Festival Exsultate: Harp: Choral SoundPax
By Andy Beck
Item: 00-PC-0014965_H
Pickup currently not available
Description
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Festival Exsultate: Harp: Choral SoundPax comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
Sample Video
Additional Details
More about this title
About the Composer: Andy Beck

Andy Beck serves as Director of Choral Publications at Alfred Music and has established himself as one of the most performed choral composers in contemporary music education. His catalog includes more than 450 works spanning choral literature, vocal resources, and children's musicals, alongside influential pedagogical resources like Sing at First Sight and Vocalize! 45 Vocal Warm-Ups That Teach Technique. A tenor singer and musical theatre director, Beck maintains an active schedule as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for honor choirs and all-state ensembles across the country.
Beck's educational foundation includes a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Ithaca College and a Master's degree in Music Education from Northwest Missouri State University. His work reflects a deep commitment to choral artistry and music literacy, evident both in his own compositions and in the publications he curates for Alfred Music's catalog. He has served as a studio singer for Alfred Music since 1992 and continues to perform with the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir.
Why we love this
Beck builds genuine drama through rhythmic precision and layered sonorities rather than relying on text alone. The add-on section gives you a powerful structural tool for showcasing your ensemble's vocal control and dynamic range, making this a standout piece for festival adjudication where musical maturity matters.
What to expect
Festival Exsultate opens with carefully controlled tension, building through accented rhythms that feel almost architectural in their precision. The layered percussion and string sonorities (via harp or synth) create luminous moments that rival the vocal writing, pulling listeners into an immersive, high-energy experience that demands complete ensemble focus.
Who it's for
This work suits accomplished high school and college choirs ready to tackle sophisticated harmonic writing and rhythmic precision. Ensembles preparing for festival competition or concert programs where vocal virtuosity and musical control take center stage will find genuine performance value here.
How to get the most out of it
- Spend rehearsal time locking the rhythmic precision in the accented passages; they anchor the dramatic effect and require ensemble unanimity to land effectively.
- Balance the percussion scoring carefully during full section rehearsals. The harp, chimes, crotales, and tam-tam create the sonority Beck intends only when ensemble voices and instruments sit in proper proportion.
- Approach the add-on section as a structural intensification rather than a separate piece. Build vocal energy and focus incrementally from the beginning so this moment feels inevitable rather than tacked on.
- Use the recorded accompaniment during initial rehearsals to establish pitch and tempo security, then pull it away to develop your ensemble's independence and rhythmic confidence.
How to use it
Program this as your closer or as a major work anchoring a festival-focused concert. The add-on section makes it a natural centerpiece between warmup pieces and lighter selections, allowing you to showcase ensemble polish without exhausting singers before the evening's final numbers.
Skills your students will build
- Rhythmic independence in accented, syncopated passages
- Dynamic control across full range (pp to ff)
- Precise vowel shaping for blended sonorities with complex harmonies
- Ensemble balance when singing against layered percussion and harp
- Sustained focus and stamina through a structurally demanding add-on section