Grace: SSA Choral Octavo

The piece carries a meditative quality without sentimentality. Brunner's harmonies move with purposeful restraint, letting the text breathe while the voices create soft, overlapping layers of sound.

SSA and SSAA choirs looking for something with classical anchoring and contemporary warmth. Works equally well for high school ensembles with solid fundamentals or collegiate groups seeking shorter, focused repertoire.

• Balance the soprano and alto lines carefully in moments where they move in sixths or thirds; too much soprano weight will bury the harmonic color Brunner creates.
• Work dynamics as a group first, then refine how individual lines shape the phrase. A small gesture from you often clarifies the ensemble's collective direction better than individual corrections.
• Mark your score with breath points that work for all three parts simultaneously where possible. Staggered breathing creates holes in sustained chords.

Pair this with Renaissance or contemporary spirituals to create a thoughtful first half. At six pages, it functions as either a centerpiece on a shorter concert or a balancing anchor when you're programming contrasting styles.

• Sustaining a lyrical legit tone across longer phrases
• Blending three independent lines without losing line clarity
• Following harmonic direction through unison and divisi sections
• Responsive dynamics that serve text meaning rather than dramatic effect