Lava (from Lava) (arr. Roger Emerson): SATB Choral Octavo

Patient and luminous. This is a song about waiting, about connection across distance, about hope that refuses to dim. Emerson's arrangement gives you space to breathe and lets the melody do the heavy lifting.

Any choir looking for a piece with genuine emotional depth that works equally well in concert settings and younger ensemble contexts. The accessible voicing makes it suitable for developing choirs while the narrative substance keeps it engaging for advanced singers.

• Lean into the storytelling from the first phrase. These characters have agency and longing; let your singers access that emotional core rather than treating it as background music.
• Balance the upper voices carefully during the soaring moments so the soprano line doesn't overshadow the harmonic support underneath.
• Keep the tempo steady and unhurried. Rushing undermines the quiet vulnerability that makes this song work.

Pair this with other contemporary choral settings to create a program that speaks to younger audiences without patronizing them, or use it as an anchor piece in a concert exploring animation and film music.

• Singing sustained legit phrases across phrase boundaries
• Balancing melody and harmony in contemporary vocal writing
• Accessing emotional authenticity in straightforward harmonic contexts
• Reading and navigating 15-page choral scores