Look-A That Star: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo
Music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0004443
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
What a great new Christmas spiritual! It's the perfect a cappella number for your choir: the simple harmonies and rhythmic pulse propel this piece from beginning to end. Features dynamic contrasts, a lush middle section and two short solos. Your SATB and 3-part mixed choirs will sound their very best on Look-A That Star.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0004443
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was recognized with the Distinguished Alumni award. Early in his career, he worked for eight years in rights and licensing at a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. His compositional output now exceeds 800 choral works across all ability levels, performed regularly throughout English-speaking countries.
Althouse is an ASCAP writer member and a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Award for his contributions to standard music repertoire. Beyond composing, he has collaborated with his wife Sally K. Albrecht on children's musicals, edited vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and co-authored influential texts such as The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His work extends to music education resources and advocacy, including contributions to the Folk Art Society of America's quarterly publication.
Why we love this
Althouse crafts spirituals that sit comfortably in the a cappella space without requiring orchestral support or elaborate arrangements. The rhythmic propulsion and dynamic shape keep singers engaged from first note to final cadence, while the inclusion of two solos ensures opportunities for featured voices in your ensemble.
What to expect
The piece carries the spiritual's characteristic rhythmic vitality paired with straightforward harmonic language that feels both familiar and fresh. Simple voicing allows the full choir to shine together, with moments of textural intimacy in the middle section that reward careful listening.
Who it's for
Choirs seeking accessible yet musically satisfying a cappella Christmas repertoire will find this piece immediately performable. Both SATB and 3-part mixed ensembles can succeed with this material, making it suitable for high school choirs, community choirs, and church choirs looking for seasonal performances.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the piece through deliberate dynamic contrasts rather than uniform intensity; let the lush middle section breathe as a moment of repose before returning to the energetic outer sections.
- Establish the rhythmic pulse early in rehearsal and maintain it as the musical foundation; even the simplest harmonies require lock-step rhythmic precision in a cappella singing.
- Balance the two solo passages with the full choir texture; soloists need warmth and projection without overshadowing the harmonic support beneath them.
How to use it
This works well as a holiday concert closer or as part of a broader spiritual-focused program that might include other traditional and contemporary treatments of the form. Its a cappella nature makes it particularly valuable for concert contexts where accompaniment may be limited or for contests and festivals where instrumental support is unavailable.
Skills your students will build
- Singing in tune without instrumental reference
- Executing dynamic contrast and phrase shaping
- Supporting solo lines through harmonic blend
- Maintaining rhythmic precision in a cappella ensemble singing
- Navigating the spiritual genre's rhythmic and harmonic conventions