December Canon: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Words and music by Mark Burrows
Item: 00-PO-0007244
$2.30
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
"The wind is cold, the branches bare, but hearts are warm and bright." Despite the chill of December, it's all about hope, peace, and kindling kindness. As you'd expect from a round, a simple melody easily stacks into a complete choral texture. Even better, the conservative-range tune ensures a good fit for all voices. Groups of any age will master the canonic form and enjoy delivering the heartfelt, non-holiday message.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0007244
More about this title
About the Composer: Mark Burrows
Mark Burrows composes for choirs across all age ranges and skill levels, from children's ensembles to adult festival groups. His music appears regularly on state and festival repertoire lists, and he receives commissions consistently from diverse choral communities. Burrows holds degrees in music education from Southern Methodist University and in conducting from Texas Christian University. He serves as Director of Children's Ministries at FUMC in Fort Worth, where he lives with his wife and two daughters.
Why we love this
Burrows crafts a canonic text that works exactly as a round should: the melody stacks cleanly, the harmony emerges effortlessly, and singers grasp the form quickly without sacrificing musicality. The conservative vocal range removes the barrier of transposition worries, letting you focus on blend and phrasing. A secular December message centered on warmth and kindness gives you programmatic flexibility beyond holiday concerts.
What to expect
Gentle and reflective, yet bright with conviction. The melody carries a quiet dignity as it moves through the text, and when the parts layer, you feel the warmth building from restraint. Despite the winter imagery, the overall sensation is one of hope kindled rather than cold endured.
Who it's for
Any choir singing two-part literature will connect with this piece. The accessible range and canonic simplicity suit middle school through adult ensembles, making it equally valuable for concert settings and festival competitions. Singers of all experience levels can execute it with musicality.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the melody solidly in Part 1 before introducing Part 2; this foundation makes the staggered entrances feel inevitable rather than chaotic.
- Shape the phrase "hearts are warm and bright" with genuine warmth in tone and slight dynamic lift to anchor the emotional heart of the text.
- Keep the tempo steady and unhurried; canons demand rhythmic precision, and rushing flattens the harmonic layers as they stack.
- Balance the parts so each voice group hears itself clearly while the blend remains unified; a slight dynamic lean toward the top line helps clarify the original melody.
How to use it
Place this alongside other secular winter repertoire to give winter programming depth beyond holiday tradition. It works equally well as a concert opener that sets a reflective tone or as a closing statement of resilience and kindness. The 12-page score makes it substantial enough for festival performance yet concise enough to learn quickly within a rehearsal season.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing canonic form
- Hearing independence between two parts while maintaining blend
- Sustaining legato lines across phrase boundaries
- Balancing range awareness across a 2-part voicing