Celebrate the Feast of Lights: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Music by Sally K. Albrecht and Lois Brownsey
Item: 00-PO-0004499
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This top selling 2-Part Hanukkah piece is now available for 3-Part voices. A wonderful seasonal piece which actually describes the traditions of Hanukkah. "Round the world families are gathering from near and far" to celebrate the feast of lights. A bright opening section contrasts with a slow middle section before a return to main theme. Everyone gets a chance to sing the melody.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0004499
More about this title
About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht
Sally K. Albrecht built her reputation as a choral composer, conductor, and clinician with a distinctive focus on integrating movement into choral performance. Since 1987, she has been a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Music Award, and her catalog now includes more than 600 published choral works alongside 75 larger musicals and songbooks. She has led honor choirs at major venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center, and spent over thirty years directing school choral and vocal publications for major educational music publishers, including Alfred Music.
Albrecht earned her B.A. in Music and Theater from Rollins College in 1976, then continued her studies at the University of Miami, completing an M.A. in Drama and an M.M. in Accompanying. She has taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Albrecht served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and was honored as a Distinguished Alumna by both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College in 2021.
Why we love this
Albrecht delivers exactly what a 2-part choir needs: a piece that teaches genuine Hanukkah content while keeping the musical writing accessible and engaging. The structural contrast between the bright opening and contemplative middle section gives your singers real interpretive work, and the guarantee that everyone gets the melody ensures nobody feels relegated to a supporting role.
What to expect
The piece opens with celebratory warmth that draws the listener into a moment of gathering and joy. The mid-section slows into a more reflective space before the music brightens again, creating a gentle emotional arc that mirrors the theme of renewal at the heart of Hanukkah.
Who it's for
This octavo is built for middle school through high school choirs with limited vocal range demands but real desire to sing meaningful seasonal literature. It works equally well in general music classes, smaller ensemble settings, or schools where a 2-part configuration matches current enrollment.
How to get the most out of it
- Honor the text by connecting the melodic lines to the specific imagery of families gathering 'from near and far.' This emotional arc will make the opening section feel purposeful rather than merely bright.
- Shape the transition into the slow middle section with careful dynamic control. Allow the tempo shift to breathe so the contrast feels earned, not abrupt.
- In the return to the main theme, resist the urge to rush back to tempo. Let the choir feel the journey of coming home to the familiar material.
How to use it
Program this in a winter concert that celebrates multiple holiday traditions, or feature it as the anchor of a Hanukkah-focused portion of your concert. Its accessible 2-part writing also makes it a natural fit early in the year as a confidence-builder for newer choirs while you're still building vocal technique.
Skills your students will build
- Singing two independent vocal lines with clear harmonic awareness
- Interpreting text with cultural and spiritual sensitivity
- Managing tempo and dynamic contrast across distinct musical sections
- Balancing blend and balance across an ensemble while maintaining individual melodic clarity