If I Can Sing: T(T)B Choral Octavo
Words by Sara Teasdale, music by Lon Beery
Item: 00-PO-0005997
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
“If I can sing, I still am free.” Sara Teasdale's 1917 poem “Refuge” is certain to resonate with anyone who possesses an appreciation for singing. This lush setting plays out across a shifting palette of harmonic colors and choral textures, and is offered in wonderfully adaptable alternate voicings that address the needs of choirs at any level.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0005997
More about this title
About the Composer: Lon Beery
Lon Beery directs six choruses at Spry Middle School in Webster, New York, where he conducts approximately 500 students across all grade levels. His published catalog includes more than 50 choral compositions and arrangements distributed through Alfred Music, BriLee, and other publishers, and his work has earned multiple ASCAP Standard Awards.
Beery's compositions have reached national stages; his TTBB piece I Believe was performed by the U.S. Army Chorus at President Ronald Reagan's internment service. He contributes regularly to the choral education field through articles in the Choral Journal and Music Educators Journal, and presents sessions at state, regional, and national conferences. He currently serves as the Middle School Chair for New York ACDA.
Why we love this
Beery crafts a setting that honors Teasdale's powerful message about artistic freedom while giving you genuine flexibility. The alternate voicings (TB, TTB, TBB, TTBB) mean you can program this with different choirs across your season or adapt it as your ensemble evolves, without sacrificing the harmonic sophistication that makes it concert-worthy.
What to expect
The harmonic palette shifts like light through stained glass, creating moments of richness and warmth that match Teasdale's assertion of freedom through song. The lush textures invite singers to find themselves in the ensemble sound while staying connected to the poem's quiet defiance.
Who it's for
This piece serves choirs at any level thanks to its adaptable voicings, making it accessible to emerging middle school singers while remaining musically substantive for more experienced ensembles. Directors who want a secular work with literary depth and contemporary relevance will find this particularly valuable for concert or festival programming.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the phrase lengths according to the harmonic color shifts rather than predictable melodic contours; let the chordal movement guide your phrasing decisions.
- Balance the textural variety by having students mark which voicing layers carry primary melodic weight in each section and allocate rehearsal time proportionally.
- Approach the text with conviction; the poem's declaration requires singers to understand that musical freedom and the act of singing are the subject, not decoration.
How to use it
Pair this with other secular works that explore themes of resilience or artistic expression for a thematic concert, or program it as a standalone moment that showcases your choir's ability to handle sophisticated harmonies. Its eight pages make it an efficient choice for contest or festival submission while still delivering interpretive depth.
Skills your students will build
- Singing in multiple voicing configurations (TB, TTB, TBB, TTBB) with part security
- Following harmonic color changes to inform phrasing and balance decisions
- Connecting poetic text meaning to musical expression and dynamic shape
- Blending in chords with shifting textures and voice leading