May Your Roads Be Straight and Narrow: SATB Choral Octavo
Music by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0004457
$2.25
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Description
"May your roads be straight and narrow as you travel on your way." This lovely secular choral benediction is perfect for the end of the school year (including graduation and baccalaureate services) or the close of any concert. In fact, it could become your choir's traditional encore. An inspirational gem your singers will love.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0004457
More about this title
About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht
Sally K. Albrecht has shaped choral music education for over three decades, first as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications at major educational publishers including Alfred Music, and throughout her career as a conductor, clinician, and prolific composer. With more than 600 choral works and 75 musicals and songbooks published, she has earned ASCAP Special Music Awards annually since 1987 and conducted honor choirs at prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center. She holds degrees from Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater), the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama and M.M. in Accompanying), and has taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College.
Albrecht's work is particularly recognized for integrating choral movement into her compositions. She received the Distinguished Alumna Award from both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College in 2021, and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, earning their "Pillar of Leadership" award. She lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina with her husband, composer and arranger Jay Althouse.
Why we love this
This piece captures something genuinely moving about endings and transitions without resorting to heavy-handed sentiment. Albrecht and Althouse craft a benediction that feels both intimate and appropriate for formal occasions, giving your singers a chance to deliver something meaningful rather than performative. The text itself is restrained and elegant, and the musical setting allows each voice part to contribute without demanding technical fireworks.
What to expect
A gentle, genuine send-off that feels like a blessing spoken by friends rather than delivered from a pulpit. The melody unfolds naturally, and the harmonies support and uplift without overwhelming; it's the kind of piece that lands quietly in listeners' hearts and stays there.
Who it's for
Directors seeking a dignified, memorable closing piece for graduation, baccalaureate, or year-end concerts. This works equally well for choirs with developing soprano sections or more advanced ensembles; the writing is elegant enough to showcase good singing without requiring virtuosic technique.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the phrase "May your roads be straight and narrow" with gentle dynamic rise and fall, treating it as a wish rather than a proclamation.
- Balance the inner voices (alto and tenor) carefully so the harmony breathes and doesn't become muddy; these voices carry essential harmonic color.
- Consider how much movement or stillness suits your interpretation. Albrecht's background with choral movement suggests physical gesture could enhance the blessing quality, but restraint can be equally powerful.
- Allow the ending to settle fully. Resist the urge to rush the final cadence; let the benediction land gently and completely.
How to use it
Position this as your concert finale or traditional encore. Its brevity and emotional arc make it ideal for punctuating the end of a concert while signaling closure to your audience. Many choirs make this an annual signature piece, returning to it each year as a ritual of transition and goodwill.
Skills your students will build
- Singing with consistent legit and supportive tone across ensemble
- Balancing SATB voicing when no melody dominates
- Interpreting text with sincerity and restraint
- Sustaining long phrases and managing breath support
- Creating unified dynamic shape across a harmonic progression