150 Rounds for Singing and Teaching
Edward Bolkovac and Judith Johnson, published by Boosey and Hawkes (1996)
Edited version of a book review which first appeared in the BKA Newsletter, Spring 2001
Reviewed by Celia Waterhouse (August 2003)
If you are on the lookout for new material, I recommend "150 Rounds for Singing and Teaching" by Edward Bolkovac and Judith Johnson, published by Boosey and Hawkes (1996). Conveniently presented in alphabetical order, this varied collection of rounds has been edited with primary ages in mind but contains much material suitable for work with lower secondary pupils. From the familiar to the completely new, from Palestrina to "My Paddle's Keen and Bright", from traditional English to ethnic, from catch to carol, there is material here for developing and extending all aspects of musicianship training, including sight reading and harmonic development. Rounds range from two to six parts. Each is presented initially in "wrap-around format" (not aligned) to facilitate aural development, and a limited selection is later presented also in choral score format to facilitate harmonic analysis or conducting training. The clear, bold type is pleasing to the eye, which is useful for pupils struggling with sight reading. There is even a section of 20 additional rounds without text, excellent for solfa study.
The book is well indexed to assist the busy teacher in the search for suitable material to deliver the National Curriculum. There is a helpful General Categories index, a Number of Parts index, an index of metre (with and without anacrusis), and an index of rhythmic/melodic elements and other features. There is a pronunciation guide to foreign texts, and a resources list.
It's definitely well worth the £9.50 price tag, and is available through the
BKA book-ordering service. Contact: Kevin Bolton, 44 Batley Road, Wakefield
WF2 0AD. Tel/fax: 01924 219794 or
email: kevinbolton@blueyonder.co.uk
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