All Things: SATB Choral Octavo

Raney's gospel roots give this piece an accessibility and warmth that doesn't feel forced or sentimental. The SATB voicing sits comfortably across high school through adult amateur choirs without demanding virtuosity, making it an excellent vehicle for teaching blend and lyrical phrasing in a secular concert setting. The text resonates without preaching, and the harmonic language feels contemporary without sacrificing singability.

Warm and reflective, with a contemporary harmonic palette that feels both grounded and slightly luminous. The piece settles into your singers' voices rather than sitting on top of them, creating intimacy between choir and audience. There's a quiet confidence in the orchestration, never overcomplicated but never thin.

Directors programming a concert that needs emotional substance without heavy lifting. High school choirs, community choirs, and emerging college groups will all find this accessible yet rewarding. Solo vocalists preparing for auditions or recitals should also consider this repertoire.

• Keep the harmonic rhythm moving with buoyant but natural support from the accompaniment. The piece breathes best when conductors avoid over-rehearsing dynamics in favor of letting the text carry the emotional arc.
• Balance the alto and tenor lines carefully; Raney's writing often sits these voices in register where they can easily disappear into the soprano and bass. Highlight their independence in sectional rehearsals.
• Record a full run-through early and listen back as a group. Hearing themselves in the piece often clarifies phrasing intentions faster than repeated explanation.

Pair this with a contrasting work in a different style, perhaps something more rhythmically driven, to create arc across a concert. It also works beautifully as a closing piece for a thematic program exploring resilience, gratitude, or connection. Spring concert repertoire where depth of feeling matters more than technical display is ideal.

• Sustaining legit singing across longer phrases
• Balancing harmonic independence in close voicing
• Responding to text to shape dynamics organically
• Achieving blend in contemporary harmonic contexts
• Singing with confidence in a lyrical, nonsectarian arrangement