Exsultate Cantamos Festivo: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Althouse builds genuine musical momentum through the piano accompaniment while keeping the vocal parts approachable for 2-part choirs. The 16-measure speech choir section gives students a different way to engage with text and rhythm, breaking up the traditional singing with an ensemble spoken moment that lands with real impact. Two recorded accompaniment options (concert brass and hot Latin groove) mean you can shape the energy to match your rehearsal context or concert vision.

This piece crackles with Latin vitality and celebration. The piano drives the action with bright, syncopated grooves while the singers dance through rhythmic, accessible lines. When the speech choir moment lands, the energy shifts into something almost percussive and tribal before the music lifts again into jubilation.

2-part choirs seeking a high-energy concert piece that doesn't demand advanced vocal technique. The rhythmic vocal writing and exciting accompaniment make it engaging for middle school through adult community choirs, and the multicultural text adds cultural range to your season.

• Nail the rhythmic precision in the 2-part vocal lines by rehearsing them against a steady click or the recorded accompaniment early on. Althouse's rhythms are straightforward but require ensemble lock.
• Shape the speech choir section with clear diction and unified dynamics. Treat it like a rhythmic recitation rather than singing, and let the contrast refresh the ear after the opening vocal material.
• Use the Latin accompaniment track to build energy and groove feel during rehearsal. Even if you perform with piano alone, the recorded version shows how the piece breathes and bounces.
• Balance the Spanish and Latin text carefully across your 2-part voicing. Make sure both parts carry the text equally so meaning stays clear.

Position this as a concert opener or closer when you want to energize an audience and shift the mood toward something festive and contemporary. The combination of Spanish and Latin text makes it a natural choice for a multicultural concert segment or for spring performances focused on world cultures. Its straightforward vocal demands mean it won't monopolize your rehearsal time, freeing you to develop other, more complex repertoire during the same season.

• Rhythmic precision and ensemble synchronization with syncopated vocal lines
• Spoken word interpretation and diction in a non-singing context
• Confidence singing in Spanish and Latin
• Following a rhythmically active piano accompaniment without losing pitch