Holiday Romance: SATB Choral Octavo
Music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0004082
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Imagine a Christmas romance set to 50's slow-dance music and you've got a good idea what Holiday Romance is all about. There's plenty of "shoop, shoops" and "fa, la, la's" to go around.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0004082
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was later honored with the Distinguished Alumni award. His career spans both publishing and composition; he spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. As a composer, Althouse has published more than 800 choral works performed widely across the English-speaking world and holds membership in ASCAP, where he regularly receives the Special Award for his compositions.
Beyond his prolific output as a composer, Althouse has shaped music education through numerous collaborative and solo-authored projects. He co-wrote several children's musicals with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, curated respected vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and authored instructional resources such as Ready to Read Music, Sixty Music Quizzes, and One-Page Composer Bios. His most prominent collaborative work, I Hear America Singing (co-written with Albrecht), was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. Althouse resides in North Carolina, where he has been active in the state's choral and folk music communities.
Why we love this
Althouse captures the playfulness of 1950s doo-wop without requiring a choral sound that's cynical or overdone. The text allows your singers to lean into genuine fun, and the movement and staging opportunities mean this works as well theatrically as it does musically, making it an ideal closer for a holiday concert that needs a tonal shift from reverence to levity.
What to expect
A Christmas slow dance captured in vinyl, complete with era-authentic doo-wop flourishes and holiday warmth. The piece balances sincere vocal writing with moments of playful text painting that invite your singers to wink at the audience while singing it straight.
Who it's for
Choirs at the intermediate level and above who can balance ensemble precision with theatrical commitment. This works especially well for groups that enjoy novelty fare but don't want something that feels stale or requires extensive acting training.
How to get the most out of it
- Nail the rhythmic cohesion of the "shoop" and "fa, la, la" sections by drilling them as ensemble calls rather than individual lines; these moments carry the entire novelty effect.
- Lean into period-appropriate phrasing and tone quality for 1950s authenticity without descending into caricature; your singers should sound like they believe in the romance even as they enjoy the humor.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the slow-dance tempo and let singers feel the groove; this prevents the piece from dragging and keeps the 50s character alive.
How to use it
Close a holiday concert with this after more traditional or serious works, using the tonal contrast to refresh your audience's energy. The movement and staging elements make it an excellent option for concerts where you want theatrical engagement without a full production.
Skills your students will build
- Rhythmic precision in syncopated doo-wop patterns
- Balancing ensemble blend with comedic clarity in novelty text
- Interpreting period style and authentic 1950s vocal character
- Coordinating movement and staging with vocal performance