Celebrate with Music!: SAB Choral Octavo
Words and music by Greg Gilpin
Item: 00-PO-0001391
$1.80
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This triumphant opener or closer is sure to make an impact with its fanfare-like phrases and percussive handclaps. Subito dynamics and scattered syncopations energize the piece, while legato lines and choral echoes provide musical contrast. Accompaniment available on PianoTrax 4 CD (00-35870).
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0001391
More about this title
About the Composer: Greg Gilpin
Greg Gilpin is an ASCAP award-winning composer and arranger whose conducting has taken him to some of the world's most prestigious venues: Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, the Ryman in Nashville, the Sydney Opera House, Royal Festival Hall in London, and Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik. Beyond the concert hall, Gilpin has built a multifaceted career that includes recording industry production work and his role as Director of Educational Choral Publications at Shawnee Press, where he shapes choral music for students and singers everywhere.
In recent years, Gilpin has expanded his creative reach in unexpected directions. He earned certification as a financial coach and professional organizer, launching Maestro Organizing and appearing on Fox and NBC network programs as well as the television series "Hoarders." He composed the award-winning score for the short film "Rosie's Rescue" and collaborated with opera singer Angela Brown on a world premiere arrangement of "What Child is This?" with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. A dedicated member of ACDA, NAfME, SAG-AFTRA, and a Life Loyal Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Gilpin continues to teach, compose, and conduct with energy and vision.
Why we love this
Gilpin nails the delicate balance between energy and musicality that every director needs in an opener or closer. The fanfare-like phrases grab attention immediately, but the legato lines and choral echoes prevent the piece from feeling one-dimensional; singers get moments of real musical substance alongside the rhythmic excitement. The handclaps and subito dynamics feel fresh without requiring elaborate staging.
What to expect
Celebratory and rhythmically alive, this piece crackles with joy through its fanfare gestures and hand-clapping energy. Underneath the brightness lies genuine musical architecture: legato passages offer warmth and depth, while choral echoes create moments of intimacy that balance the triumphant moments.
Who it's for
SAB choirs seeking a high-impact opener or closer that works equally well for community, school, and church ensembles. The three-part voicing accommodates developing singers while the musical substance keeps experienced groups engaged, making it flexible across different ability levels.
How to get the most out of it
- Articulate the handclaps crisply and keep them rhythmically locked with the ensemble; they're as much a melodic element as a percussive one.
- Emphasize the contrast between syncopated passages and legato lines by shaping phrase endings generously, especially in the echo sections.
- Let the subito dynamic shifts catch singers slightly off guard in rehearsal; once they feel the surprise, the effect translates authentically to the audience.
- Balance the three-part writing so that no single voice disappears when parts divide; SAB voicing requires careful attention to inner voice projection.
How to use it
Use this to launch a concert with immediate momentum and full-house attention, or save it for your final number when you want singers and audience alike to leave energized. It pairs well with more introspective pieces earlier in the program, creating dynamic contrast without requiring thematic connections.
Skills your students will build
- Executing subito dynamic shifts (sudden changes from soft to loud and vice versa)
- Syncopated rhythm reading in a choral context
- Balance and projection in three-part SAB writing
- Maintaining ensemble precision with rhythmic elements (handclaps) synchronized to melody and harmony
- Contrasting legato and energetic phrasing within a single piece