I Can Sing!: SSA Choral Octavo
Words by James Weldon Johnson, music and additional words by Greg Gilpin
Item: 00-PO-0008295
$2.60
Minimum order quantity: 10 copies
Please note: Under U.S. copyright law, you must purchase the exact number of copies needed for your ensemble. Printing, duplicating or sharing additional copies is strictly prohibited.
Pickup currently not available
Description
Greg Gilpin captures the uplifting message in James Weldon Johnson's poem: music can carry us through dark nights, long days, life's challenges. Opening with hushed, layered entrances, the piece steadily gathers strength as lightly syncopated phrases pass around the ensemble. The "music is all around me" refrain declares that music itself is where we belong. A joyful reminder of why we sing in the first place.
Discover MakeMusic Cloud: thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Page Count:
16
SKU:
00-PO-0008295
More about this title
About the Composer: Greg Gilpin
Greg Gilpin has established himself as a leading voice in American choral music through compositions and arrangements that resonate deeply with singers and audiences alike. His work has been performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Ryman Auditorium, Sydney Opera House, Royal Festival Hall, and Harpa Concert Hall, earning him ASCAP recognition and respect from conductors across the country. As Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press, Gilpin shapes the landscape of choral repertoire available to schools and community ensembles.
Beyond the concert hall, Gilpin has expanded his creative reach into film scoring, winning Best Score for the short film "Rosie's Rescue" in 2021, and has collaborated with renowned opera singer Angela Brown on new arrangements for symphonic choir. An active member of ACDA, NAfME, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, he remains deeply invested in the choral community and continues composing, conducting, and teaching as the music world continues to rebuild.
Why we love this
Gilpin taps into James Weldon Johnson's powerful poem without turning it into a sermon. The musical architecture is elegant: he lets the text build gradually, trusting the ensemble to carry the weight of the message. Singers walk away from this piece reminded that they belong in this art form.
What to expect
The piece begins in shadow and moves toward light, mirroring the emotional arc of the poem itself. There's intimacy in those opening moments, then growing confidence as the ensemble discovers its collective voice. By the refrain, singers feel the embodied truth of the text: music genuinely is where they belong.
Who it's for
SSA choirs seeking repertoire that speaks to why they gather in the first place. Directors programming concert or festival performances will find an emotionally intelligent piece that engages singers and audiences without requiring unusual vocal demands or extended rehearsal time.
How to get the most out of it
- Resist the urge to rush the opening hushed entrances. Each layered entrance should feel inevitable, like voices finding their place in darkness before discovering light.
- Keep the syncopated phrases conversational. These aren't rhythmic gymnastics; they're singers passing an idea around the room with warmth and momentum.
- Bring the refrain "music is all around me" to full voice without losing the joy that built it. This is celebration, not proclamation.
How to use it
Open a concert with this piece to set an introspective, purposeful tone, or use it as a closer when you want the audience to leave thinking about the power of singing itself. The SSA voicing makes it accessible for mixed choirs with strong upper voices, and it pairs well alongside other spiritually grounded repertoire that explores music's role in resilience.
Skills your students will build
- Layered entrance control and blend in homophonic textures
- Light syncopation and conversational phrasing across voice parts
- Connecting poetic text to musical architecture
- Sustained tone quality and dynamic control in the opening section