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For Just a Little While: SAB Choral Octavo

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For Just a Little While Cover Image
For Just a Little While: SAB Choral Octavo

For Just a Little While: SAB Choral Octavo

Music by Sally K. Albrecht / arr. Jay Althouse

Item: 00-20156
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Description
"For just a little while we were here together...what a special time it was." These touching sentiments, and a beautifully singable melody, make for Just A Little While the perfect number for graduation and year end concerts...or use it as a concert closer any time of year. The opening optional solos could also be sung by small groups for your graduating singers. A new choral classic by Sally Albrecht and Jay Althouse. Sensitive SoundTrax CD.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081187204
SKU: 00-20156

More about this title

About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht has built a distinctive career bridging composition, conducting, and music education leadership. Since 1987, she has been a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Music Award, with over 600 choral publications and 75 musicals and songbooks currently in circulation. She has led honor choirs at major venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center, and spent more than thirty years overseeing choral, vocal, and elementary music publications at two major educational publishers, including her role as Director of School Choral Publications at Alfred Music.

Albrecht holds a B.A. in Music and Theater from Rollins College (1976), an M.A. in Drama from the University of Miami (1977), and an M.M. in Accompanying from the University of Miami (1979). She has taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College. Her collaborative partnership with composer and arranger Jay Althouse has produced numerous works for educational and professional choral ensembles. In 2021, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College, where she serves on the Board of Trustees.

Why we love this

Albrecht and Althouse have crafted a piece that captures genuine emotional weight without sentimentality. The melody sits beautifully for SAB voicing, allowing all three parts to sing with equal musicality, and the optional solos at the opening give your graduating seniors a moment to shine individually before the full ensemble joins. This is the kind of closing number that stays with an audience long after the final chord, which is exactly what a year-end concert needs.

What to expect

The opening carries quiet poignancy, with optional solos creating an intimate, almost spoken quality before the full ensemble enters. The melody is warm and accessible, built on straightforward harmonic progressions that evoke both gratitude and gentle nostalgia. The entire piece radiates sincerity, allowing singers to connect authentically with lyrics about fleeting time and shared experience.

Who it's for

Directors programming year-end concerts, graduation ceremonies, or any occasion calling for a reflective, emotionally grounded closing number. This octavo works equally well for school choirs, community ensembles, and church music programs seeking a piece that respects the significance of the moment without requiring advanced vocal technique.

How to get the most out of it

  • Prepare the optional opening solos with care; they set the intimate tone for the entire piece. Whether you assign them to individuals or small groups, ensure each singer has time to rehearse and feel confident singing alone.
  • Balance the three parts evenly, particularly during the opening section. SAB voicing can feel front-heavy if the sopranos aren't restrained; aim for transparency so the text lands clearly.
  • Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the gentle tempo and help your singers internalize the harmonic progression, especially if your accompanist is new to the piece.
  • Shape the phrase arc across longer sections rather than stopping at every musical gesture. This piece benefits from a sense of continuity and forward motion that honors the reflective text.

How to use it

Program this as your final selection on a year-end or graduation concert, allowing it to leave the audience with reflection rather than high energy. It also works beautifully as a standalone farewell number at end-of-year assemblies, retirement celebrations, or peace and brotherhood-themed programs. The piece's modest page count and moderate difficulty mean you can add it late in rehearsal season without derailing your other preparations.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining long phrases across multiple measures with consistent tone quality
  • Balancing three independent voice parts while maintaining overall blend and ensemble cohesion
  • Performing exposed solo passages with confidence and musicality
  • Conveying emotional intent and textual meaning through expressive singing
  • Listening to harmonic function and supporting chord changes with precise intonation

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