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Dennis Shrock (p
A Mosaic of Historical Composers and Compositions
Dennis Shrock
Written by noted scholar and conductor Dennis Shrock, Choral Diversity is a presentation of composers throughout history who represent the broad and diverse canon of choral music. Included are twenty women composers and ten composers of color, many of whom have been previously underrepresented in studies and in performances.
Each chapter presents overviews of the composer’s life and choral output; information and analysis of selected compositions, including complete texts and literal translations not found elsewhere; and guidelines that address related and important aspects of performance.
Importantly, Shrock approaches choral diversity from multiple perspectives. Most notably, the book highlights the music of women composers—such as Hildegard von Bingen, Amy Beach, and Undine Smith Moore—as well as composers of color, including José Maurício Nunes Garcia, William Grant Still, and Margaret Allison Bonds, among others. Rounding out his approach, Shrock also explores the lesser-known works of familiar composers such as Palestrina and Brahms.
The book’s repertoire, too, represents a diversity of musical periods, styles, and genres— including chants, madrigals, chansons, motets, partsongs, oratorios, cantatas, and vocal chamber pieces—all of which are intended to be accessible to regular school, church, and community choruses.
With its broad scope and scholarly authority, Choral Diversity is the ideal resource for conductors at all levels looking to diversify their concert programming in a practical and historically informed way.
More by Dennis Shrock on pages 198–199.
Dennis Shrock is author of ten books, three published by Oxford University Press and the remaining seven published by GIA Publications. He has held faculty positions at Boston University, Westminster Choir College, and the University of Oklahoma. He has also served as Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and was a lecturer and member of the conducting staff at Yale University. Shrock received his master’s and doctoral degrees in choral conducting from Indiana University.
