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Light a Candle: SAB Choral Octavo

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Light a Candle Cover Image
Light a Candle: SAB Choral Octavo

Light a Candle: SAB Choral Octavo

Music by Jay Althouse and Marta Keen

Item: 00-16326
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Description
An easy yet touching piece with a meaningful text: "Light a candle, hold a sign of hope in your hand." Opening statement of the melody may be performed by a male/female duet. Basic choral writing, quickly learned by any age choir.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 8
UPC: 038081136820
SKU: 00-16326

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus. His career spans both the publishing and composing sides of music education: he spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. With over 800 choral works in print across all levels, Althouse has established himself as one of the most prolific voices in contemporary choral writing.

Beyond composition, Althouse has shaped music education through multiple collaborative and solo projects. He co-authored The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, compiled widely-used vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and created classroom resources like Ready to Read Music and One-Page Composer Bios. His choral work I Hear America Singing, written with Albrecht, was performed at President Obama's inauguration in 2009. Althouse serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America and maintains active involvement in his North Carolina community through the Master Chorale. His ASCAP membership and consistent recognition through the ASCAP Special Award underscore his standing in standard choral music.

Why we love this

Althouse and Keen craft a piece that balances emotional resonance with genuine accessibility. The optional duet opening gives you flexibility for featuring voices while keeping the arrangement simple enough that SAB choirs at any experience level can learn and perform it confidently within a single rehearsal block. The text carries real weight without requiring your singers to navigate complex harmonic or rhythmic demands, which means your choir's focus stays on communication and meaning rather than survival.

What to expect

Warm and reflective. The melody unfolds with gentle conviction, and the text carries hope without sentimentality. There's something quiet but determined in the act of lighting a candle and holding up a sign of hope, and that spirit inhabits the entire piece from its opening gesture through to its close.

Who it's for

Any choir that values accessibility and meaningful programming. The SAB voicing works for mixed ensembles with limited male singers, school choirs across grades 5-12, community ensembles, and church choirs seeking winter or holiday repertoire with substance. The optional duet opening also makes it suitable for choirs wanting to showcase soloists.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the opening melody phrase with clear direction toward the candle-lighting image. Whether performed as a duet or by the full choir, this moment sets the emotional tone for everything that follows.
  • Balance transparency in the three-part writing so the text remains audible throughout. SAB voicing asks your singers to carry independent lines; light, supported singing prevents muddiness.
  • Let the harmonic simplicity work in your favor by encouraging expressive vibrato and warm tone quality from all parts. The piece relies on character and earnestness rather than textural complexity.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece for winter or holiday concerts celebrating Chanukah, Kwanzaa, or inclusive messages of hope and resilience. The straightforward arranging and quick learning curve make it ideal for mid-rehearsal-season programming when you need something meaningful but don't have weeks to prepare. It pairs naturally with both spiritual-tinged and secular holiday selections.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing independent lines within three-part texture
  • Text communication and expressive phrasing in simple harmonic settings
  • Optional duet singing (if performing the opening solo feature)
  • Blending and balance across SAB voicing

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