Look Up, Children (A Christmas Spiritual): TTBB, a cappella Choral Octavo
Words and music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0000541
$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-0000541
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse earned his B.S. in Music Education and M.Ed. in Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was later honored with the Distinguished Alumni award. Early in his career, he spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. His compositional output spans over 800 choral works performed regularly across the English-speaking world.
Althouse is an ASCAP writer member and a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Award for his standard music compositions. He has co-authored children's musicals with Sally K. Albrecht, compiled respected vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and co-written The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His educational resources for music classrooms include Ready to Read Music, Sixty Music Quizzes, and One-Page Composer Bios. In 2009, his co-written choral work I Hear America Singing was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's Inauguration. He has served on the board of the North Carolina Master Chorale and currently sits on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.
Why we love this
Althouse writes spirituals that feel authentic without sacrificing accessibility. The rhythmic drive and structural clarity here (moving from energetic opening through a reflective middle and back to power) give your singers something tactile to grab onto, while the a cappella setting keeps the focus on the beauty of the four-part writing and the spiritual tradition itself.
What to expect
The opening radiates urgency and joy, propelled by that driving pulse Althouse builds into the harmonic fabric. When the middle settles into "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow," the energy becomes more introspective and grounded, before the piece rebuilds to a finish that feels both celebratory and spiritually affirming.
Who it's for
TTBB choirs in school and church settings who want a seasonally relevant spiritual with rhythmic interest and emotional range. The piece works equally well for accomplished high school or college ensembles and adult church choirs with solid pitch control.
How to get the most out of it
- Build the rhythmic pulse from the first phrase. Even in an a cappella setting, a clear, steady tempo gives the piece its forward motion and helps all four parts lock together.
- Breathe as a section in the middle spiritual section. Collectively marking the phrase boundaries will highlight the shift in mood and give the "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow" melody its own space.
- Balance the text clarity with blend. Spirituals live in the words, so articulation matters, but the four-part harmony needs cohesion. Test your diction at tempo without sacrificing ensemble sound.
How to use it
Position this as your energetic Christmas opener or as a powerful second-half closer that contrasts with slower carols. It pairs well with more traditional or contemplative holiday repertoire and gives your TTBB voices a chance to show rhythmic precision and four-part blend.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining steady rhythmic pulse in a cappella settings
- Reading and performing syncopated rhythmic patterns
- Blending and balancing four-part male voice writing
- Performing spirituals with historical and cultural awareness
- Sectional independence while maintaining ensemble cohesion