A Closing Prayer: SATB Choral Octavo

A Closing Prayer: SATB Choral Octavo

By Don Besig

Item: 35-DS01134768
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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 5
SKU: 35-DS01134768

More about this title

About the Composer: Don Besig

Don Besig

Don Besig spent 31 years directing music in public schools across western New York, building award-winning concert choirs and show choirs known for strong performances at festivals, competitions, and community venues. His teaching career spanned all grade levels, and he drew directly from that experience when he began composing music tailored to student singers and volunteer church ensembles. He now serves as director of music at Perinton Presbyterian Church in Fairport, New York.

With over 350 original compositions and arrangements published by major school and church music houses, Besig's work has reached millions of singers worldwide. He has earned multiple ASCAP Special Awards for standard music and maintains active involvement as a guest conductor, clinician, and festival adjudicator across 40 states and Canada. A graduate of Ithaca College and member of professional organizations including ACDA and MENC, Besig remains committed to supporting singers of all experience levels.

Why we love this

Besig writes closing moments that feel genuine, not sentimental. This piece captures the reverent stillness that works so well at the end of a concert or service, and it sits comfortably for singers who aren't super advanced, which means your ensemble can focus on the emotional delivery rather than technical survival.

What to expect

Quiet and centered. The piece has the calm clarity of a moment where a group finds common ground and holds it together. There's dignity without grandeur, reflection without heaviness.

Who it's for

Any choir looking for a thoughtful closing number for worship services, concerts, or school assemblies. The part writing accommodates developing singers while still offering interpretive depth for more experienced ensembles.

How to get the most out of it

  • Allow space and silence between phrases; resist the urge to fill every breath with sound. The prayer's power lives in restraint.
  • Keep the internal voicing clear by asking singers to think of their part as singing to someone specific, not just toward a chord. It sharpens focus and prevents the sound from becoming muddy.
  • Balance the dynamic shape across all four parts so no section dominates. A SATB octavo works best when voices blend rather than compete.
  • Experiment with the recorded accompaniment as a rehearsal tool first, then consider dropping it for live performance to let the voices carry the spiritual weight.

How to use it

Use this as the final piece of a concert program, particularly effective after more energetic repertoire to send the audience out in a contemplative mood. It works equally well in a worship setting or as a gentle close to a school assembly. At five pages, it fits naturally into mixed programming without demanding a disproportionate rehearsal investment.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing sustained phrases with consistent breath support
  • Blending four parts while maintaining individual line integrity
  • Interpreting dynamics and phrasing for emotional expression
  • Responding to subtle musical nuance and text painting
  • Building awareness of how silence and space shape musical meaning

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