September 19, 2001
Students savory being Swingle singers
Choral-Aires learn instrumental lessons from founder of jazz vocal group
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
For the 16 singers in West High School's Choral-Aires, it was an unprecedented opportunity.
For 50 minutes Friday afternoon, Ward Swingle, founder and music director of the world-renowned Swingle Singers, was there to guide and shape their voices, pronunciation, intonation and delivery of one of his trademark a cappella songs, 'Country Dances.' Swingle also coached students in his trademark jazz scat, which he called the universal language of music, reminded them not to neglect the second and fourth beats and gave tips on regulating volume.
For the students, who are the top choral students in the school, Swingles' teaching, professional guidance and musical direction was inspiring.
"I just feel privileged that we can have him come in here and work on his own piece with us," said Emily Kuschell, a senior at the school and a member of the Choral-Aires.
Although the 50 minutes flew by, students absorbed as much as they could, scribbling notes on their music scores to capture his advice.
"I've never learned so much in such a short time," said Aaron Ingersoll, a junior at the school and a member of the Choral-Aires.
The Swingle Singers was founded in Paris when eight freelance singers grew bored with typical choral fare of the times. They began experimenting and soon came to fame in 1963 when a recording of Ward Swingle's arrangement of Bach's "Well Tempered Clavichord" captured the imagination of disc jockeys and listeners alike.
The distinctive fusion of jazz and classical singing styles soon led to Grammys, world tours and many recordings for the Swingle Singers.
Ward Swingle is now retired, though he still serves as musical director of the Swingle Singers. A resident of Paris, France, he summers in the Grand Traverse region.
Russ Larimer, choral director of the school, extended the invitation to Swingle to work with his students. The invite started as an indirect contact, initiated by the school custodian, Ron Brakel, who knew someone in his neighborhood who could introduce Larimer to Swingle.
Starting from that tenuous connection, Larimer took a leap of faith and approached Swingle during a summer social gathering. Larimer was concerned about extending the invitation because he knew the only time that Swingle could come was at the beginning of the school year, when his chorus was just getting started. But since Swingle routinely leaves for France in mid-September, not long after school starts, the visit was a now-or-never proposition.
"I knew he was in the area for years every summer but I was too chicken to call him up, someone of his stature in the jazz vocal world," Larimer said. "Also I wanted to make sure we were ready, I was waiting for a group that was ready to work with him."
Larimer just made sure his singers were as prepared as possible for the visit, though he and the Choral-Aires had just five days to work on '"Country Dances."
As they worked through the song measure by measure, Swingle also guided the students on the overall feel of the medley of country tunes that comprises "Country Dances."
"There is quite a bit of humor in this piece but I would like the humor to come as much as possible from the word and arrangements, not from your singing over the top," Swingle told them. "You want to basically be one instrument playing this accompaniment."
After the intensive session Friday with Swingle, Larimer is very pleased with his students' accomplishments.
"Mr. Swingle is an incredible important person in the world of choral music," he said. "His music is very difficult and I noticed a major difference in just 50 minutes."
"Now we have what his concept was when writing the songs, that imagery just makes everything become clear."