Goodbye Love offered here at ChoirMix, is an innovative arrangement of Ken Kraintz’s famous ballad. This tune was a mainstay of the early jazz choirs and had become a favorite with all types of vocal ensembles over the years. It has been translated into several languages and has been recorded all over the world.  We often hear from choir directors that remember singing this tune themselves as a part of a high school or collegiate group. It will no doubt bring back many memories.

Ken has added a piano part to enhance the haunting melody that has endured for decades. This will be a favorite with your groups and audiences alike.  

Type of ensemble needed: The voicing on this piece needs all three parts to make it sound properly. Melody is carried by the soprano line and supported by the alto and baritone lines.

Technique teaching points: The phrases are quite long, so proper breath support and a legato feel are required to make the piece come alive.

Story line: The lyric line describes the loss of a relationship of some kind. There was an expectation of something that would last, but it has come to an end.

Program placement: This is a stand alone piece that can be featured as a focus point in the middle of your program. It is more of a contemplative piece and not usually used as the opening or closing to a program.

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * Soprano MP3  * Alto MP3* Baritone MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3

The Winds of Africa is a great production piece to feature all of your choirs as it is easily accessible for most voices. The open harmonies and haunting melodic line provide an outstanding base for a mass choir selection. 

The lyric line is simple and speaks of the never ending winds of Africa.  This would  be a great opportunity to include an improvised African drum part.  You could also use various shakers or castanets to add some flare.  The tune lends itself well to individualized expression and we would encourage you to "make it your own!"

The piano accompaniment part is challenging and adds a special spice to the ensemble. This would create an excellent opportunity for either a student piano player to showcase their talent, if not a teacher or parent. As always the pre-recorded version can be used in absence of a piano player. 

In terms of tempo, this is really up to you.  If you are using a piano player, you could speed the song up or slow it down depending the mood you want to set.  We've heard it both ways!

Type of ensemble:  Voicing is SAB and depends on all three parts to make it sound properly. The baritone part is copying the melody much of the time so it’s quite easy.

Technique teaching points: Sections of the song go from smooth legato lines to powerful accented phrases so there is a wide variety tonal techniques to cover.

Story line:  The lyrics refer to a broad overview of Africa with it’s majestic and mysterious winds that continually sweep over the continent and it’s people.

Program placement:  This would be an excellent piece to close your concert. It could also be a selection to have all your choirs learn and have a mass production at the end. It would be easy to add percussion parts to enhance the effect of the total performance.

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * Soprano MP3  * Alto MP3* Baritone MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3

More Than A Hero will add a special, sensitive touch to any of your upcoming concerts. The message is heartfelt and speaks of friendship and the positive belief in other people. A mellow piano accompaniment adds a great deal to the feel and flow of this piece.

Type of ensemble: This mixed-voice ensemble gives your boys a chance to really shine as they double the melody in much of the piece. They will find it easy to get into the lyrics and melodic groove.

Technique teaching points:  Very fluid and dramatic melodic lines offer great ideas for sustained breath control and dynamic contrast. 

Story line:  This piece is dedicated to all those special people in our lives that have made a positive impact on us. They could be parents, friends, first-responders or service people that have made our lives better.

Program placement:  This selection can stand alone in the middle of your program or could serve as a centerpiece for a concert dedicated to all the special people in your community. 

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * Soprano MP3  * Alto MP3* Baritone MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3

One Small Voice begins with an a cappella overview of the message. The song then features a soprano/alto duet, followed by the full ensemble for the remainder of the selection. The true meaning of the lyrics is that it only takes one small voice to encourage belief in yourself. The piano background is soothing and fits well into the melodic and harmonic lines.

Type of ensemble:  This piece relies on a balanced 3 part ensemble and starts with an a cappella section that sets up the lyric line for the remainder of the selection. There are also two soprano/alto soli parts that feature your outstanding soloists.

Story line:  This piece is full of optimistic thoughtfulness and the feeling that there will always be a better way in the future. There is a powerful bridge section that will bring true feelings within the ensemble to the front.

Program placement:  This would be a great way to start the second half of your program, or use it as a  segue to a more dynamic part of the concert. It could also be a featured as a more dramatic piece in the middle of your concert.  

