Bringers of Noise: SA Choral Octavo

Pederson's imaginative use of invented language and theatrical staging transforms a choral piece into an unforgettable experience that engages both choir and audience on multiple sensory levels. The layering of narration, rhythmic speech, singing, and percussion gives singers concrete dramatic material to inhabit rather than abstract emotions to convey. This is a piece that justifies itself immediately to skeptical singers and creates the kind of buzz that makes a concert memorable.

Mysterious and ritualistic, with an uncanny quality that holds attention through unfamiliar sounds and unexpected structural turns. The invented oracle language creates otherworldly atmosphere while the rhythmic and chanted elements ground the piece in visceral, physical energy that singers and listeners feel rather than merely hear.

High school and community choirs seeking a dramatic, contemporary piece that rewards theatrical sensibility and precise ensemble work. This octavo serves singers who thrive on narrative and experimental sound worlds, and directors looking for a concert or festival selection that genuinely surprises audiences.

• Establish the rhythmic chanting patterns during early rehearsals as a spoken ensemble before integrating melody and harmony. Clarity here anchors the entire piece.
• Assign percussion parts with intention. The rhythmic instruments are not accompaniment; they are partners in creating the mystical atmosphere, so invest rehearsal time in their precision and dynamics.
• Download the orchestrated accompaniment track (arranged by Ruben Reyes) to hear how Pederson envisions the fuller sound. Whether you use it in performance or not, studying it informs your interpretation of balance and color.
• Direct attention to the narration sections. These moments require clear diction and dramatic presence; they are not filler between sung passages but essential architecture of the piece.

Close a concert with this piece to send the audience home unsettled and captivated. Its dramatic intensity and novel sound world make it an ideal festival selection or the centerpiece of a concert exploring contemporary choral theater. Program it with works in more familiar styles to highlight its distinctive approach.

• Rhythmic chanting and speech integration into sung music
• Performance of constructed/invented language with clear diction
• Ensemble coordination across narration, vocal lines, and percussion parts
• Dramatic presence and character work in choral performance
• Reading and executing rhythmically complex notation in layered textures