Home: SATB Choral Octavo

Name: Home: SATB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-19291
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

Music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-19291

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Captivating in its simplicity, this folk-like melody is arranged simply in a classic, folk song style by Jay Althouse. The piano accompaniment is simple, yet supportive of the singers. What a sentiment for spring concerts: "Here is the place that I call home. Here my heart will ever stay." But yet, "I'll return...I'll return." A breathtakingly beautiful choral work for mixed and treble groups. Perfect for graduation, too.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Home: SATB Choral Octavo comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081179360

SKU: 00-19291

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 recognized with the Distinguished Alumni award. Early in his career, 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.

Althouse has composed over 800 choral works performed across the English-speaking world and is a writer member of ASCAP, a regular recipient of the ASCAP Special Award for his compositions. Beyond his prolific output as a composer, he has co-written children's musicals with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, compiled vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and authored influential instructional resources such as The Complete Choral Warm-up Book, Accent on Composers, and Ready to Read Music. He contributed to I Hear America Singing, a choral work performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's 2009 Inauguration. Althouse resides in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.

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Why we love this

Althouse's gift for folk melody shines here in its uncluttered arrangement. The text carries genuine emotional weight without requiring complex vocal writing, which means your singers can focus on warmth and sincerity rather than technical demands. This piece captures that bittersweet tension between belonging and departure in a way that feels earned rather than sentimental.

What to expect

Simple and honest, with the quality of a folk song you've known your whole life. The melody unfolds like a quiet conversation, and the sentiment builds from contentment to a tender acknowledgment of change and return, creating an atmosphere both grounded and reflective.

Who it's for

Mixed and treble choirs at any level will find this accessible and moving. The straightforward vocal writing makes it equally suited to high school ensembles, college choirs, and community groups, while the emotional maturity of the text resonates with graduates and audiences alike.

How to get the most out of it

Let the piano accompaniment breathe with the singers rather than driving ahead; its simplicity is its strength, so resist the urge to thicken the texture in rehearsal.
Shape the text naturally by emphasizing the emotional arc from 'here is the place that I call home' to the repeated 'I'll return,' treating it like storytelling rather than a series of phrases.
Balance the parts so the melody sits above the harmonic foundation without the other voices disappearing; mixed and treble voicings require attention to blend across the range.

How to use it

This is a natural fit for spring or end-of-year concerts, where its themes of home and departure land with particular meaning for graduating classes. Program it alongside more robust choral works to let its gentle character stand out, or use it as a closing number to leave audiences with something intimate and memorable.

Skills your students will build

Sustained legit singing in a folk idiom
Text-driven phrasing and emotional communication
Balancing four-part harmony in a simple texture
Blending across mixed or treble voicings without loss of individual line integrity