In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Dr. Sylvia Munsen

Director

Sylvia Munsen

Dr. Sylvia Munsen is Founder & Conductor of the Ames Children's Choirs (ACC) program and Associate Professor and Chair of Music Education at Iowa State University (ISU). She received degrees from St. Olaf College, where she sang in the St. Olaf Choir, and the University of Illinois. In addition to studies in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, she is a certified specialist in Orff Schulwerk and Kodaly.

Under Munsen's direction, the ACC Concert Choir has performed at festivals and conferences throughout the Midwest, in Canada and in the Czech Republic including American Orff Schulwerk Association and Organization of American Kodaly Educators National Conferences. In 2003, the choir performed the World Premiere of John Rutter's Mass of the Children at Carnegie Hall with the composer as conductor. Munsen established the Midwest Children's Choirs Festival (MCCF), which has featured choirs from Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the U.S. and bass-baritone Simon Estes as soloist. The 2007 MCCF featured Bob Chilcott as composer and guest conductor.

Munsen has been active as a clinician regarding vocal health, vocal/choral techniques, conducting and literature for children��s choirs and as a guest conductor for honor choirs. She has published choral arrangements with Kjos Music Company and Santa Barbara Music Press. She remains active as a singer and flutist and was a singer in the trio, The Chenilles, which performed four years on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion."

Active as a clinician from Iowa to national and international venues, Munsen has conducted more than 45 festival and honor choirs including two all-state choirs and a children's choir festival at Carnegie Hall. Under the auspices of MidAmerica Productions, she has been invited to conduct the 13th Annual North American Chorale at Carnegie Hall in June 2008. Munsen has choral arrangements published through Kjos and Santa Barbara.

Munsen was a singer in and arranger for the trio, The Chenilles, which performed for four years on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion." She has developed a student teaching site for ISU in Rosendal, Norway, and is the author of Cooking the Norwegian Way. In 2004 she was given the 1st Arts Educator Award from the Ames Community Arts Council.

Discography

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Ames Children's Choir : All Things Pass

Review: The Concert Choir is one of three choirs in the Ames Children's Choirs (ACC) program founded by Artistic Director Munsen in Ames, Iowa in 1995. The Concert Choir has performed at John Rutter's Mass of the Children at Carnegie Hall, with the Des Moines Symphony for the World Food Prize, performed solo concerts in St. Patrick's Cathedral (NYC) and Washington's National Cathedral and performed at many conferences and festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. Favorites among the 14 tunes (all accompanied on piano by Sue Lekwa) are: Bob Chilcott's title tune and 'Can You Hear Me?,' John Rutter's 'For the Beauty of the Earth,' E. Amiran's 'Mayim,' the Spiritual 'Hand Me Down My Silver Trumpet,' Stephen Paulus' 'Winter Song,' Libby Larsen's 'Ring the Bells,' Bach's 'Wir eilen doch emsigen Schritten,' James Mulholland's 'Come Let's Be Merry' and the Serbian Gypsy Dance 'Niska Banja.' The lovely voices of the children perfectly complement these beautiful, well-chosen songs!

Songlist: For the Beauty of the Earth, All Things Pass, Can You Hear Me?, Evening Song, America the Beautiful, Hand Me Down My Silver Trumpet, Mayim, Hanarot Halalu, Winter Song, Ring the Bells, The Alphabet, Wir eilen doch emsigen Schritten, Come Let's Be Merry, Niska Banja

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Ames Children's Choir : Dream a Dream

Review: Dr. Munsen had founded and directed children's and women's choirs in Minnesota, Illinois, Maryland, and Washington before creating the Ames Children's Choirs (ACC) in 1995, which now includes over 110 boys and girls ages 8-16 singing in 4 choirs. Beginning with regional concerts and performances at Iowa State U. festivals, ACC has established an international connection by sponsoring the Midwest Children's Choir Fesival and conducting tours to the Czech Republic and Canada. 'Dream,' their debut CD, has 20 tunes, all recorded in concert; numbers 1-7, including 'The Star Spangled Banner,' Bach's beautiful 'Bist du bei mir,' and Dvorak's 'Flow, Danube, Ebb and Flow,' were recorded at the ACDA Conference in Des Moines; numbers 8-20, including Handel's 'Art Thou Troubled,' the Hebrew folk song 'Dodi li,' Z. Randall Stroope's 'Lux Aeterna,' the a cappella Japanese folk tune 'Hotaru Koi,' the Appalachian folk song 'Simple Gifts,' Aaron Copland's 'At The River,' Libby Larson's 'Ring the Bells,' Mozart's 'The Alphabet' and the title tune by Ed Robertson, were recorded at concerts at local churches. There is light accompaniment on most songs. But it's the lovely, spirited sound of the children's voices are what makes 'Dream' a very special and enjoyable collection.

Songlist: The Star-Spangled Banner, Bist Bu Bei Mir, Wir Eilen Mit Schwachen Doch Emsign Schritten, Flow Danube, Ebb And Flow, Barter, Metsa Telegramm, I'm Goin' Up Yonder, Art Thou Troubled, Dodi li, Niska Banja, How Merrily We Live, Lux Aeterna, Hotaro Koi, Simple Gifts, At The River, Younger Generation, Ring The Bells, Joy In Jerusalem The Alphabet, Dream A Dream

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