In Our Children's Eyes: SSA Choral Octavo

This piece carries the weight of a major composer's craft applied to a moment that matters. The text lands with genuine sincerity about legacy and hope, and Flaherty's melody supports that without overselling it. Having premiered on national television gives your choir a connection to something larger than the concert hall while remaining entirely accessible for SSA ensembles.

The piece unfolds with warmth and quiet conviction, the kind of music that makes an audience lean in to listen. There's brightness in the harmonic language and a directness in the melody that avoids sentiment while embracing genuine emotion. By the end, it builds to something both celebratory and reflective, a feeling that matches the text's vision of seeing the future reflected in a moment right in front of you.

This works perfectly for SSA choirs at the high school and community level that want contemporary repertoire with substance. The 12-page length keeps rehearsal time manageable while offering real musical content, and the inspirational text makes it ideal for ensembles seeking pieces that connect music to meaningful occasions.

• Emphasize the lyrical quality of the melody in the opening phrase. This is a song that should feel sung, not performed, so encourage your singers to think in terms of long, connected lines rather than note-to-note articulation.
• Balance the harmonic depth across all three parts. Jay Althouse's arrangement gives meaningful material to each voice, so resist the temptation to spotlight sopranos; the piece gains its emotional resonance from blended texture.
• Use the recorded accompaniment strategically during rehearsal to build confidence in exposed sections, then gradually remove it to develop independence in your singers' parts.

Reserve this for concert finales or spring graduation events where the text lands with its full emotional impact. It also pairs well on mixed programs where you want to close with something contemporary and uplifting without relying on well-worn standards. The piece has enough substance to anchor a shorter choral concert focused on modern inspirational literature.

• Singing sustained, connected lines in three-part harmony
• Balancing individual voice parts within a blended ensemble sound
• Interpreting lyrical text with musical authenticity
• Navigating contemporary harmonic language