Look Up, Children (A Christmas Spiritual): SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo
Words and music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0000540
$1.75
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
"Look up, children, there's a star in the sky." A new and exciting a cappella Christmas spiritual featuring a driving rhythmic pulse. The subdued middle section incorporates "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow." Drives to a powerful finish. Appropriate for school or church choirs.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0000540
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 later received the Distinguished Alumni award. His career spans publishing administration at a major educational music house, where he served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America, and composition of more than 800 choral works performed worldwide.
Beyond his prolific output as a composer, Althouse has shaped music education through collaborative projects with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, including children's musicals and widely adopted resources like The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His contributions to the field extend to folk music advocacy through the Folk Art Society of America, where he serves on the National Advisory Board. He is a writer member of ASCAP and a regular recipient of the ASCAP Special Award.
Why we love this
Althouse crafts a genuine spiritual energy here, building from a contemplative opening into an arrangement that never feels forced or overwrought. The integration of "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow" in the middle section gives the piece textural and thematic depth without breaking focus, and the final drive lands with real power because the architecture supports it.
What to expect
The opening invites singers into quiet wonder with its mention of the star, then the piece unfolds with driving rhythmic momentum that feels both celebratory and grounded in spiritual tradition. The middle section pulls back into introspection before building toward a finale that feels earned and joyful rather than merely loud.
Who it's for
School choirs at the intermediate to advanced level and church choirs seeking a modern spiritual with contemporary energy will find this arrangement accessible and rewarding. The a cappella setting demands solid intonation and ensemble listening, making it suitable for choirs with some rehearsal experience.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the rhythmic pulse as the foundation from your first rehearsal. This piece thrives on ensemble cohesion in the driving sections, so lock the rhythm section (bass and alto parts) early and let other voices layer in around that bedrock.
- Shape the subdued middle section with genuine quiet and restraint. The contrast between the outer sections means this slower moment should feel genuinely introspective, not just a tempo change.
- Balance the star imagery in the text with attention to the upper voices in the opening phrase. Let the sopranos and altos carry that celestial quality without forcing projection.
- Prepare singers for the powerful finish by rehearsing the build carefully. The drive to the final section needs momentum but also clarity, so mark where voices enter and practice the crescendo in manageable stages.
How to use it
Position this as a centerpiece in a Christmas concert mixing traditional and contemporary spirituals, or pair it with slower choral work to showcase your ensemble's range of dynamics and style. It works equally well in a church Christmas service or a school winter concert, offering both festive energy and genuine reverence.
Skills your students will build
- Rhythmic precision and ensemble synchronization in syncopated and driving passages
- Intonation maintenance in a cappella singing across sustained sections
- Dramatic contrast and dynamic control between subdued and powerful sections
- Text-based storytelling and emotional communication in sacred music
- Part independence while maintaining unified musical line