We recently celebrated our tenth anniversary with The Rockford Aces – and an amazing celebration it was, with nearly half of our ten years worth of alumni returning for our reunion/concert. Considering the retrospective quality, we did a lot of looking back this year with our repertoire.
The Aces endeavor to sing in as many musical styles as possible each year, with no discrimination except quality of music. In that spirit, the entire list is organized alphabetically, as in our folders (except music for Christmas, which goes at the end…) By the numbers, we had 33 2-hour rehearsals this year, plus a weekend retreat, for a total of about 75 hours of singing. They had an additional 30-ish one-hour sectionals on their own.
I’ve provided links to audio/video and the publisher information wherever available.
Ave Maria (Jacob Arcadelt)
Intermediate. We learned this for our tour of Italy in March-April, and also to perform with RAMChoir, our non-auditioned multi-generational TTBB choir. It’s on our fourth album, Get Ready!
The Awakening (Joseph M. Martin)
Intermediate. Such a great piece about the power of music to heal. We were lucky to have Aces alum Matt Vermeer back teaching in Rockford; he joined us to accompany for State Solo & Ensemble as well as for the Aces concert, where we sang it combined with the Aces Alumni for a choir of 35+. It’s on iTunes.
Advanced. Originally written for The Real Group, it’s a funky, fun 6-part that Edenroth adapted for the men’s choir Orphei Drangar. Several singers’ favorite piece this year. We recorded it on Get Ready!
Intermediate. We commissioned and premiered this fun arrangement in 2013, and performed it at the World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia. It’s fun to sing and sits so well in men’s voices, and appears on our third album, sing…be…live…see…
Hallelujah For The Day (Andrea Ramsey)
Primary. We learned this specifically with RAMChoir. Excellent three-part writing, fun piano and djembe part, and feel-good message from Andrea. Lots of fun to sing.
In Girum Imus Nocte – MANUSCRIPT (Anders Edenroth)
Advanced. This five part + solo piece is a remarkable setting of a Latin palindromic riddle. Some days my favorite part is the bass rhythmic pedal under changing harmonies above, and sometimes it is the nearly-two-octave melody that visits 11/12 chromatic notes (no D). In any case, it’s devilishly hard and remarkably crafted. It will be on our fifth album – we recorded it this spring.
Primary/Intermediate. An a cappella standard.
Indodana (Traditional IsiXhosa, Arr. Barrett & Schmidt)
One of the favorite moments of our musical year for some singers was when we concluded our ACDA Michigan Conference performance with Indodana, only to be joined by the Eastern Michigan University Choir about 1 1/2 minutes into the piece. We sang the rest of the piece together as we literally passed the stage off to them.
Intermediate. The Aces sing this faithful transcription every year.
May (Francis Ledwidge, Michael McGlynn) [
Video]
Advanced. The Aces commissioned and premiered this piece in 2015, so it was an important part of this retrospective season. Without the stress of the World Premiere, the Aces settled in much more quickly and made the piece sing. It is on Get Ready!
Intermediate. You can read all about this piece
here. It was a favorite to sing and will remain a piece I turn to when programming. It’s been recorded for
Get Ready! Primary. We learned this for our tour of Italy and also to perform with RAMChoir. It’s lots of fun! I taught this to the Aces mostly by rote, only putting music in their hands after they could sing most of the piece.
Runaround Sue – MANUSCRIPT (Maresca & DiMucci, Arr. Jed Scott) [
Video]
Intermediate. Recorded on sing…be…live…see…., a setting of the great Dion pop tune of 1961, with a few interpolations from Justin Bieber. Fun to sing and always brings the house down.
Stand By Me – MANUSCRIPT (Ben E. King, Arr. Jed Scott)
Intermediate. We always close our concerts with this Ben E. King standard, with our alums joining us onstage.
Intermediate. With The Force Awakens coming out last December, I couldn’t resist programming this fun tribute to John Williams. It contains about a half-dozen iconic John Williams film melodies, set with words from the original Star Wars. It’s fun, hilarious, and gives young men the chance to wield light sabers onstage. What’s not to like? (the manuscript is a bit of an amateur notation, so proceed with caution).
Through The Years – MANUSCRIPT (Arr. Gene Puerling)
Advanced. The title of our ACDA-Michigan program, this beautiful setting of the jazz standard was probably the core of our group’s musical soul this year. They made a lovely studio recording this spring for our next album.
Two Coins – MANUSCRIPT (Dispatch, Arr. The Friars)
Primary. A mellow pop tune transcribed long ago from a U of M Friars album. Fun to sing and easy to learn.
What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor (English Sea Shanty, Arr. Parker-Shaw)
Intermediate-Advanced. A classic of the repertoire and so fun to sing. We added a few minor staging elements. Will appear on our next album.
What Wondrous Love – MANUSCRIPT (Sacred Harp, Adapted Jed Scott)
Intermediate. Adapted from the original Southern Harmony, this piece is straightforward to learn and allows the singers to get inside the Sacred Harp style – really opening up their voices and listening for interval tuning.
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Christmas Medley – MANUSCRIPT (Various, Arr. Richard Gregory – Manuscript) [
Video]
Advanced. An arrangement I wish I had written.
Intermediate. It’s a fun 12/8 doo-wop style with fun harmonies. Easier to sing than the notation makes it look.