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Drink from the Unity Cup (for the Kwanzaa Festival): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

$2.25 USD

Drink from the Unity Cup (for the Kwanzaa Festival): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

Name: Drink from the Unity Cup (for the Kwanzaa Festival): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-21103
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

Music by Marti Lunn Lantz and Lois Brownsey

Item: 00-21103

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Kwanzaa, the seven day festival celebrated December 26 through January 1 by African-Americans, is becoming more popular every year. Learn the Kwanzaa tradition of drinking from a unity cup and lighting the candles of the kinara with this rhythmic and fun to sing choral piece. For an African feel, add drums or use the well produced SoundTrax CD.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Drink from the Unity Cup (for the Kwanzaa Festival): 3-Part Mixed 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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Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 038081200248

SKU: 00-21103

More about this title

About the Composer: Lois Brownsey

Lois Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lantz have built a distinctive catalog of choral music grounded in world traditions and seasonal celebrations. Brownsey, a Philadelphia native trained at Temple University with roots in guitar performance and musical theatre, paired her diverse musicianship with Lantz's compositional sensibility to create works that balance accessibility with cultural authenticity. Their published collections include Celebrations around the World and The Wonders of the Earth, alongside numerous individual pieces for Alfred that span from winter settings to multicultural festivals.

Beyond choral writing, Brownsey has contributed jingles and commercial music for major clients while maintaining an active performance history across pop, rock, and blues ensembles both domestically and internationally. She retired from touring in 1997 and now resides in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, where she serves as a Celebrant and remains engaged in community arts initiatives. Her husband, recording engineer Kent Heckman, operates Red Rock Recording Studios, which has produced many of the Alfred projects that have become staples in choral programs.

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Why we love this

This piece captures the pedagogical and celebratory spirit of Kwanzaa through music that sings naturally across three parts while maintaining rhythmic energy that engages singers and audiences alike. The optional addition of drums or the SoundTrax accompaniment deepens the cultural authenticity without requiring elaborate arrangements or extra rehearsal burden. Programming it during the winter season gives choirs an alternative to secular holiday standards while honoring a meaningful cultural observance.

What to expect

Rhythmically buoyant and celebratory, the piece invites singers into a festive but grounded sound rooted in African musical traditions. The unity cup theme carries both joy and reverence, creating a moment that feels both contemporary and ceremonial.

Who it's for

Choirs with voices ready to tackle three-part mixed voicing will find this piece rewarding and achievable. It works especially well in school and community settings where directors want to expand winter concert programming beyond mainstream holiday material while remaining accessible to developing singers.

How to get the most out of it

Layer in hand percussion or the recorded accompaniment strategically to build momentum through the piece rather than sustaining it at full volume throughout.
Emphasize the rhythmic clarity of each voice part during the opening phrases to establish the groove before adding harmonic warmth.
Shape the text about the unity cup and kinara candles with intentional phrasing so the cultural significance lands clearly for your audience.
Invite your singers to understand the Kwanzaa tradition ahead of time; informed performers bring authentic musicality to culturally specific repertoire.

How to use it

Position this during the December through January window to acknowledge Kwanzaa alongside winter concerts and New Year programming. It serves as an excellent pairing with other world music selections or as a standalone festival piece that educates and entertains audiences about a cultural celebration they may be learning about through your performance.