I'll Sail Right Home to You: TTB Choral Octavo

$2.25 USD

I'll Sail Right Home to You: TTB Choral Octavo

Name: I'll Sail Right Home to You: TTB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-SVM02079
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

Words by Mary Donnelly, music by George L. O. Strid

Level: Moderate

Item: 00-SVM02079

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This new original sea chantey will give your boys a chance to shine. It's easy to sing and will delight audiences and singers alike.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, I'll Sail Right Home to You: TTB 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: Studio PR Catalog

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 654979035558

SKU: 00-SVM02079

More about this title

About the Composer: Mary Donnelly

Mary Donnelly grew up in Reno, Nevada, and studied English and French at the University of Nevada before discovering her passion for music education through organizing children's choruses while still an undergraduate. She completed a Master's Degree in Education at Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a focus on arts integration, then spent three decades teaching general music and choir in the Washoe County School District.

In 1985, Donnelly began collaborating with George L. O. Strid when their principal asked them to write a musical for Reading Week. That first project, The Million Dollar Mystery, launched a prolific partnership that has produced over two hundred songs and twenty-five musicals. Both are active members of ACDA, NEA, and ASCAP.

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Why we love this

The seafaring subject matter gives your tenor and bass sections genuine ownership of the melody without requiring extreme ranges or technical demands. Donnelly and Strid have crafted something that sounds like a traditional chantey but includes the harmonic sophistication and singability that keeps your singers engaged rather than frustrated during rehearsals.

What to expect

Salty air and forward momentum. The piece captures the optimism of a sailor's journey with melodic clarity and harmonic warmth, creating an inviting sound that audiences recognize as authentic folk tradition without the pedagogical rough edges.

Who it's for

Directors with developing male choirs who want repertoire that respects their singers' abilities while building confidence and enthusiasm. This works equally well for established groups looking for accessible material that performs well at festivals and in community settings.

How to get the most out of it

Let the story carry the rhythmic energy. Boys will naturally lock into the narrative arc of sailing home, which often drives better ensemble cohesion than counting alone.
Balance the part-writing so the second tenor or baritone line (depending on your voicing choice) doesn't get buried. This line supports the melody without competing with it, but it needs enough support to anchor the harmony.
Experiment with varied dynamics across verses to avoid monotony over twelve pages. The moderate difficulty level gives you room to shape the narrative without introducing sight-reading complications.

How to use it

Pair this with other sea-themed repertoire for a thematic concert, or place it as a high-energy moment in a mixed program where you need the boys' section to command the stage. It also serves as strong festival material since the moderate difficulty level leaves room for artistic interpretation rather than technical problem-solving.