Count the Stars: SAB Choral Octavo
Words and music by Andy Beck
Item: 00-PO-0005614
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This tender song of remembrance features a poignant original text combined with Latin phrases from the Requiem Mass. Close cluster chords, beautifully sculpted phrases, and expressive dynamics leave the listener with a sense of awe and wonder. Not to be missed! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Count the Stars: SAB 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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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0005614
More about this title
About the Composer: Andy Beck
Andy Beck serves as Director of Choral Publications at Alfred Music, where he has shaped the choral landscape with more than 450 compositions, arrangements, and vocal resources. His pedagogical contributions include respected choral sight-singing curricula and vocal technique resources widely used in rehearsal studios and classrooms. Beck holds degrees in Music Education from Ithaca College and Northwest Missouri State University, grounding his compositional work in deep understanding of how singers learn.
Beyond the page, Beck remains active as a tenor, guest conductor for state and regional honor choirs, adjudicator, and clinician. He has directed musical theatre, collaborated with the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir, and served as a studio vocalist for Alfred Music since 1992. His international presence on YouTube and his frequent invitations to conduct and adjudicate reflect the broad reach and respect his music commands among musicians at every level.
Why we love this
Beck's use of Latin text woven into an original poem creates a layered emotional depth that resonates in memorial settings without becoming didactic or heavy-handed. The harmonic language—those close cluster chords Beck places so deliberately—opens possibilities for singers to explore contemporary sonorities while maintaining accessibility, making this equally valuable for ambitious middle school programs and adult choirs seeking meaningful concert material.
What to expect
The music settles into you quietly, building intimacy through close-voiced harmonies and carefully placed silences. Moments of awe break through the tenderness, lifted by the Latin text and expressive arc, leaving singers and listeners alike in reflective stillness.
Who it's for
SAB choirs from high school through community levels who want repertoire with genuine artistic substance and contemporary harmonic sophistication. Directors seeking a reverential but not somber commemorative piece, or those programming concert and festival appearances where emotional authenticity matters more than sheer difficulty.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the original English text with the weight and stillness of the Latin phrases, allowing slight tempo flexibility to honor the shift in language and emotional register.
- Treat the cluster chords as vertical color rather than tension to resolve; their beauty lies in their sustained resonance, so prioritize blend and intonation across all three parts simultaneously.
- Experiment with how the expressive dynamics map onto your singers' natural breath points; Beck's phrasing often invites rubato, so rehearse where you'll breathe and release before committing to tempo.
How to use it
This works powerfully as a concert closer or opening reflection, particularly in programs honoring remembrance, loss, or milestone moments. Its 12-page length suits a mixed concert program where you want meaningful art song representation without requiring unusual voice part specialists.
Skills your students will build
- Intonation in close cluster voicings
- Text expression across multiple languages
- Dynamic control and subtle nuance
- Phrasing through silence and space
- Blending treble and alto voices in contemporary harmony