On My Way to Jordan Cover Image

On My Way to Jordan: SAB Choral Octavo

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On My Way to Jordan Cover Image
On My Way to Jordan: SAB Choral Octavo

On My Way to Jordan: SAB Choral Octavo

Words and music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-35482
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Description
With an optional part for snare drum, this original spiritual features a steady walking-tempo and an uplifting text. "When we cross that river to the other side, what a meeting it will be." Featured on PianoTrax 3 Accompaniment CD (00-34744).

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, On My Way to Jordan: SAB 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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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
UPC: 038081396781
SKU: 00-35482
Instrumentation: Opt. Snare Drum

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

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 eight-year tenure in rights and licensing at a major educational publisher included service on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. As a composer, he has created more than 800 choral works performed across the English-speaking world and maintains membership in ASCAP, where he is a regular recipient of the Special Award.

Beyond composition, Althouse has co-written children's musicals with Sally K. Albrecht, compiled respected vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and co-authored influential pedagogical resources such as The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His educational materials (Ready to Read Music, Sixty Music Quizzes, and One-Page Composer Bios) serve music classrooms nationwide. He contributed to I Hear America Singing, a choral work performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's 2009 Inauguration. Based in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Althouse serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.

Why we love this

The walking tempo and accessible SAB voicing make this spiritual work immediately gratifying for developing choirs while the optional snare drum part adds rhythmic authenticity without requiring advanced ensemble coordination. Althouse's text captures the spiritual tradition's hopeful theology in language that resonates with contemporary singers and audiences alike.

What to expect

A steady, purposeful journey unfolds with every measure, evoking the spiritual tradition's imagery of crossing a river toward hope and reunion. The walking tempo and uplifting text combine to create a piece that feels both contemplative and celebratory, grounding singers in a tangible rhythmic experience while elevating their spirits.

Who it's for

SAB choirs at the middle school, high school, and community levels will find this spiritual both musically satisfying and accessible. The optional percussion part engages additional singers or allows a non-singing member to contribute meaningfully.

How to get the most out of it

  • Keep the steady walking pulse consistent throughout; the piece's power comes from the relentless forward motion rather than dramatic tempo shifts.
  • If using the optional snare drum, have that player establish the groove early in rehearsal so the choir can lock into the rhythmic pocket.
  • Encourage singers to shape the phrases with the text's natural breath points rather than mechanical sectional breaks, letting the spiritual narrative flow.
  • Balance the three parts so that no single voice dominates; SAB spirituals work best when the parts blend into a unified sound.

How to use it

This work fits naturally into programs exploring American sacred music traditions, spiritual themes, or messages of hope and perseverance. Consider placing it alongside other spirituals or folk-based choral works to create thematic coherence, or feature it as a standalone offering that honors the genre's cultural significance.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing in three-part mixed voicing (SAB)
  • Maintaining steady pulse and walking rhythm
  • Performing spiritual traditions with stylistic authenticity
  • Blending individual voice parts into unified ensemble sound
  • Text expression and narrative interpretation

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