SLETTO, BARBARA (b. 1962)

Barbara Sletto (born July 30, 1962), is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Heartland Youth Choir. Prior to her work with the Heartland Youth Choir, she was the Artistic Director of the Iowa Youth Chorus, the Des Moines Children's Choruses, the Anderson Area Children's Choir of Anderson, Indiana, and the Lakes Treble Choir of Minnesota.

 

Barbara is an Assistant Professor at Drake University in Des Moines. She conducts the Drake Women's Chorale.

 

As a specialist in the voices of youth, Barbara frequently serves as a guest conductor for high school and elementary festival choirs and all-state honor choirs. Under her direction, choirs have performed for national and regional conferences in Alabama, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.

 

In addition, Barbara has guest conducted at various summer choir camps throughout the United States, including the International Music Camp, the Wisconsin Summer Music Clinic, the Indiana Choral Director's Summer Music Institute, the Virginia Kodaly Summer Music Camp, the Drake School of Music Summer Camp, the Heartland Choral Camp, and the International Music Institute.

 

Barbara completed her Masters of Arts in Music Education with a Kodaly emphasis from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is also trained in Orff and Dalcroze methodology. She is a frequent clinician for music educators throughout the United States.

 

Barbara has fulfilled twelve commissioned works for treble choirs including commissions for Iowa and Indiana All-State choirs. Her compositions are published with Plymouth Music Company, Colla Voce Publishing, and Alliance Publishing Company.

 

"The Plans I Have For You" should be performed with great spirit and freshness. Keep the piece joyous by emphasizing the syncopation and not allowing the meter changes to slow down. The dolce section at measure 38 provides a striking contrast to the rest of the song when performed with flowing legato phrases. Any combination of Orff instruments will be acceptable; however, metalaphones add a nice timbre. Experiment with the melody being played by glockenspiel to help keep the descending patterns in tune.