Page 220 - Voice for Life Songbook 1

39. I’m gonna sing
Information
This uplifting traditional African-American song can be used in a concert programme, or to celebrate themes of music, worship or obedience to God.You may also like to include it as part of a warm-up.
Teaching the song
Teach this song by rote so that your singers aren’t constrained by holding music – then you’ll be able to add actions and movement to your performance.
Start by teaching the harmony parts, building up from the lowest part first. (While you are teaching your singers the notes it is probably best to keep repeating the words of the first verse so they can focus on getting the notes and rhythms right.) As one part becomes secure, ask a group of singers to keep singing that part while you demonstrate the next harmony part over the top – the next group of singers can then imitate what they have heard you sing, and so on until you have all the parts being sung together.Then you can sing through the other verses of the song.
Be creative
Don’t feel that all the harmony parts must be sung throughout the whole song. Feel free to experiment with introducing the harmony parts and then taking them out for a verse. In particular you may like to introduce the descant only at the end of the song to give the final verse a lift rather than use it all the way through the song.
You may also like to include the optional vocal percussion parts in your performance (or invent your own) along with actions or movement to accompany the verses like ‘I’m gonna dance when the Spirit says dance’.
For a fun game in your rehearsal you could ask your singers to think of alternative verses which everybody then sings, (for example ‘I’m gonna sit’,‘I’m gonna stand’,‘I’m gonna bow’,‘I’m gonna run’, etc) adding the appropriate actions.
Musical skills and understanding
This piece is written in G major (with F sharp in the key signature). Can your singers find any notes in the music which don’t belong in this key (e.g.‘accidentals’.)
What is the pitch name of the lowest note in the Harmony 2 part? What is the pitch name of the highest note in the descant part?
Which of the following Italian terms best describes the mood and tempo of this piece: Allegro,Adagio or Andante?
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Track 39
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