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Guide to Voice

Here you will find an overview of the vocal resources with search tips.

See also

Scores for Loan

The State Library has a comprehensive sheet music collection of songs covering all genres. Encompassing lieder, art song, opera, folk, rock, pop, jazz, songs from movies, television and the stage, music hall, heavy metal, country and children’s songs, every singer’s need is met. The songs are in both single sheet and anthology format, and copies of complete vocal scores of operas, music theatre and choral works ensure that the stage performer is well catered for. We collect most works listed from Grade 4 and above in the Australian Music Examinations Board Singing and Singing for Leisure syllabuses.

Reference Material

The reference collection contains books, journals and electronic resources covering vocal technique and health, vocal pedagogy and musicianship. There is also material on diction, interpretation, repertoire, auditioning, singing in languages other than English, the art of the song recital and songwriting. Use of these texts and scores containing exercises ensures that technique and theory are covered for singing students, teachers, choral directors, composers and lyricists.

Recordings

We have a listening collection of CDs and LPs for use within the building. You can also listen to tracks using the on-line database Naxos Music Library. There is a small classical loan collection of audio cassettes available.

Searching

The song collection has been indexed exhaustively, ensuring that clients can locate material within anthologies. On-line access to songs acquired after 2001 is augmented by an extensive card index covering all song anthologies held in the library. A guide is available with tricks and tips on how to find songs, and there is an outline to the classification scheme for popular songs that may be of help to those visiting the library in person. Please contact us if you cannot locate the song you require and our staff can consult our printed index.

Scores of operas, musicals, masses, oratorios, collections, anthologies, artist and composer compilations and song cycles can be found by using our catalogue. You may search by title but you may not find all copies of the work if you use only one translation of the title, such as The magic flute instead of Die Zauberflote. Useful subject searches are:

Find information buy using the keyword or subject option in the catalogue. Useful subject and keyword searches are:

  • Songs
  • Songs - Analysis, appreciation
  • Songs - Interpretation (Phrasing, dynamics etc.)
  • Singing
  • Singing - Instruction and study
  • History and criticism
  • Texts

Page last updated: Wednesday 4 July 2012