Lovely Rainbow: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Name: Lovely Rainbow: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-48416
Price: 2.05 USD
Availability: InStock

Words by Walter de la Mare, music by Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne

Item: 00-48416

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Written with developing voices and ears in mind, this partner song setting of the colorful poem "The Rainbow" is just right for choirs seeking to build harmony-singing skills. Independent yet complementary melodic lines encourage singers to retain their individual parts, while the cascading piano accompaniment subtly reinforces key notes and entrances. A great piece to grow on!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Lovely Rainbow: 2-Part Choral Octavo comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081552392

SKU: 00-48416

More about this title

About the Composer: Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne

Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne brings decades of classroom experience to her compositional work, having taught music across every age group from elementary general music through graduate aural skills seminars. Her scholarly interests span choral pedagogy and teacher development, which inform both her published handbooks (Harmony Handbook and Finding Your Teacher Voice) and her compositions for growing ensembles.

As a conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, O'Connor-Ballantyne has shaped choral programs across the United States and drawn on her studies at Ithaca College and the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance. Her work with the Ithaca Children and Youth Chorus and as an adjunct faculty member at Ithaca College's School of Music positioned her to understand exactly what developing singers need to build confidence and musicianship.

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Why we love this

This piece respects the intelligence of developing singers without oversimplifying the musical challenge. The partner-song texture demands real focus from each voice part, yet the piano writing provides just enough support to keep everyone secure. It's the kind of piece that builds genuine two-part thinking rather than simply doubling the melody.

What to expect

The piece unfolds with warmth and visual imagery, its cascading piano lines evoking the arc of a rainbow while the vocal lines dance independently yet in conversation. Singers experience both the satisfaction of maintaining their own melodic shape and the ear-opening discovery of what happens when two complementary lines blend in harmony.

Who it's for

This octavo works beautifully for middle school choirs and developing high school ensembles building their first experience with genuine part singing. It suits choirs preparing for festival or contest adjudication and works equally well in concert programming where growth in harmonic literacy matters.

How to get the most out of it

Spend rehearsal time on entrances by having each voice part sing alone while the other listens and shadows the line silently. This builds independence before bringing the parts together.
Balance the parts by identifying which voice carries the primary melodic content in each section, then adjust blend accordingly rather than aiming for equal weight throughout.
Use the recorded accompaniment in early rehearsals to lock the harmonic framework in singers' ears before accompanying with piano yourself.

How to use it

Pair this with other partner-song or two-part settings to create a concert segment focused on harmony development, or program it mid-season when your ensemble has the secure fundamentals to attempt genuine independence. Its literary text and accessible difficulty make it an excellent choice for collaboration with a poetry unit or as an accessible entry point to more complex choral literature.