Eeek - What Am I About To Get Myself Into?, Christmas choir. Yes or no? Options

[JudithJ]

I am an adult learner, and have ambitions to give up my full time work in favour of music at some point when I am significantly more musically accomplished. One of my plans includes working with an amateur adult choir. To this end I am taking classes in choral conducting, voice, Kodaly and piano.

About six months ago I moved to a new area, and now attend a church where there is no music except for hymns on a Sunday. Indeed, I am the best pianist available, so even with my limited skills I get to select and accompany the hymns. However, the congregation sing beautifully in tune, and with joy and gusto.

I'm considering speaking to the local minister about putting together a small choir for a carol service at Christmas time. Several of the congregation have independently told me that they would like to be in a church choir, and the minister has said that he will support me in anything that I want to do musically. So I'm sure that my offer would be accepted.

I'd like to have an idea of suitable music before I make the offer. It would need to be fairly simple for the choir, conductor and accompanist.

Do you have any recommendations of books or web sites that I could peruse for simple arrangements of Christmas music for adults?

Thanks.

[Banjogirl]

The C.arols for Choirs books are excellent. they have a wide variety of music in different arrangements.

[stetenorve]

The C.arols for Choirs books are excellent. they have a wide variety of music in different arrangements.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I've been using my well worn copy of Carols for Choirs 1 since I bought it at school, probably in 1971. Might treat myself to a new book sometime...

[flobiano]

I would definitely recommend Carols for Choirs. The version I have is called 100 Carols for Choirs which takes a selection from books 1, 2 and 3.

It has a good choice of less well known carols and songs if you want something to perform, but also good arrangements of the traditional carols, with the descants for singing along with the rest of the congregation! There is a really nice 4 part arrangement of O little Town of Bethlehem. We learned it for one carol service and for the "How silently.." verse the musicians dropped out and the choir sang the parts under the congregation's melody and it was spine tingling! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (and we were still in tune when the musician's came back in, which was a relief!)

Good luck! It sounds like a great idea, you should definitely go for it!