PDF Document: Rabbit Skunk | Brian Holmes | March 19, 2012 |
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| PDF Document: Orpheus with his lute | Brian Holmes | March 12, 2012 |
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| PDF Document: King Herod's Carol | Brian Holmes | March 11, 2012 |
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| PDF Document: when god lets my body be | Brian Holmes | March 11, 2012 |
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| Announcement: The Song of Mr. Toad | Brian Holmes | March 1, 2012 |
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Hey!
Roger Dean has just published this piece, which I wrote for Vivace Youth Chorus of San Jose, CA. It's for treble voices (SSA), baritone sax, and piano. The familiar poem is from The Wind in the Willows. The bari sax adds a lot of toadish swagger. Check it out! http://www.lorenz.... |
| Comment: Re: Closer for Community Choir 50th Anniv | Brian Holmes | December 31, 2011 |
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Sean:
Why not commission a piece for the occasion? I'd be glad to write
for your chorus. If you want someone more local, here is a link
to the web site of the Monterey County composers forum.
http://www.heartflyer.com/mccf.htm
Cheers,
Brian Holmes
horncabbage@aoal.com
... |
| Comment: Re: Looking for ideas and arrangements - Men vs. Women | Brian Holmes | December 17, 2011 |
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If your concert is in winter, I suggest my Nay, Ivy, Nay. A cappella,
frequent divisi. Duration 3:30. The medieval text (modernized) portrays
the contention between holly and ivy. But holly represents the men, and
ivy the women. Most of us who sing of "holly and ivy" are unaware of
... |
| Comment: Re: Searching for upbeat settings of texts by well-known poets | Brian Holmes | December 6, 2011 |
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I have written 4 e e cummings songs. Mixed chorus, unaccompanied.
Each is two-three minutes long. Two would be upbeat enough for your needs.
Written for the San Francisco Choral Artists (under Magen Solomon)
and premiered by them in 2009. Not in print, but they have won a
co... |
| Comment: Re: Christmas for mixed chorus and brass quintet | Brian Holmes | December 4, 2011 |
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Nathaniel:
I have composed Now is the Time, a group of original settings of various texts,
mostly medieval. It is for mixed chorus, brass quintet, and timpani. But it is
possible to forgo the timpani. Some of the numbers call for a baritone
solo. The overall set lasts fifty ... |
| Comment: Re: Holiday/Christmas for Elementary Choir | Brian Holmes | October 12, 2011 |
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Casey:
You might consider two of my pieces for SA and piano.
Carol of the Field Mice is a simple setting of a poem from
the Wind in the Willows.
A Christmas Lullaby is a slightly more challenging setting
of a poem of Eleanor Farjeon.
Both are published by William Thorpe. ... |
| Comment: Re: HELP! Decent literature for SA ensemble | Brian Holmes | October 7, 2011 |
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I have published some pieces for SA plus piano. Though written for
children's chorus, they would suit your older group.
Emily's Day
Three settings of Emily Dickinson texts.
I'm Nobody! - A Narrow Fellow in the Grass - The Cricket Sang
Hal Leonard http://www.halleonard.com/viewcl... |
| PDF Document: Christ's Birthday.pdf | Brian Holmes | September 22, 2011 |
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| PDF Document: Christ's Birthday.pdf | Brian Holmes | September 22, 2011 |
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| PDF Document: DECKTHE.PDF | Brian Holmes | September 15, 2011 |
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| PDF Document: DECKTHE.PDF | Brian Holmes | September 15, 2011 |
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| PDF Document: KingHerodSample.pdf | Brian Holmes | September 14, 2011 |
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| PDF Document: KIngHerod's.pdf | Brian Holmes | September 14, 2011 |
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| Comment: Re: Women's chorus repertoire | Brian Holmes | September 12, 2011 |
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Another superb chorus that maintains a valuable repertory list on
line is the Peninsula Women's Chorus.
http://www.pwchorus.org/repertoire.html
And let me suggest piece of mine that I wrote for them, one which
been taken up by quite a few other groups, I shall keep singing!
http:/... |
| Comment: Re: Holiday/Christmas Piece for K & 1st Gr. Children's Choir | Brian Holmes | August 31, 2011 |
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Susan, take a peek at my "Carol of the Field Mice."
Secular text from "The Wind in the Willows."
Published by William Thorpe. SA + piano.
First verse unison, second verse harmony.
http://www.thorpemusic.com/holmes01.html
Major key, repetition in text. Cool.
Cheers,
Brian Hol... |
| Comment: Re: Poetry in Music | Brian Holmes | August 3, 2011 |
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I hope you will consider Let Evening Come, my setting of Jane Kenyon's poem.
You can find the poem here: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/let-evening-come/
The piece is published by William Thorpe: http://www.thorpemusic.com/holmes01.html
A video of a performance by the Choral Project is her... |
| Comment: Re: Perfect Pitch | Brian Holmes | July 29, 2011 |
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Evidence shows that perfect pitch is more trainable than that.
At the Beijing Conservatory, over 90% of the students have absolute
pitch. This seems to be a byproduct of speaking a tonal language.
One person who has investigated this is Diana Deutsch: here is a
Radio Lab segment on this ... |
| Comment: Re: University level, but beginning SSAA repertoire | Brian Holmes | July 28, 2011 |
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Talia:
Please consider the following music I have composed.
Let Evening Come (SSAA + piano) a setting of a lovely poem of Jane Kenyon
William Thorpe (No. 392-03080)
http://www.thorpemusic.com/holmes01.html (score and audio sample of SATB version.)
Here is a... |
| Comment: Re: Music composed for Armistice Day 11/11/1918 | Brian Holmes | July 22, 2011 |
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There several choral settings of Sassoon's poem "Everyone suddenly burst out singing",
a poem which was written at the end of WWI.
Brian Holmes
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| Comment: Re: Looking for Choral Works based on late 19th-century American poets/authors | Brian Holmes | July 13, 2011 |
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I have composed Amherst Requiem for soprano, chorus, children's chorus, and
orchestra. The soprano sings poems of Emily Dickinson, while the choruses
sing the Latin missa pro defunctis. Premiered at Stanford in Nov, 2008.
Two sections, Pie Jesu and I shall keep singing!,
have been publ... |
| Comment: Re: Fanfare for the Common Man | Brian Holmes | July 11, 2011 |
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Check the Robert King Catalog
http://shopping.rkingmusic.com/index.php?cPath=2806_2842
It lists many pieces for brass choir. Many of these pieces originated
as arrangements made for the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, typically
for 4 trumpets, 1 horn, one tuba, and 4 trombones. But the RK... |
| Comment: Re: December Holidays Staged Music Work | Brian Holmes | July 8, 2011 |
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I have composed an opera called "One Shepherd Stayed Behind."
It lasts about fifty minutes, and includes some spoken dialogue.
It calls for the same vocal forces as Amahl and the Night Visitors;
but there is a solo part for a second child. It also includes a
children's chorus (singing un... |
| Comment: Re: Christmas "Star" pieces | Brian Holmes | June 29, 2011 |
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I have written REMEMBER for unaccompanied mixed chorus.
About three minutes long; not difficult. The piece is not in the
style of a carol; but the poem, by Susan Cooper, invokes memories
of the star. Premiered by the San Francisco Choral Artists
under Magen Solomon in Dec 2009. Not ... |
| Comment: Re: Quality satb music about animals | Brian Holmes | June 10, 2011 |
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I composed a setting of Yeats' "The Cat and the Moon" for
the San Francisco Choral Artists (under Magen Solomon) when
I was their composer in residence last year. Unaccompanied;
3 minutes; not difficult. Let me know if you care to receive
a score and recording.
Cheers,
Brian Ho... |
| Comment: Re: "fun" or "funny" pieces that work | Brian Holmes | June 9, 2011 |
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Lynne:
I wrote 4 e e cummings songs for the San Francisco Choral Artists, under
Magen Solomon. The four span a range of moods; but the second (hist whist)
and the fourth (Buffalo Bill's) are fun, drawing laughs at the premier performances.
(The full set has won a couple of comp... |
| Comment: Re: Looking for something other than part one of Messiah | Brian Holmes | May 13, 2011 |
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I have composed NOW IS THE TIME for baritone, chorus, brass quintet and timpani.
This consists of settings of various texts, mostly medieval. There are sixteen numbers,
lasting fifty minutes or more; but most groups have selected more limited groupings to
suit their own needs. Some of th... |
| Comment: Re: Pieces about Children | Brian Holmes | May 9, 2011 |
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I have written a piece called Rabbit Skunk which is a setting of a poem by an elementary school student.
It was commissioned by the Peninsula Women's Chorus, who also recorded it. A version for mixed
chorus and piano has enjoyed a couple of performances. Here is the poem:
Rabbit ... |
| Comment: Re: In Search of Settings of Shakespeare Texts | Brian Holmes | April 24, 2011 |
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I have composed Three Shakespeare Songs for trebles SSA, trumpet, and piano.
1. Hark, hark, the lark
2. Blow, blow thou winter wind
3. Orpheus with his lute
also Harmony of the Spheres for SATB, horn, and piano
(or SSA instead of SATB) using words from The Merchant of Venice.
... |
| Comment: Re: Singing With Cannibals | Brian Holmes | April 20, 2011 |
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I have been negotiating with a choir about a text to use for a commissioned piece. The theme: American Spring. One of the poems I proposed was rejected because the music director felt the audience might be squeamish about cannibalism.
Brian Holmes
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| Comment: Re: Breaking free! | Brian Holmes | April 11, 2011 |
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It would help a little to know how your group is organized. Does the chorus have a board
that can help you? Does the chorus have tax-exempt status? Are there other groups (such as a
summer orchestra) that might care to have a chorus join them for summer
concerts. Why has the Arts coun... |
| Comment: Re: SATB and string quartet? | Brian Holmes | March 16, 2011 |
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The San Francisco Choral Artists, under Magen Solomon, are currently doing
a season of works with string quartet accompaniment. This includes newly
commissioned works. You should contact her for suggestions. www.sfca.org
Brian Holmes
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