Can You Hear the Angels? Cover Image

Can You Hear the Angels?: SSA Choral Octavo

$2.05 USD
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Can You Hear the Angels? Cover Image
Can You Hear the Angels?: SSA Choral Octavo

Can You Hear the Angels?: SSA Choral Octavo

Words and music by Greg Gilpin

Item: 00-43377
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Description
Sing about angels, shepherds, wise men, the star, and "the baby born in Bethlehem" with this spirited original for Christmas. Choirs of any age will sound their best on the gospel harmonies and catchy hook. After a modulating bridge lifts the piece to a higher level, invite your singers (and audience) to add handclaps over the final refrain!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Can You Hear the Angels?: SSA 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 Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
UPC: 038081489186
SKU: 00-43377

More about this title

About the Composer: Greg Gilpin

Greg Gilpin

Greg Gilpin is an ASCAP award-winning composer and arranger with an international conducting resume spanning Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Sydney Opera House. His work as Director of Educational Choral Publications at Shawnee Press has shaped choral literature across the country, and his arrangements and originals are performed by choirs of every age and ability level.

Beyond the concert stage, Gilpin has scored the award-winning short film "Rosie's Rescue" and collaborated with opera singer Angela Brown on a reimagined arrangement of "What Child is This?" premiered with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. He is an active member of ACDA, NAfME, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Why we love this

Gilpin writes with a director's ear for what choirs want to sing and audiences want to hear. The gospel harmonies and memorable hook make this an immediate crowd-pleaser, while the modulating bridge and handclap finale give your singers real ownership of the performance moment. It's the rare Christmas piece that feels both fresh and instantly singable.

What to expect

Warm, joyful, and genuinely celebratory. The original melody feels like a carol that's always been part of the tradition, grounded in gospel harmonies that give it soul. By the time handclaps arrive in the final refrain, singers and listeners alike are caught up in unguarded joy.

Who it's for

This piece works beautifully for SSA or SSAA choirs spanning middle school through adult ensembles. Singers appreciate the straightforward vocal lines and gospel feel; audiences respond to the uplifting message and infectious energy.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the melody with confident phrasing through the hook; let the catchy line breathe rather than rushing the rhythm.
  • Balance the gospel harmonies carefully so the SSA voicing stays clear without the sopranos dominating the texture.
  • Build momentum into the modulating bridge by tightening ensemble precision and allowing the key change to feel earned.
  • Invite your audience into the final refrain handclaps with a clear, confident gesture; their participation completes the piece's celebratory arc.

How to use it

Program this as your finale or centerpiece for a Christmas concert; it has the infectious energy and audience engagement that make strong closing moments. Pair it with reverent traditional carols earlier in the program to show the full emotional range of the season.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and performing gospel-style harmonies and voice leading
  • Modulating to a new key and managing the vocal adjustment that comes with it
  • Balancing ensemble blend across SSA voicing
  • Performing with rhythmic precision and stylistic confidence in a contemporary choral idiom
  • Coordinating with audience participation (handclaps) while maintaining choir focus

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