I Lift My Lamp Cover Image

I Lift My Lamp: SAB Choral Octavo

$2.20 USD
$2.20 USD
Skip to product information
I Lift My Lamp Cover Image
I Lift My Lamp: SAB Choral Octavo

I Lift My Lamp: SAB Choral Octavo

Words by Emma Lazarus, music by Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne

Item: 00-48335
makemusic Cloud badge

Need it now?

Buy Digital Version
$2.20
Shipped

One moment…

Related Items

I Lift My Lamp: PianoTrax Digital Audio Download

$9.99
View

I Lift My Lamp: SATB Choral Octavo

$2.20
View

I Lift My Lamp: SAB Choral Octavo

$2.20
View
Description
These famous words are inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of .Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Emma Lazarus's timeless poem has been sensitively imagined for choir and piano, with optional French horn. A stirring opening solo blossoms into a beautifully crafted chorus with expressive tempo and dynamic shifts. Patriotic and inspiring. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

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

Open in the Player

Jump straight in and assign it today.

Start Your Free Trial

Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Pages

Sample Audio
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 16
UPC: 038081551586
SKU: 00-48335

More about this title

About the Composer: Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne

Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne

Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne brings deep experience across music education at every level, from elementary general music through graduate aural skills and theory instruction. Her career spans teaching roles at institutions including Ithaca College's School of Music and artistic direction of the Ithaca Children and Youth Chorus, alongside active work as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician at festivals and conferences nationwide.

Beyond the choral works published through Alfred Music and Heritage Music Press, O'Connor-Ballantyne has authored professional resources including Harmony Handbook and Finding Your Teacher Voice. She holds a BM in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Ithaca College and an MA in Chant and Ritual Song from the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance at the University of Limerick.

Why we love this

O'Connor-Ballantyne sets Emma Lazarus's powerful words with genuine sensitivity rather than bombast, letting the text breathe through expressive tempo and dynamic shifts. The opening solo creates an intimate entry point before the chorus expands the emotional scope, making this piece work equally well in a concert setting or as a festival selection. The optional French horn part adds dimension without requiring it, giving directors flexibility based on their ensemble's instrumentation.

What to expect

The piece opens with a quiet, reflective quality as if one voice is speaking truth into silence. As the choir enters, there is a gradual building of hope and collective strength, with the music expanding through carefully placed dynamics and tempo changes. The overall effect is stirring without being manipulative, dignified without coldness.

Who it's for

This octavo suits intermediate to advancing choral programs looking for repertoire with genuine emotional depth and American historical resonance. Directors seeking a patriotic selection that avoids cliché, with a text of literary substance and a musical setting that respects that substance, will find a strong choice here.

How to get the most out of it

  • Honor the solo opening as a moment of individual testimony. It should feel personal and unrushed; resist the urge to blend it into the chorus texture.
  • Shape the dynamic and tempo shifts as dramatic, intentional choices rather than gentle transitions. Each change should feel purposeful to the text.
  • Balance the SAB voicing so that the alto line doesn't disappear when all three parts move together. The middle voice often carries harmonic weight in this voicing.
  • If using the optional French horn part, rehearse it separately with the pianist first to ensure the accompaniment support is solid before adding the choir.

How to use it

Program this in a section exploring American identity, immigration, or social values rather than as a standalone patriotic number. It pairs well with other texts of literary merit and works effectively as a closing selection for a concert centered on themes of freedom, welcome, or hope. The 16-page length makes it substantial enough to anchor a concert moment without overshadowing surrounding works.

Skills your students will build

  • Phrasing across dynamic and tempo shifts in SAB voicing
  • Balancing three-part harmony while maintaining individual line independence
  • Expressive interpretation of text-based musical choices
  • Ensemble cohesion when negotiating frequent changes in musical direction

You May Also Like