Cantimus de Amore: SAB Choral Octavo

Hayes crafts a piece that feels genuinely singable for SAB ensembles while maintaining the harmonic sophistication and textural interest that keeps audiences engaged. The structural alternation between Latin and English texts gives your singers a chance to explore two distinct musical colors within a single work, and its modest length makes it an ideal concert anchor that won't exhaust younger voices.

The minor key creates an introspective, slightly mysterious opening that gradually opens toward reflection on living fully. Hayes balances the formality of Latin text with the warmth of English, creating a piece that feels both contemplative and life-affirming, with harmonic language that recalls the Baroque while remaining thoroughly accessible.

SAB ensembles ranging from middle school to community choir level who want concert repertoire with genuine musical substance and moderate technical demands. Directors seeking a piece that programs well either as an opener or closer will find the work's compact form and distinctive Baroque flavor an asset.

• Emphasize the text painting in the English phrases; Hayes often sets the more reflective moments with lighter accompaniment, so let your singers breathe into those lines rather than rushing them.
• Use the recorded accompaniment first during sectionals to lock in the minor key tonality, then gradually reduce your reliance on it during full rehearsals so the voices build ensemble confidence independently.
• Shape the three Latin phrases as distinct musical statements rather than treating them as transitions. Each one benefits from a slight recharge of energy and focus.
• Balance the SAB voicing carefully in passages where the Soprano and Alto parts diverge; Hayes's writing favors the soprano line, but underpowered altos will muddy the clarity he's worked into the harmonic progressions.

Open a concert with this piece to establish an elegant, thoughtful tone before moving into lighter fare, or close one with it to leave audiences with something they'll remember. It also works beautifully as a feature for a madrigal ensemble or chamber choir within a larger concert, giving you a chance to highlight your most engaged singers.

• Reading and sustaining melody in minor keys
• Balancing three independent vocal lines with clear harmonic function
• Executing rhythmic precision in moderate tempo without sacrificing musicality
• Singing Latin pronunciation with confidence and clarity
• Shifting between contrasting emotional and textual contexts within a single piece