Dry Bones: Choral SoundPax
Traditional Spiritual / arr. Mark Hayes
Item: 00-PK-0004491
$35.00
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Description
This Alfred best seller is now available for women's choirs! A fine, fun, and innovative arrangement of a popular spiritual about the prophet Ezekiel. Each verse is freshly approached, adding more and more excitement, building through a chromatically ascending "this bone connected to that bone" section, and ending with a big finish that will bring the house down! Great for festival use with or without the percussive SoundTrax or SoundPax. SoundPax includes parts for 2 a. sax., 2 t. sax., b. sax., 2 tpt., 2 tbn., rhy., perc.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Dry Bones: Choral SoundPax comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
52
SKU:
00-PK-0004491
Instrumentation:
2 trumpets, 2 trombones,2 alto & 2 tenor saxes, baritone sax, rhythm,percussion, score
More about this title
About the Arranger: Mark Hayes
Mark Hayes has composed and arranged over 1,750 published works across concert, choral, theatrical, and educational contexts. A summa cum laude graduate in piano performance from Baylor University, he has served as guest conductor at Lincoln Center, the National Cathedral, and Carnegie Hall, and received the 2010 Award for Exemplary Leadership in Christian Music from Baylor University's Center for Christian Music Studies.
Beyond his prolific output in sacred choral music, Hayes works across multiple disciplines as an orchestrator, record producer, and pianist. His catalog spans classical and contemporary idioms; he has premiered major works including his Requiem at Lincoln Center (2013) and the Vatican (2014), and he has orchestrated and arranged music for theatrical productions. Hayes maintains a particular focus on piano repertoire, with over 100 piano books in print ranging from gospel and jazz to classical and musical theater.
Why we love this
Hayes's gift for building excitement through structural variety shines here. Each verse reimagines the spiritual's familiar melody and text, and the chromatically ascending section transforms a traditional call-and-response into something that propels the piece forward with unmistakable momentum, making this an audience favorite that lives up to its festival reputation.
What to expect
The piece captures the prophet Ezekiel's vision with infectious energy and spiritual warmth. It unfolds like a preacher building toward climax: each verse adds texture and momentum, the chromatic section climbs with relentless forward motion, and the final section erupts with the kind of joy that audiences feel in their chests.
Who it's for
Women's choirs at the intermediate to advanced level who want a spirituals arrangement with real substance and crowd appeal. This works equally well for festival competition, church concerts, or secular choral programs seeking repertoire that balances reverence with genuine fun.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the voices so that each new verse entry in the choral sections cuts through clearly; Hayes's layering depends on ensemble blend, not volume alone.
- Invest in the SoundPax instrumentation if possible. The saxes, trumpets, and trombones add textural color and rhythmic drive that elevates the piece from solid choral writing to genuine excitement.
- Shape the chromatic ascending section with real dramatic arc. Mark clear phrase boundaries and allow slight tempo flexibility to let the harmonic movement breathe.
- Nail the rhythmic precision in the rhythm section and percussion parts; their solidity locks the whole ensemble and makes the big finish land with impact.
How to use it
Place this as a festival showcase piece or as the emotional and energetic peak of a choral concert. It pairs naturally with other spirituals or contemporary sacred works, and its appeal transcends denominational boundaries, making it ideal for community and educational settings. The optional SoundPax arrangement also allows you to program it with or without instrumental support depending on ensemble and venue resources.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining ensemble cohesion through rapidly changing harmonic colors and sectional reimagining
- Executing rhythmic precision in sections with layered melodic and harmonic movement
- Shaping dynamic contrast across an extended form with multiple key areas
- Balancing text intelligibility with choral blend across varied textures and voicing