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Amazing Grace: SSAA Choral Octavo

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Amazing Grace Cover Image
Amazing Grace: SSAA Choral Octavo

Amazing Grace: SSAA Choral Octavo

Arr. Jay Althouse

Item: 00-21068
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Description
New! SSAA and TTBB editions of Jay Althouse's sensitive and elegant arrangement of America's favorite folk melody. Opens with a plaintive piano figure followed by an optional solo (or section). Features an a cappella section with a harmonization reminiscent of Copland. Amazing Grace is one of Jay's finest arrangements and has become a choral classic. Touchingly simple, yet sophisticated.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Amazing Grace: SSAA Choral Octavo comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081199900
SKU: 00-21068

More about this title

About the Arranger: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was later honored as a Distinguished Alumnus. His career spans both the publishing side of music education and active composition; he spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America.

Althouse has established himself as one of the most prolific composers for choirs, with more than 800 works in print across all levels. His compositions have earned regular ASCAP Special Awards, and his music is performed widely throughout the English-speaking world. Beyond choral writing, he has co-created children's musicals with Sally K. Albrecht, compiled respected vocal collections, and authored instructional resources for music classrooms. His choral work "I Hear America Singing," co-written with Albrecht, was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration. Althouse currently serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America and resides in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Why we love this

Althouse's arrangement respects the hymn's spiritual gravity while introducing sophisticated harmonic depth that engages singers without overwhelming them. The optional solo opening and a cappella Copland-influenced passage give your choir fresh interpretive moments, and the piece's contest-ready polish combined with its emotional accessibility makes it equally effective in worship, concert, or festival settings.

What to expect

Quietly transcendent. The arrangement unfolds with the unhurried pacing of a meditation, allowing each harmonic shift to land with intention. There is grace in its restraint and dignity in its simplicity, creating a soundscape that feels both timeless and intimately present.

Who it's for

Treble choirs of intermediate to advanced ability seeking a substantial yet approachable arrangement of a beloved hymn. Directors programming peace-focused or interfaith concerts, spring festivals, or spirituals-and-hymns concerts will find this octavo equally fitting for worship settings and concert halls.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the opening piano figure with clear direction and allow it space to establish the reflective mood before the optional solo enters; resist rushing into the vocals.
  • Balance the a cappella section carefully, emphasizing the inner harmonic movement that echoes Copland's language rather than pushing volume.
  • If using the optional solo, choose a vocalist whose tone conveys vulnerability; this section invites restraint rather than display.
  • Let silence breathe after the final phrase; this arrangement earns its quiet power.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece in a concert section devoted to American spirituals and hymns, or use it to open a program with a moment of reflection. It pairs naturally with other Americana repertoire and provides a strong closing option for benefits, memorial services, or peace-themed events where its emotional directness serves the occasion.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing sustained tones with consistent intonation across multiple voice parts
  • Reading SSAA voicing with independent harmonic lines
  • Balancing solo and ensemble textures
  • Interpreting a cappella singing with harmonic awareness
  • Performing with dynamic restraint and phrase shape

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