College and University: Repertoire Suggestions
Brandon Johnson
MWACDA Collegiate Choirs Coordinator
From Light to Light
J. Aaron McDermid
This four-movement work can be performed in its entirety or as individual movements, each of which can stand alone. The piece was commissioned by the National Lutheran Choir, with the text provided by Susan Cherwien. Each of the four movements, titled Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind, captures the elemental essence of its name while also evoking depth and mystery. Although, because of the extended division of singers, the work is ideally suited for a large choir, it can also be performed by smaller groups of skilled singers. If your university ensemble is looking for a piece that will captivate both your singers and your audience, I highly recommend this set of four movements.
- Earth
- Fire
- Water
- Wind
To see and listen to this piece, click here.
Come to Me
Ily Matthew Maniano
This evocative work can be easily approached by a university-level ensemble. I find that singers and audiences alike respond with overwhelming appreciation for this work. Mr. Maniano has several beautiful works of varying difficulty for you to consider. This piece while divided proves successful each time I have programmed. To see and listen to this piece, click here.
Dziediet, Meitas!
Laura Jēkabsone
This piece combines folk-like signability with stomping, clapping and some interesting staging opportunities. While not musically complex, the language complexities provide singers with an interesting mix of challenge and reward. Laura Jēkabsone has several pieces worth your consideration in various styles. A YouTube playlist with this and many other works by Ms. Jēkabsone can be found below. To see and listen to this piece, click here.
Read the article and listen to all of the pieces here!
About the author
Brandon Johnson
Award-winning teacher, scholar, and conductor Dr. Brandon Johnson is the Founder & Artistic Director of BEYOND, a choral ensemble for professional musicians, and the Director of Choral Activities at Eastern Michigan University. He is broadly recognized for his work with high school & collegiate singers and has conducted ensembles and taught masterclasses across Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Choirs under his direction have been invited to perform for multiple state and regional American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and National Association for Music Education (NAFME) conferences. He has performed in the most prestigious concert halls across the country, including Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the renowned Carnegie Hall.
He has conducted choral ensembles in every facet of the profession and takes pride in pursuing excellence in choral art to enrich and affirm musicians of all ages. Past artistic appointments include The Director of Choral Activities at Houghton College, Interim Associate Director of Choirs at the University of Michigan, the Founder and Artistic Director of the semi-professional vocal ensemble of Vox Lumine, Artistic Director of the Detroit Performing Artists, the Conductor of the Symphonic Choir at the University of Arizona, the Director of Choirs at Duluth East High School and Springfield Public Schools, and multiple sacred music appointments.
Dr. Johnson’s choral-orchestral training includes study with German conductor Helmuth Rilling and American conductors Neil Varon and Dr. Bruce Chamberlain. In addition to his work with university orchestras at EMU and Houghton, he has received invitations to conduct the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus, Buffalo Choral Artists, Continuo Arts Orchestra of New York, Michigan Sinfonietta, Oregon Bach Festival Chorus and Orchestra, Rochester Oratorio Society, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony, Cordancia, and The Southern Tier Symphony on collaborative projects.
Respected by his faculty colleagues, he has been awarded multiple teaching and artistic awards. At Eastern Michigan University, he was selected to receive the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Creative Activity Award, the highest honor the University presents to an individual faculty member. At Houghton College, he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award and was the first recipient of the first fully endowed chair at Houghton College, the Horne-Blanchard.
Scholarly and creative interests include choral composition, twenty-first-century choral program development, and the use of virtual reality technology as a tool for training.
