I am pleased to announce the establishment of The Harold Rosenbaum Choral Notation Initiative, a service offered at no cost to help emerging composers develop greater fluency and confidence in writing for chorus.
As a professional choral conductor, author of 3 books including Choralstration – A Practical Guide for Composers of Choral Music, professor (at Juilliard and 3 other institutions), and editor of my 2 choral music series for G. Schirmer and Peermusic Classical, and having conducted about 650 world premieres over my 55-year career, I have encountered a wide range of approaches to choral notation. I have seen firsthand how thoughtful, precise, and practical notation can make an enormous difference in the rehearsal process and in the successful realization of a composer’s intentions.
Through this initiative, I will offer guidance to composers who would like assistance with the notation of their choral works. The goal is to help composers prepare scores that are clear, accurate, readable, and practical for singers and conductors, while preserving the individuality and artistic intentions of each composer. This initiative, however, will not offer evaluations, judgements, or assessments of the music received.
I welcome referrals of composition students, recent graduates, and other emerging composers who may benefit from this service. I hope this initiative will be a useful resource for composition departments, music schools, conservatories, and the broader community of contemporary choral music.
Please feel free to email me at haroldrosenbaum@gmail.com for further information or to discuss referring a composer.