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * Soprano MP3  * Alto MP3* Baritone MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3

Rock Me Amadeus is a  piece that  brings Mozart’s 40th symphony into a whole new dimension using contemporary rock rhythms and harmonies. The original story line touches on some of Mozart’s struggles as a great composer trapped in a lifestyle with little freedom to create the music he truly longed to write. He died at a very young age but still managed to produce some of our most beloved classical music selections. This piece could also serve as a reference point for a historical study of the life of Mozart.

Type of ensemble:  This SAB arrangement is a unique adaptation of Mozart’s 40^th symphony with some added original content to keep it moving. The melodic line is shared with all parts but there are sections where all three add to the power of this selection.

Technique teaching points: This piece requires a great deal of energy to make it through to the end. The challenge will be to keep the energy flowing and not let it sag in the middle of the piece.

Story line:  Much of Mozart’s life was filled with success and lavish life styles, however there were times where he felt used, trapped and generally undervalued. The lyrics touch on some of these more somber times in his life.

Program placement:  This would be a great selection to finish your concert with a powerful piece. There is a lot of movement, dynamic contrast and drama in the ending. 

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * Soprano MP3  * Alto MP3* Baritone MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3

Our Last Goodbye is an easily relatable tune. Everyone will experience some type of loss in his or her life. This piece explores the feelings that accompany the end of a relationship, friendship or a moving-on life change. The message is simple and the melody and harmony are hauntingly beautiful. There is lots of room for expressive creativity and drama in this selection.

Type of ensemble:  This piece is written for SA with lots of unison and some question and answer parts in the middle. Harmonies are easy to understand and sing.

Technique teaching points:  This is very dark, dramatic and legato. Long phrases and proper breath support can be the key to this selection.

Story line:  This is a very introspective piece that can serve as a way to express a loss of a friendship or relationship. You can use as much drama and expressive phrasing as you can with this piece.

Program placement:  This is a great selection to place before a big forceful piece in your program. It will slow things down and create a quiet space before a major highlight piece in your concert. 

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * Soprano MP3  * Alto MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3

Eyes of a Child is an original piece written for SSA and is sure to be a holiday favorite with your groups and listeners. The melody is reminiscent of a revered classic that has endured forever. The sensitive lyric line will bring back memories of a wonderful time each of us remembers in our own way. Voice leading is smooth, flowing and vocal ranges are moderate.  We are sure you will love this piece year after year.

Type of ensemble:  This piece is written for SSA and features easy to understand harmonies and voice leading. It is ideal for young voices in that the voice leading and vocal ranges are quite moderate.

Story line:  This is a holiday piece that recons back to when we were young children enjoying all the wonders of the season. It is innocent in its approach to understanding personal feelings.

Technique teaching points:  Here is an ideal way to get independent voices working together. There are lots of moving parts within the chords and the detail in getting the finished product will challenge the ensemble. Balance and blend will also be an important aspect of this piece.

Program placement: This selection could be placed just before your last piece in your program. It’s quite delicate and sweet and would set up your last big finale.   

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * First Soprano MP3  * Second Soprano MP3 * Alto MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3

Rainy Day Getaway is a fun piece done in a traditional calypso style that paints a picture of warm breezes, swaying palm trees and sandy beaches. Just what most of us need when February rolls around each year and we’re faced with rain, clouds, snow and sleet. The mood is festive and light with a repeating interlude that is reminiscent young children singing a playful song.  The piano part adds to the rhythmic feel of the piece to create a true Caribbean experience.

Type of ensemble:  This selection is SAB with lots of unison melodic parts in octaves. It could be performed just SA if need be, but the baritone line adds a lot of depth in the harmony.

Technique teaching points:  This is a happy, carefree type of song that needs lots of confined energy. The dynamic range is quite limited so the contrast has to come from accented phrases and crisp releases. As a contemporary calypso piece this song could also be an introduction to world music.

Story line:  The story is highlights daydreaming in a Caribbean holiday setting. Letting go of your troubles and just relaxing in a tropical paradise.

Program placement:  This is an excellent encore piece or perfect just before your intermission break. Light-hearted, quick-paced and just plain fun to listen to.

Product Includes: Sheet Music * Lyric Sheet * Soprano MP3  * Alto MP3* Baritone MP3 * Piano MP3 * FullMix MP3