Finding New Repertoire

If you are reading this blog, you've already found a great place to learn about repertoire or share your knowledge of repertoire.  In the next few months, many of the posts here will be repertoire related.  

I love finding new repertoire.  One reason for that is my passion for finding the best possible songs for each student.  (See the last post on Choosing Vocal Repertoire).  The more music I know, the better my chances are of being able to assign exactly what a particular student needs.

What else can you do?  

• Talk repertoire with your colleagues.  If you work alone, start networking.  
• Like JMR Voice Notes on Facebook.
• Join the self-employed voice teacher discussion group on Facebook. 
• Get involved in professional organizations like NATS.    
• Keep up on new material as it comes out.  
• Both Alfred and Hal Leonard have mailing lists and send emails announcing new publications.  
• Go to your local music store and see if there is anything on the shelves that you are not familiar with.  
• Pull out the books from the pre-Boytim era.  What songs have fallen off the list you teach from just because it’s easier to pull out the same one or two books?
• Make students buy music, but make it worth it.  
• Are there songs in the books that you haven't taught simply because you were not familiar with them yet?  Learn them.  
• Octavos are great and inexpensive options.  (Watch for a whole post on this in a few weeks.)
• Scan the unison and two-part listings at Alfred, Heritage Music Press, and BriLee for options.  
• Better yet, ask the local school music teachers if you can look through their catalogs for ideas.  If you like the music they are teaching, you may like what is in their libraries.   Plus, with this option, you can usually look at the music before purchasing it.  
• At half.com you can purchase older editions of class voice texts for next to nothing.  Barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com are also great resources for used and/or discounted music.  
• Attend NATS Auditions, recitals of other studios, etc. to hear what songs other teachers are using.  
• Attend repertoire and reading sessions at conferences.  Take notes.
• Look up repertoire lists for MMTA Contest, NFMC festival, and State Solo and Ensemble Contests.  Not everything on these lists should be, and I don’t always agree with the level that songs are placed in, but it is a great place to get new ideas.  

I love finding new repertoire because I am passionate about finding the best possible songs for each student.  (See the last post on Choosing Appropriate Vocal Repertoire).  The more music I know, the better my chances are of being able to assign exactly what a particular student needs.

How do you find new songs for your students?