All of Us Sheet Music Preview

All of Us: Choral Instrumental Pak

By Craig Hella Johnson

Item: 35-PK00378923

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Description
Described as "brilliant" and "heartfelt," this is the final movement of Craig Hella Johnson's epic work "Considering Matthew Shepard," a tribute to the young gay man who has become an American icon and a symbol for hope and redemption. With elements of hymnody, American folk and gospel music, this single movement will allow mixed choruses everywhere to come to understand and be lifted up by this powerful music.

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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
SKU: 35-PK00378923

More about this title

About the Composer: Craig Hella Johnson

Craig Hella Johnson is a composer and conductor known for creating large-scale choral works that engage with social issues and human experiences. His compositions blend accessible musical language with emotional depth, drawing on American hymnody, folk traditions, and contemporary choral writing to create pieces that resonate in both concert halls and communities.

Why we love this

Johnson's final movement stands alone beautifully, offering your ensemble a chance to engage with serious, socially conscious music that never sacrifices singability for substance. The fusion of hymn-like structures with folk and gospel idioms creates something that feels both familiar and profound, giving singers material that moves them personally while sounding prepared and polished.

What to expect

The music carries a quiet dignity mixed with an underlying current of hope. Hymnic passages sit alongside moments of folk-like simplicity and gospel warmth, creating a soundworld that feels rooted in American musical traditions while reaching toward something transcendent.

Who it's for

Mixed choruses looking to program meaningful repertoire that combines accessibility with artistic substance. This work suits groups with some singing experience and the maturity to engage thoughtfully with its subject matter.

How to get the most out of it

  • Honor the hymnic foundation by maintaining clear phrase shapes and allowing text underlay to guide your phrasing choices, even as the gospel and folk elements encourage rhythmic flexibility.
  • Balance the ensemble sound so that the layered melodic and harmonic voices come through; this isn't a piece where anyone blends into the background.
  • Let the emotional arc build gradually across the movement rather than pushing intensity early. The heartfelt quality comes from restraint that earns its climactic moments.

How to use it

This movement works powerfully as a finale for a concert exploring American values and identity, or as part of a program dedicated to social commentary through music. Its emotional weight makes it suitable for spring festivals or commemorative concerts where you want the last impression to linger.

Skills your students will build

  • Interpreting text with emotional authenticity in a socially conscious context
  • Blending hymnic, folk, and gospel musical languages within a single piece
  • Sustaining long-line phrasing while respecting rhythmic variety across sections
  • Balancing ensemble transparency when multiple melodic voices occur simultaneously

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