Please can anyone suggest duets that would get good marks in the ensemble section of GCSE music? It has been suggested that my daughter sing "Another suitcase" but she feels it's a bit easy and won't attract a very high mark. She said it needs to be something with harmonies.

She has the choice of a male or a female partner.

Thankyou

Thanks David, but I'm afraid she's only interested in "modern" songs. In sixteen years I haven't been able to get her to apreciate "Classical" music. Doesn't say much for my playing does it...

Aren't there a couple of possibilities in 'West Side Story' eg 'Theres a place for us' or the one with the 'One hand, One Heart ' bit - but maybe there's too much it with the voices separate.

(David -is your inbox full ? Anyway have mailed the Gordon Jacob today)

How about 'I know him so well' from Chess.

I was going to suggest 'I Know Him So Well', that was popular at my school around GCSEs. I also remember someone doing Rossini's Cat Duet.

For something more recent how about 'What Is This Feeling' from Wicked? The beginning part of 'Defying Gravity' has some beautiful harmonies too, but of course it's much more Elphaba's song so no good if both are being assessed.

One for male/female would be 'A Little Fall Of Rain' from Les Mis, that is a beautiful song.

If you're going for Wicked, For Good is a really nice duet - but there are long sections with very little harmony, and all the harmony comes at the end. I love it though.
Take Me Or Leave Me, from Rent is good. I like it anyway...
Marry the Man Today from Guys and Dolls is really funny, or there's "Sisters" from White Christmas (I think?).

Those are only musical theatre ones though. I second, or third the suggestion of I Know Him So Well too.

I feel so silly. Where did I get "Another Suitcase" from!?? I meant "I know him so well". They're both Elaine Paige aren't they or am I totaly out....sorry!

She does like the ones from wicked, but isn't sure.

Thanks every one.

And Happy Birthday for tomorrow Mr Barton

what about Angel of music from the Phantom of the Opera?
It might be too hard, i dont know though.

Isn't Angel of Music a quartet or something to that nature? I though it had more singers...



There are LOADs of duets in Jekyll and Hyde, and it's not bad music either. The only thing is that there aren't many harmonies in them.

If she's more into something like Wicked then perhaps she might like some of the duets in Little Shop of Horrors, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Grease, etc.?

For GCSE if you play a very easy piece perfectly you can still get an a* and only lose a few marks for difficulty, but you can lose far more marks for playing a harder piece badly....something to bear in mind...(at least for the exam board I do anyway..)