Partners in Song: SoundTrax CD

Mary Val Marsh's descants and second parts transform familiar melodies into genuine part-singing opportunities without requiring advanced sight-reading. The inclusion of teaching notes for each piece means you're not just getting arrangements; you're getting a colleague's insight into how to bring out the best in each song. Directors appreciate how this collection balances accessibility with musicality, letting younger singers experience the satisfaction of independent lines.

These are songs children already know and love, now given new dimension. Singing a familiar tune while a descant weaves above it or a complementary part harmonizes beneath creates a moment of discovery; students realize they're making something bigger than themselves. The variety ensures something feels right for every mood and occasion.

Elementary and middle school choirs benefit most from this collection, as do mixed-voice ensembles with students still building confidence in part independence. Teachers working with children who are new to harmony or multi-part singing will find the graded difficulty and pedagogical support invaluable.

• Isolate each part separately before combining them. Have students sing or speak the descant or second part alone until they own their line, then layer in the melody.
• Use the SoundTrax accompaniment to establish the harmonic context, especially when introducing a new piece. Students hear exactly where their part sits and can adjust their pitch accordingly.
• Conduct or gesture the melodic contour of whichever line needs the most support. If the second part is drifting, give it clear physical direction so singers feel secure.
• Stagger the entry of parts when first combining them. Have the melody established and steady, then add the descant or second part, so the ensemble doesn't feel rushed.

Build a complete concert around these pieces, programming them by theme (patriotic selections together, holiday songs in a winter program). Or scatter them throughout the year as confidence-building warm-ups and encores that showcase your ensemble's growing ability to balance multiple lines. The teaching notes help you develop specific literacy and listening skills across several rehearsals.

• Singing independent melodic lines without being pulled toward the melody
• Blending and balancing parts in a harmonic texture
• Recognizing and sustaining harmony by ear
• Following a conductor while maintaining a separate part
• Reading descant and second-part notation