Go Forth with a Song: 2-Part Choral Octavo

$2.25 USD

Go Forth with a Song: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Name: Go Forth with a Song: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-16284
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

Music by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse

Item: 00-16284

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This gentle song of parting is in the style of a benediction or Irish blessing, with each verse ending, "Go forth with a song." Optional soprano descant. Ideal as a concert closer, especially at spring or year-end concerts.

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Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081136219

SKU: 00-16284

More about this title

About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht has shaped American choral music for over four decades as a composer, conductor, and clinician with deep roots in educational publishing. Since 1987, she has been a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Music Award, and her catalog now includes more than 600 choral works alongside 75 larger musicals and songbooks. Her conducting credits span major venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center, where she has led honor choirs and festivals nationwide. She served as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications for Alfred Music and other major educational publishers, giving her distinctive insight into what works in rehearsals and concert halls.

Educated at Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater, 1976) and the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, 1977; M.M. in Accompanying, 1979), Albrecht has taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College. She has been recognized with the Distinguished Alumna Award from both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College, and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. A native of Cleveland, she currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and frequent collaborator, composer and arranger Jay Althouse.

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Why we love this

This piece captures the quiet power of benediction without sentimentality, offering directors a graceful way to send students or audiences out into the world. The optional soprano descant adds dimension for singers who thrive on a standalone line, while the 2-part writing remains accessible for young or developing choirs. It lives perfectly in that programming sweet spot where a concert needs emotional resonance and closure without dramatic grandeur.

What to expect

The piece settles over the room like a gentle benediction, its Irish blessing idiom unfolding through warm harmonies and a memorable refrain that lingers after the final note. There is tenderness here, but no sorrow; the song sends singers and listeners forward with affirmation rather than nostalgia, making it feel both intimate and purposeful.

Who it's for

Choirs ranging from middle school through adult levels will find this piece within reach, though it works especially well for groups that have solid intonation and can sing with controlled dynamics. Directors programming spring or year-end concerts will recognize it as an ideal closer that respects both the emotional moment and the singers' capability to deliver it with sincerity.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the melody with gentle phrasing that lets the repeated text "Go forth with a song" land with quiet intention rather than declaration; this is benediction, not exhortation
If using the soprano descant, balance it as a complementary layer, not a solo line; the descant should enhance rather than dominate the overall sound
Pay attention to vowel unification on the sustained notes, especially where harmonies open up, to create the blended, blessing-like quality the style demands

How to use it

Close a spring or year-end concert with this piece and watch the transition from performance to reflection happen naturally in the room. Its brevity and spiritual character also make it a fitting recessional for graduation ceremonies or acknowledgment events where music needs to frame a moment of passage without stealing focus from the occasion itself.

Skills your students will build

Singing with sustained, connected phrasing across harmonic changes
Balancing blend and intonation in 2-part writing with open harmonies
Interpreting and performing text with liturgical or spiritual sensitivity
Managing optional descant lines independently while maintaining ensemble cohesion