Choral Music + Dulcimer

Looking for a dulcimer accompanist in your area?  Make a request here.

Are you a dulcimer player who accompanies choirs?  Fill out the form to join my worldwide contact list.

        I've been accompanying choirs with the hammered dulcimer since 1995 and remain the only dulcimer accompanist of choirs in the state of Colorado. For a list of choral music I have already performed, click here.  I'm always ready for new challenges to increase my repertoire, so if you don't see a work on the list,   For the church musician, know that improvising to praise music is always within my realm; for one exceptional piece in this genre, click here.
        Accompaniment is a natural offshoot of the thousands of rehearsals I've been part of as a choral singer, concert-band member and recorder ensemble player, all enhanced by completion of an undergraduate degree from Westminster Choir College.  The skills I bring to choral accompaniment are:

• thorough music reading skills (I usually have parts memorized by performance time so I can watch the conductor)

• create accompaniments by being supplied a tune only

• amplify existing accompaniments by playing part of what's there or improvising (I love to create modal sounds with drones)

• if keys agree, the dulcimer may be able to serve as a portable "handbell choir"

• and for the church congregation: freely improvised harmonies to hymns

• a keen understanding of rehearsal dynamics.

        Please note that preparation of parts takes time; I ask for at least six weeks' lead time for pieces new to my choral repertoire.  Plus, with so many choir directors around and only one of me, be sure to schedule your concert date early.

        For information on how to find and work with a dulcimer accompanist, see my article "Accompanying Your Choir with the Hammered Dulcimer" in the September 2002 issue of The Choral Journal.  I have also served as workshop clinician to chapters of the American Choral Directors' Association and the American Guild of Organists (including one of its National Conventions).  I am very slowly, amidst my various book-writing projects for dulcimer and autoharp, developing a book about how to compose for the dulcimer and player, rather than against them.  To be notified about the book when it's released, click here.
        Finally, have dulcimer, will travel.  In December 2003, I flew to Birmingham AL to play one of my own compositions (an arrangement of "Go Tell It On the Mountain") with the choirs of Birmingham-Southern College.  Dulcimer accompanists are few and far between, but airplanes and highways go both ways.
                today about accompanying your choir during its next concert.

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Choral Music List

        This is my complete list of choral music, sacred and secular, including my own compositions.  I always welcome additions (by adapting a part for dulcimer [hd] or autoharp [au], learning a part specifically scored for either instrument, or by creating a part [cp]).  Created parts remain in my hands; due to copyright considerations, these parts are not sold or distributed to third parties.
        Please note that, while I'm always happy to delve into new works, I prefer at least two month’s lead time to prepare parts for published works not on this list.
        Also, I play recorder (all sizes; started playing them ’way before the dulcimer came along).  For more information about this kind of instrumentation, contact me.

NOTE: Selections marked with an asterisk (*) are suitable for Christmas; you can find all of them listed together at the Christmas and Advent page.

Compositions by Lucille Reilly

        To see sample pages of most of the compositions in this group, click here.

SA voicings are intended for children’s choir but work well for adults, too.

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SATB with Hammered Dulcimer (plus...)

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SATB and “Ultratonic” Autoharp

Children’s (or Women's) Choir with Hammered Dulcimer

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Praise Music

Looking for a dulcimer accompanist?

        Fill out the form below and send it in.

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Calling all dulcimer accompanists!

        My choral-music connections are such that choral conductors from all over North America contact me from time to time in search of a dulcimer accompanist in their area to assist with performing the growing repertoire of choral music combined with hammered dulcimer.  If you are one of the fortunate few players to delve into this extraordinary and exciting realm of music making, fill out the form below as completely as possible and send it in.  (Note: For your privacy, all information you submit will not be published on this web site; it will only be made available to individual choral conductors as requests are made.)
        Got a question about this form before you fill it out?    Wondering if you should try your hand at accompanying?  Click here.

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Why Accompany Choirs?

by Lucille Reilly

        So you're thinking about accompanying choirs with the hammered dulcimer, and would like to know if you've got what it takes?  Here are some thoughts to help you decide.
        Accompanying choirs takes a fair amount of advance preparation alongside a firm commitment.  I usually request eight weeks lead time for works new to my hands.  I put in at least 30 minutes each weekday working out and memorizing the part (memorizing enables me to watch the conductor for tempo and dynamic cues, etc.).
        Is it all worth it?  Yes, absolutely yes.  Here's why:

• You'll teach yourself to play without looking at your hands/hammers.
• Your dulcimer's string layout will appear more diverse and flexible.
• Your sight-reading skills will improve.
• You'll hear harmony in new ways.
• You'll be part of a team effort.
• You'll make music with a lot of people whose goal is excellence.  (Contrast this to the jam session, where individual goals appear to be more about who plays the loudest or fastest.)
• You'll probably be the only one around for miles who accompanies choirs, which means you'll be in demand.  (Drawback: if two choir directors have a concert the same night, you'll wish there was someone else around to pick up the slack.)

        Here are the skills you'll need to accompany:

• A willingness to accompany!
• Good music-reading skills (don't even think about referring to a recorded part while you're learning it).
• The patience to somehow extract the dulcimer part from the voice parts to avoid page turns (unfortunately, too many publishers don't include a separate part).
• An understanding that you'll hardly ever play the melody.  (This is abstract music-making; you may not know what a piece sounds like until the dress rehearsal.)
• The ability to start playing at measure 34 (or wherever) when rehearsing with the choir.
• Being able to watch the conductor (as I said earlier, memorizing helps).
• Being able to run with the conductor's tempo and to keep playing no matter what.
• Smiling!

        If you think you can manage all of this, by all means fill out the form and send it in!  However,...
        I am well aware that accompaniment isn't for everyone, and it's fine if you don't believe it's for you.  Dulcimer players who can accompany are hard for conductors to find, so while a conductor might be elated to find you, if you're really happier jamming to fiddle tunes, then admit this to yourself, and think now who else you might refer this person to.  Don't know?  Send the conductor to this web site and I'll see who I can find.
        I hope all of the above helps.  To browse repertoire possibilities, click here.  And if you've got a question,

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