My Heart's in the Highland: 3-Part/SATB Choral Octavo
Music by Lon Beery
Item: 00-PO-0004329
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Here is a new folk song whose melodic contour, harmonic structure, and symmetry with the Robert Burns text are so authentic, that it's hard to believe it's a contemporary composition. Modern day composer Lon Beery truly captures the nature of historic folk music with his setting of My Heart's in the Highlands. An optional bass part in the three-part mixed version, and an optional tenor part in the men's arrangement offer great flexibility in either voicing.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0004329
More about this title
About the Composer: Lon Beery
Lon Beery directs six choruses at Spry Middle School in Webster, New York, where he works with over 500 students annually. His catalog includes more than 50 published choral compositions and arrangements across several publishers, and his work has earned him multiple ASCAP Standard Awards. His TTBB piece I Believe was performed by the U.S. Army Chorus at President Ronald Reagan's internment service.
Beyond composing, Beery has contributed articles to the Choral Journal and Music Educators Journal and regularly presents sessions at state, regional, and national conferences through ACDA and MENC. He serves as the Middle School Chair for New York ACDA, bringing his classroom experience directly into the profession's leadership.
Why we love this
Beery writes like someone who has spent decades listening to how folk melodies actually behave in a choir's voice. The harmonic language feels inevitable rather than imposed, and the optional bass and tenor parts give you real flexibility without sacrificing musical integrity. Whether you're entering a festival or building a concert that celebrates text-driven singing, this piece delivers authenticity that doesn't require apology.
What to expect
There's an easiness to this music that belies its craft. The melodic contour unfolds naturally, the harmonies feel like they've always belonged, and the Robert Burns text settles into the music without strain. Singing it carries the warmth of something genuinely rooted in tradition.
Who it's for
Middle school and high school choirs of mixed voices seeking repertoire that sounds like a discovery rather than an exercise. Ensembles performing at contests or festivals will find a piece that demonstrates musicianship through authentic folk idiom rather than technical display.
How to get the most out of it
- Let the text articulation shape your phrasing rather than imposing symmetrical breathing points. Burns's words want to flow.
- The optional parts (bass in SAB and tenor in TTBB arrangements) extend your range without creating divisi clutter. Use them strategically based on your section strengths.
- Balance the melody against supporting voices so the folk tune remains transparent. Beery's harmonic movement supports rather than shadows the tune.
How to use it
Pair this with other folk settings or Scottish repertoire for a thematic concert segment that explores how contemporary composers honor traditional music. Its accessibility and genuine character also make it a strong opening or closing piece for a mixed program, offering audiences a moment of clarity and connection.
Skills your students will build
- Singing sustained lines with text clarity in a folk idiom
- Balance and blend in four-part harmony with optional flexible voicing
- Interpretation of period poetry and its relationship to melodic shape
- Sight-reading across SATB or SAB configurations