Rollo Dilworth

Review: Rollo A. Dilworth is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities and Music Education at the North Park University School of Music in Chicago, Illinois. He also serves as director of the Music Institute of Chicago Children's Choir. In 2003, the University awarded Dilworth with the prestigious Zenos Hawkinson Award for Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University, and a Master of Education Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he studied composition and choral music with Robert Ray. He received the Doctor of Music degree in conducting performance at Northwestern University where he studied conducting and composition with Robert A. Harris. This excellent recording features his arrangements of African American spirituals and original gospel selections. Recommended.

Songlist: No Rocks-A-Cryin', Keep On Travelin', Take Me to The Water, Ain't A That Good News, Jeramiah's Fire!, Swingin' Sweet Chariot, I Want Jesus To Walk With Me, How Can I Keep From Singing, Witness for My Lord, De Gospel Train, Soon and Very Soon, Walk In Jerusalem, Ain't A That Good News (instrumental)

Review: Have fun with your choral warm-ups! With this collection of fifty-four inventive and educational songs and exercises, your choir will beg for more. Start out with the unison pieces and "build" to the more challenging exercises for 2-part, 3-part or 4-part treble or mixed voices. Use the demonstration CD for quick learning or sing along with the recording to have hands-free, portable warm-ups at your fingertips every day. Developed and composed by the award-winning choral composer and master teacher, Rollo Dilworth, Choir Builders will prove to be a "fun"damental way of improving and sustaining a quality choral sound with your performance groups.

Songlist: Preparation, Posture Perfect, Rhythm Calisthenics, Unison Building Songs and Exercises, Syncopation sound, Long Phrases, Unison (Opt. 2 Part) Exercises, 2 Part Treble Building Songs and Exercises, The Growing Phrase, Intervallic Expansion, 3 or 4 Part Building Songs and Exercises, Scale into Harmony, Scale with pedal points

Review: Opening with a slow rendition of 'Get on Board Little Children,' 'De Gospel Train' quickly picks up steam arriving at a memorable final chorus. Building from an opening ostinato to a rousing finish, 'Since I Laid My Burdens Down' can be performed a cappella or accompanied. Dilworth pays homage to Moses Hogan in his powerhouse, 'Jeremiah's Fire.' A tambourine drives the rhythm as the fiery vocals build to a breathtaking ending. Spectacular! Enjoy the challenge and reward of this contemporary setting of the traditional spiritual 'Sistah Mary' with its vibrant rhythms and fresh harmonization. An exciting and dramatic setting of the traditional spiritual "Roll, Jordan, Roll!", this substantial work is brimming with brilliance and virtuosity for choirs up to the challenge!

Songlist: Jeremiah's Fire!, Since I Laid My Burdens Down, Sistah Mary, Roll, Jordan, Roll!

Review: This second volume of the popular Choir Builders for Growing Voices series offers 24 MORE warm-ups and workouts for teaching proper vocal technique to young voices! These fun and original reproducible exercises will continue to get your students' growing voices on the right track to producing a quality sound. Strengthen phrasing and breath control, use dynamic expression, enhance independent and harmonic singing, perform accurate articulations, head voice "sighs," swing eighths and syncopation patterns, proper diction and rhythm accuracy, and much more with these wonderful exercises for young voices. Sing along with the demonstration tracks on the enclosed CD for quick learning, or use the accompaniment-only tracks for ear training and assessment options. Twelve of the exercises also offer optional Orff and percussion accompaniment parts. Get ready for more of a workout to a better sounding choir!

Songlist: Autumn Breeze, Celebrate Peace!, Chimes In Three Quarter Time, Hide And Seek, Hurry Up!, Jazzin' It Up!, Let's Rock And Roll, A Little Latin Scattin', Music In The Air, Nature Sings, Off The Beaten Path, A Patriot's March, Raindrops, A Seasonal Blues, Shine Your Light, Shining Stars, A Solfege Show, A Star In The Night, Time For Celebration!, Together As One, Walkin' In Blues Country, Watching The Sky, Winter Mix, A Winter's Dream

Review: When do you start teaching proper vocal technique to young voices? RIGHT NOW! Here are 19 fun and original exercises that will get your students' growing voices on the right track to producing a quality sound. Posture, breathing, flexibility, range of voice and more are all addressed in these wonderful exercises for young voices. Sing along with the demonstration tracks on the enclosed CD for quick learning, or use the accompaniment-only tracks for ear training and assessment options. Get ready to workout to a better sounding choir! Available: Book/CD (with reproducible pages). Suggested for grades 3-8.

Songlist: All Nations, Sing!, Articulate!, At The Market, A Celtic Interlude, A December Scene, Diction Warm-Up, The Giant And The Flea, Happy At Home, Hey You! Who Me?, I Will Sing This Song For You, Individuality, Interval Training, The Magic Of Music, Phineas The Frog, Rock And Roll Rhythms, Stand Up To Sing, Tune Your Voices, Unity Song