One Small Star: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Music by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0007937
$1.65
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Even before the soloists sing the traditional "First Noel" carol, you'll be hooked on this sensitive holiday song by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse. A sweet, simple melody, with lovely harmonies beneath sets the tone for this quiet, reverent ballad. And the text is stunning. "One small star" unexpectedly becomes "one small child" as the delicate theme unfolds in this seasonal original. Appropriate for any level choir. The light instrumentation of the optional SoundPax or SoundTrax CD is just right.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0007937
More about this title
About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht
Sally K. Albrecht has spent over three decades shaping choral music in schools and concert halls. A prolific composer with more than 600 published works and 75 songbooks to her name, she's earned ASCAP Special Music Awards annually since 1987 and led honor choirs at venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center. Her scholarly path took her through Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater, 1976) and the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, M.M. in Accompanying), before she directed school choral and vocal publications for major educational publishers, most recently as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications at Alfred Music.
Beyond the page, Albrecht has taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College, bringing both compositional insight and conducting experience to her pedagogy. She has chaired the Board of Trustees for Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and received their "Pillar of Leadership" award. In recent years, she earned Distinguished Alumna Awards from both Rollins College (where she serves on the Board of Trustees) and the University of Miami Frost School of Music. She lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with her husband Jay Althouse, fellow composer and collaborator.
Why we love this
The text transformation in this piece is genuinely striking. Hearing "one small star" resolve into "one small child" lands with quiet theological power, and students will feel the shift even as they're singing it. Albrecht and Althouse have written a carol that honors the familiar without leaning on familiarity, which means your choir gets to inhabit something devotional and original at the same time.
What to expect
Reverent and hushed, with a quality of gentle discovery. The melody unfolds like a simple prayer, and the harmony creates an intimate warmth that invites rather than overwhelms. There's something inherently peaceful about singing this piece, even as the text carries quiet weight.
Who it's for
Any choir that wants a contemporary carol with theological depth. This works equally well for developing singers who need simple, beautiful lines and for more experienced ensembles seeking a thoughtful alternative to standard holiday fare.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the melody phrase by phrase rather than note by note. The sweetness emerges from long, connected lines, not from dwelling on individual pitches.
- Let the harmony breathe underneath the melody without crowding it. These parts are designed to support, not to compete for attention.
- Reserve full dynamic presence for the text shift. Build gradually so the moment when "star" becomes "child" feels like a genuine revelation.
- The optional accompaniment works best as a delicate layer. If using SoundPax or SoundTrax, listen to how it frames rather than fills the space.
How to use it
Position this as an early program moment where you want to establish a reflective tone for a holiday concert. It pairs beautifully with other original sacred carols and works equally well as a standalone offering. Consider it for occasions where you want to step away from traditional arrangements and ground your audience in contemporary composition.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining long melodic phrases without breath disruption
- Balancing melody and harmony parts in a 2-part texture
- Text-driven dynamic shaping and emotional communication
- Blend and intonation in close harmonic intervals