Flabada!: SATB Choral Octavo

Engaging and approachable, with enough harmonic interest to keep musicians alert and audiences invested. The tone sits somewhere between concert dignity and the conversational warmth of secular writing done well.

SATB choirs at the intermediate to advanced level who want secular repertoire that avoids both the obvious pop arrangements and the overly cerebral. Directors programming concert seasons will find this a natural fit for mixed ensembles of moderate size.

• Balance the text intelligently across voices; secular works often ask for clarity of language that concert pieces sometimes neglect, so rehearse consonants together to lock in the message.
• Record a rough pass early and listen back with fresh ears. Lopes's writing may contain harmonic turns that reveal themselves better through playback than score study.
• Shape the dynamic architecture deliberately. Without text-setting to guide you, find the emotional or rhythmic peaks that suggest where volume should crest and recede.

This works as a strong main-program piece on a mixed-voice concert, or paired with other contemporary secular works to show range within your ensemble's capabilities. The nine pages suggest a piece substantial enough to anchor a set without overwhelming a program designed around shorter works.

• Balancing SATB voice independence in contemporary harmony
• Text clarity and diction in secular repertoire
• Sustained musical phrasing without text-driven direction
• Ensemble listening and blend in four-part writing