"Young singers through the centuries have occupied a central position in a variety of religious institutional settings: urban cathedrals, collegiate churches, monasteries, guilds, and confraternities." "The training of singers for performance in religious services shaped the very structures of ecclesiastical institutions, which developed to meet the need for educating their youngest members. The development of musical repertories and styles also directly reflected the ubiquitous participation of children's voices in both chant and polyphony. There was even, frequently, a future for choristers after their voices broke."--BOOK JACKET.

Written for the collaborative community that supports children's choirs in school, church, and community contexts, Before the Singing is appropriate for artistic directors, conductors, music educators, board members, volunteers, administrators, staff, and university students studying music education or nonprofit arts management.

In 1951, the Schmitt Brothers won an international singing competition, besting the top 40 quartets in the U.S. and Canada. They blasted to fame in 18 short months and didn't stop singing for 35 years-making them the first to win on their first try and the longest performing quartet to retain its original members. But there's more to the story. The Schmitt Brothers were really brothers-from a family of 17. They were devoted husbands and fathers-with 35 children among them. They were businessmen and civic leaders-who never missed an opportunity to serve and promote their community. They traveled more than 2 million miles and performed in 3,000 programs including the Ed Sullivan, Arthur Godfrey and Lawrence Welk shows as well as Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and the top stages in the country. The Schmitt Brothers were capable of perfectly blending delicate tones, thundering crescendos, cascading decrescendos and chords that-if you didn't know better-made you think there was an entire orchestra backing them up. For everyone who heard the Schmitt Brothers, the magic of their singing brought harmony and joy to all who knew them. This is their amazing story.

"An exhilarating, multi-layered new play."—The Guardian "Stirring and stylishly told . . . McCraney's crispest and most confident work."—Daily News "Greatly affecting. . . . It takes a brave writer to set his language against the plaintive beauty of the hymns and spirituals . . . but McCraney's speech holds its own, locating poetry even in casual vernacular and again demonstrating his gift for simile and metaphor."—The Village Voice The Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys is dedicated to the creation of strong, ethical black men. Pharus wants nothing more than to take his rightful place as leader of the school's legendary gospel choir, but can he find his way inside the hallowed halls of this institution if he sings in his own key? Known for his unique brand of urban lyricism, Tarrell Alvin McCraney follows up his acclaimed trilogy The Brother/Sister Plays with this affecting portrait of a gay youth trying to find the courage to let the truth about himself be known. Set against the sorrowful sounds of hymns and spirituals, Choir Boy premiered at the Royal Court in London before receiving its Off-Broadway premiere in summer 2013 to critical and popular acclaim. Tarell Alvin McCraney is author of The Brother/Sister Plays: The Brothers Size, In the Red and Brown Water, and Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet. Other works include Wig Out!, set in New York's drag clubs, and The Breach, which deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His awards include the 2009 Steinberg Playwrights Award and the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award.