I Hear Oceans: SATB Choral Octavo
I Hear Oceans Sheet Music Preview

I Hear Oceans: SATB Choral Octavo

By Jacob Narverud

Item: 35-DS00360318
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$2.99
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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 9
SKU: 35-DS00360318

More about this title

About the Composer: Jacob Narverud

Jacob Narverud

Jacob Narverud has established himself as one of the most performed contemporary choral composers in America. Based in Kansas, he founded and directs the Tallgrass Chamber Choir, a professional ensemble that draws musicians from across the Great Plains, while simultaneously serving as editor for Santa Barbara Music Publishing and maintaining a Signature Artist position at Musicnotes.

Over his career, Narverud has fielded commissions from more than fifty choral organizations spanning the United States, Australia, and Japan. His catalogue has become a staple in choirs at every level, with numerous titles achieving international recognition and regular performance worldwide. You can explore his work at jnarverud.com, Spotify, and YouTube.

Why we love this

Narverud's gift for setting text to music that feels both singable and dramatically engaging makes this piece a natural fit for choirs seeking contemporary work with substance. The oceanic imagery carries the writing in ways that feel organic rather than programmatic, allowing singers to discover their own emotional connection to the text while the harmonic language keeps audiences engaged without sacrificing accessibility.

What to expect

Immersive and contemplative, this piece evokes the rhythmic constancy and subtle power of the ocean. Narverud's harmonic language creates moments of introspection punctuated by fuller, more assured writing that mirrors water's movement between stillness and motion.

Who it's for

SATB choirs at the intermediate to advanced level who want contemporary music that speaks to singers without demanding virtuosity. This works equally well for community ensembles, university choirs, and church programs seeking repertoire that audiences remember.

How to get the most out of it

  • Treat the dynamics markings as essential architecture. Narverud uses gradual swells and diminishes to mirror the ocean's natural breath, so resist the urge to hit forte sections at full volume immediately; let them build organically.
  • Balance the texture between upper and lower voices. The soprano line often carries the melody, but the bass and alto parts establish the harmonic foundation that makes those upper lines sing. Blend rather than blend away.
  • Experiment with your approach to sustained vowels in longer phrases. The piece rewards warm resonance without sacrificing clarity, particularly on the title phrase where diction and vowel purity work together.

How to use it

Position this as a centerpiece of a concert exploring nature, water, or contemporary voices in choral music. Its nine pages make it substantial enough to anchor a set without overwhelming your program, and it pairs naturally alongside other modern repertoire or traditional works that share thematic resonance.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining long phrases with consistent breath support and vowel purity
  • Balancing inner voices in contemporary harmonic contexts
  • Responding to dynamic and tempo subtleties that drive emotional shape
  • Interpreting text painting in contemporary compositional language

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