PROGRAMMING RESOURCES
This section is meant to guide choral leaders, conductors, and music educators in their search for repertoire that highlights the works of historically under-represented composers and from beyond the traditional Western canon.
Here you will find choral series, publishing companies, composers to check out & more!
Choral Series/Publishing Companies
Border CrosSing - Graphite Publishing
"Border CrosSing envisions a fundamental change in classical music culture, so that every concert, every audience, and the artists on stage truly reflect the cultural reality in which we live."
ComposeLikeaGirl - Graphite Publishing
This series, seeks to empower composers who identify as women through mentorship, editorial direction, publication, and promotion. ComposeLikeAGirl titles are selected by Jocelyn Hagen. Composers in the series receive a 50% royalty on the sale of each copy.
Derrick Fox Choral Series - MusicSpoke
"The Derrick Fox Choral Series on MusicSpoke is rooted in the belief that representation matters. This series is intended to be a resource for those looking to create diverse musical programs that include music by and about people from marginalized and/or minoritized population." The hope is that with this series, students are able to see themselves represented and respected in choral spaces and in the music they sing, as well as learn about the experiences from outside their communities.
Dozan World is a publishing company that uplifts the voices from within the Levantine music community. Dozan World works to celebrate and share the voices and stories of Arabic folklore and modern choral music through compositions, arrangements, recordings, and publishing.
Legato Music is a digital music distributor based in Alberta, Canada with focus on allowing the composer/arranger keep the majority of the profits from their work. Legato Music distributes music for piano, choirs, chamber instrumental ensembles, and concert/wind bands.
Based in Singapore, MuzikSEA, is the first fully digital publisher and distributor of choral music from Southeast Asia. MuzikSEA works to promote the works of Southeast Asian choral composers and advocate for the region in which the music originates and "its associated literature, knowledge, expertise and cultural heritage."
Kokopelli Choral Series - Legato Music
Korora Choirs' (formerly Kokopelli) choral series, sell arrangements that have been taught by their sister choirs in southern Africa, with their support and permission. Proceeds from this series go back to support the choir in which the arrangement originated. For more information regarding this series and their African Projects Fund, Click Here!
Soweto Gospel Choir Choral Series - MusicSpoke
The Soweto Gospel Choir Choral Series includes pieces popularly performed by the Soweto Gospel Choir (South African Gospel Music). Each piece includes audio/video recording, pronunciation/performance instructions/guides, as well as how to purchase this music. It should be noted that a significant portion of South African music is largely created and taught by rote and conductors should consult culture bearers when teaching music of this style.
Tracy Wong Series - Graphite Publishing
The Tracy Wong Series allows for the exploration of choral music through the celebration of various communities and collaborations. All compositions/arrangements include resources (rehearsal/learning tracks, pronunciation guides, etc.), directly from the composers/arrangers and the communities in which they originate from. A portion of income from this series goes towards providing professional development for Malaysian choral educators, or to financially support a Malaysian choral organization.
VocalEssence Music Press - Graphite Publishing
VocalEssence Music Press centers the works of emerging composers as a way to provide a platform for choirs to access their works.
Highlight Resource: VocalEssence ¡Cantaré! Mexican composers wrote these compositions for the Minnesota choral community (schools, universities, and community choirs) as a way to teach Spanish and the Indigenous languages of Mexico. Included with each composition are music resource guides for educators to use in tandem while teaching.
Walton Music - GIA Publishing
Walton Music, offers choral music from around the world providing varied perspectives. Walton Music includes the choral works of BIPOC and Female/Gender-Non Conforming composers, as well as music with topics of social justice and from around the world.
Composers to check out!
* = Indicates Canadian Composer
Songbooks/Collections
Inuit Inngiusingit: A Collection of Inuit Choral Music I, Mary Piercey-Lewis
Inuit Inngiusingit: A Collection of Inuit Choral Music II, Mary Piercey-Lewis
Justice Songbook, Justice Choir
List of Pieces to Be Reconsidered or Removed, Kelsey Gamza
Social Justice Pieces for Choir, MusicSpoke
Songs with a Questionable Past, Lauren McDougle
The Oxford Book of Choral Music by Black Composers, Marques L.A. Garett