A la Lata: SSAA Choral Octavo
Traditional Colombian Chant, music by Ruth Morris Gray
Item: 00-PO-0007849
$2.50
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
"A la lata" (meaning "to the tin can") is a traditional Colombian chant widely recognized across Latin America as a children's game. Ruth Morris Gray's zesty setting of the brief Spanish text boasts four sturdy voice parts supported by a big piano accompaniment. At the peak of the arrangement, the lowest voices sing a forte feature with upper voices on previously introduced counterlines. Resounding minor key harmonies are a pleasure to perform and create an impressive wall of sound.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0007849
More about this title
About the Arranger: Ruth Morris Gray
Ruth Morris Gray directs choirs at Rosemead High School in Rosemead, California, where she has taught piano and choral music since 2004. Her compositional output exceeds 100 published works for choral ensembles. She holds degrees in piano performance and composition from Biola University and earned a master's degree in music composition from UC Santa Barbara, with teaching credentials from California State University, Northridge.
Beyond the music room, Gray remains an active performer and traveler who balances her work as educator and composer with personal interests including swimming, reading, and cycling.
Why we love this
Gray's arrangement transforms a simple children's game into an impressive showcase for four-part treble harmony without sacrificing the folk tune's playfulness. The lower voice feature at the arrangement's climax gives SSA singers a moment of real musical weight, while the piano part contributes genuine substance rather than mere accompaniment. This is the kind of piece that sounds far more complex than it is, rewarding both the singers and their audience with a satisfying performance experience.
What to expect
Vibrant and grounded at once. The minor key gives the arrangement a richer, more mature character than the playful text alone might suggest, while the folk melody keeps everything accessible and fun. Singing it feels like discovering something both familiar and freshly imagined.
Who it's for
SSA and SSAA choirs seeking repertoire with genuine harmonic substance and Latin American cultural content. This piece works well for middle school through community choral groups who want to program something that feels energetic and modern without requiring a large ensemble.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the counterlines carefully during the tutti sections; the upper voices should support rather than overshadow the lower voice feature when it arrives.
- Lean into the minor key harmonies with vocal color and resonance. These chords create the wall of sound Gray describes, so commit fully to the harmonic weight rather than singing lightly through them.
- Work the rhythmic precision of the Spanish text with your piano accompanist. The rhythmic vitality comes from clarity, not from rushing.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to lock the ensemble's entries and to hear how the piano part sits underneath the voices in full context.
How to use it
Pair this with other world music selections on a concert celebrating folk traditions from around the globe, or use it as a lighter moment between more serious concert pieces. Its twelve pages and moderate difficulty make it a strong choice for festival programming where you want an impressive, memorable selection that your singers can prepare thoroughly.
Skills your students will build
- Singing minor key harmonies with tonal security
- Balancing independent voice lines while maintaining ensemble cohesion
- Text clarity and rhythmic precision in Spanish
- Ensemble blend across four distinct voice parts in a four-part texture