Several years ago, I put together a list of my Top 50 Favorite Anthems for Children’s Choir.
But there are so many wonderful anthems out there for children’s voices, who can stop at 50?!
You know I can’t.
So today, I’m sharing the sequel you’ve all been waiting for: 50 more favorite anthems for children’s choir.
This list includes mostly unison and two-part music, with a few 3-part pieces for those of you with older elementary choirs and/or larger groups.
Call and response is a musical form based on dialogue - someone sings or plays a phrase of music and someone else (or a group of people) respond in the subsequent phrase. Call and response stems from a variety of musical traditions, including African, Cuban, folk, and even church music (think cantor and congregation). (source)
Call and response can be a useful teaching tool, as it gives young children an opportunity to listen, imitate, explore the voice, and gain confidence in their singing.
Use a short call and response song at the beginning of your rehearsal (a “hello” or other greeting song), in the middle as a change-of-pace activity or game (see singing game ideas below), or at the end of your rehearsal (a “goodbye” song).
If you’ve never taught a call and response song to children before, here are a few pointers:
