Esta Es el Tiempo: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Althouse crafts choral writing that balances accessibility with genuine musical substance, and this piece delivers both at the 2-part level. The bilingual text and movement staging make it genuinely engaging for singers who might otherwise find unison or simple 2-part arrangements forgettable, and the driving rhythm creates immediate energy in rehearsal and performance. Programming this gives your students permission to have fun without sacrificing musical integrity.

Fresh and rhythmically alive, with a celebratory warmth that comes from the Spanish language sections and a playful energy in the English counterpart. The piece invites singers to feel the music's heartbeat rather than simply execute notes, creating a performance experience that's both joyful and grounded.

This octavo works beautifully with developing 2-part choirs in middle or early high school who are ready to engage with bilingual texts and simple staging. Singers benefit from the straightforward vocal lines while the text relevance and movement component keep them invested in the learning process.

• Emphasize the rhythmic precision in the English section to ensure the piece maintains its sizzle; a slightly loose approach here will feel sluggish rather than celebratory.
• Work the Spanish and English sections as two distinct musical personalities, even though they share melodic material. The Spanish text should feel warm and lyrical; the English section should snap with rhythmic confidence.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in entrances and keep ensemble cohesion, particularly during transitions between languages.

Slot this into a multicultural concert program or a spring pops concert where you want genuine engagement without heavy sophistication. Its movement staging makes it ideal for festivals and community performances where visual elements enhance audience connection, and the bilingual nature opens doors for cross-cultural programming partnerships.

• Reading and performing text in Spanish with accurate pronunciation and phrasing
• Maintaining rhythmic precision while singing in two different languages
• Integrating movement and staging with vocal performance
• Balancing individual expression with ensemble blend in 2-part texture