A Place Like Home (A Holiday Wish) Cover Image

A Place Like Home (A Holiday Wish): SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

$24.95 USD
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A Place Like Home (A Holiday Wish) Cover Image

A Place Like Home (A Holiday Wish): SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

Words and music by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse

Item: 00-A-00015022

$24.95
Digital Download
Description

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-A-00015022

More about this title

About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht has shaped choral music education for over three decades, first as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications at major educational publishers including Alfred Music, and throughout her career as a sought-after conductor and clinician. Her compositional output spans more than 600 choral works and 75 musicals and songbooks, with her contributions recognized annually by ASCAP since 1987. She has conducted honor choirs at prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center, and has taught music at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College.

Holding degrees from Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater, 1976), the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, 1977, and M.M. in Accompanying, 1979), Albrecht is also known for her pioneering work integrating movement into choral performance. She has served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and received their Pillar of Leadership award. In 2021, both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College honored her with Distinguished Alumna Awards. She lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with her husband, composer and arranger Jay Althouse.

Why we love this

Albrecht and Althouse craft holiday music that feels genuinely warm without leaning on sentimentality, and this piece captures that balance beautifully. The recorded accompaniment gives choirs immediate access to a professional sound, perfect for holiday concerts where rehearsal time competes with everything else. Their track record with movement-integrated choral writing means the piece invites expressive physicality while remaining accessible to most singers.

What to expect

The music conveys warmth and familiarity without nostalgia, inviting listeners into a space of comfort and belonging. The harmonies suggest home as both physical place and emotional anchor, creating a tender, reflective quality that resonates long after the final note.

Who it's for

This piece works for intermediate to advanced choirs looking for a secular holiday selection with genuine emotional substance. It suits concert contexts ranging from community holiday celebrations to school and church programs, and works equally well for ensembles serving diverse audiences who prefer inclusive winter repertoire.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the accompaniment to support rather than overpower; singers should always drive the emotional core of the piece, so use the SoundTrax audio as a foundation that allows your choir's voices to shine.
  • Establish a clear sense of where 'home' lives vocally in your arrangement; mark phrase peaks and natural resting points so the narrative arc feels intentional rather than wandering.
  • Consider the pacing of text delivery, especially in passages that carry the emotional weight. The title suggests intimacy, so clarity of diction will make the message land.
  • Explore how movement might enhance the storytelling without feeling forced. Given Albrecht's known work with movement-integrated choral performance, this piece may reward subtle physical choices that reinforce the sense of belonging.

How to use it

Place this as a centerpiece of your holiday concert rather than an opening or filler number; it carries enough musical substance and emotional weight to anchor a set. The availability of recorded accompaniment makes it ideal for mixed-level choir programs where rehearsal minutes are precious, and its secular framing allows flexible programming alongside both traditional and contemporary winter repertoire.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing with nuanced dynamics and phrase shaping in supported vocal lines
  • Interpreting lyrics with emotional authenticity while maintaining vocal control
  • Listening to and blending with recorded accompaniment
  • Understanding harmonic movement in tonal holiday literature

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