Reading 2 part Choral Music

Reading Chorus Music

By Mrs McIntire

• Music written for two separate vocal lines.

• Common divisions:

  • Part I: Higher voices (Soprano/Alto)

  • Part II: Lower voices (Alto/Tenor/Baritone)

• Singers stay on their assigned line throughout.

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What is 2-Part Choral Music?

Multiple Choice

Singers should stay on their assigned line and part through the whole song.

• True

• False

• Choose your part:

  • Part I (top) or Part II (bottom).

• Stay focused on your line; don’t switch between parts.

• Watch for lyrics directly under your notes.

Tip: Use your finger or a pencil while learning to stay on your line!

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How to Follow Your Line

• Repeat signs tell you to go back and sing again.

• Look for the double barlines with two dots ( :|| or ||: ).

• Start at the matching earlier repeat or the beginning.

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What are Repeat Signs?

Fill in the Blanks

Repeat sign means to

that part again.

• :|| — Start of a repeat section.

• ||: — End of a repeat section.

• No start sign? Go back to the beginning.

• Look for 1st & 2nd endings.

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Examples of Repeat Signs

Multiple Choice

If you have a repeat that goes back to the beginning of the song, what happens next? You go back to the beginning and...

• sing everything all over again.

• skip the 1st ending and go to the 2nd endings and continue.

• skip the 1st & 2nd endings and continue.

• ignore the repeat signs.

• Coda = special ending section ("tail").

• Tells you to jump to the ending part of the song.

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What is a Coda?

• Watch for D.S. al Coda or D.C. al Coda:

  • D.S. al Coda = go back to the "Sign" .

  • D.C. al Coda = go back to the beginning.

• Then, when you see "To Coda," jump to the coda section.

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How to Navigate a Coda

Multiple Choice

Where is a CODA found?

• Beginning of a song

• Middle of a song

• End of a song

Multiple Choice

What does the first symbol at the top mean?

• This is the "Sign" where you go back to after seeing "DS al Coda"

• It means nothing.

• You skip that measure.

Putting It All Together

• Follow your part (top or bottom).

• Obey repeat signs carefully.

• Jump correctly at "Coda" instructions.

• Always watch the conductor for cues!

Tip: Mark your music lightly in pencil to stay on track!

Multiple Select

Do you have a better understanding of how to read the music?

• Yes

• No