Come Away To The Skies: Choral Instrumental Pak

Leavitt's orchestration transforms this hymn into something that feels newly composed rather than merely dressed up. The instrumental scoring is sophisticated enough to hold a concert audience's attention while remaining accessible for choirs that are developing their collaborative skills with an ensemble. At just over two minutes, it packs emotional weight without demanding extensive rehearsal time.

The music radiates warmth and affirmation, with harmonic progressions that feel both grounded in tradition and gently unexpected. Leavitt's orchestration creates an almost luminous quality, as if the hymn is being heard through prismatic light rather than performed in ordinary time.

This arrangement works well for choirs performing with orchestra or advanced chamber ensemble, particularly those preparing a sacred concert or participating in a choral festival. It suits both church music programs seeking concert repertoire and educational settings where singers benefit from singing alongside skilled instrumental players.

• Balance the choir's opening statements against the instrumental color; the orchestra should enhance rather than overshadow the text being sung.
• Pay attention to the dynamic contours Leavitt marks in both the choral and instrumental parts so that climactic moments land with genuine lift rather than shouting.
• Coordinate any ritardandi at phrase endings between your conductor's gesture and the string players, especially in the final cadence where timing creates the spiritual resolution.

Position this early in a concert as an opener that establishes an uplifting tone, or place it in the second half where it can provide spiritual counterweight to more dramatic sacred works. The compact length also makes it ideal as a festival or competition piece when you need something substantive that doesn't consume your rehearsal calendar.

• Blending choral tone with instrumental timbre across phrase lines
• Sustaining proper support through longer note values within harmonic progressions
• Responding to conductor cues while listening to ensemble balance
• Singing with text clarity and spiritual intention in a concert setting