A New Song: SATB Choral Octavo

Schram captures the infectious energy of a spiritual while respecting the source material, giving singers a piece that feels both contemporary and rooted. The flexible voicings mean you can program this whether your ensemble numbers 20 or 60, and the rhythmic vitality keeps rehearsals from ever feeling like work.

Buoyant and celebratory, rooted in the call-and-response DNA of the spiritual but with contemporary harmonic color that keeps ears engaged. The piece radiates the kind of joyful exuberance that builds momentum through a concert and lifts the room.

High school and youth choirs seeking contemporary sacred music that energizes without overwhelming singers at moderate difficulty. Directors who want a worship-appropriate piece that bridges traditional spiritual language with modern sensibility will find this particularly useful.

• Lean into the rhythmic character of the spiritual idiom; the syncopation should feel natural and dance-like rather than metronomic.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in the harmonic foundation, especially if your choir is newer to this style of music.
• Encourage singers to commit emotionally to the text adaptation; Schram's Psalm connection deepens when the joy feels genuine rather than performed.

This works beautifully as a concert closer or a worship service anthem when you want uplifting energy without heavy theological weight. Pair it with other settings from Ruthie's Psalms for a New Time to explore how a single composer can refresh traditional texts, or use it as a standalone piece to demonstrate to your choir how sacred music can be both accessible and artistically satisfying.

• Rhythmic independence in syncopated, spiritual-influenced textures
• Part-singing in flexible SATB voicings with varied textural density
• Stylistically authentic expression in contemporary sacred music
• Harmonic awareness through contemporary chord progressions