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Reaching for the Stars: 2-Part Choral Octavo

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Reaching for the Stars Cover Image
Reaching for the Stars: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Reaching for the Stars: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Words and music by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse

Item: 00-39926
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Description
Here's the ultimate motivational choral, perfect as a closer, especially for year-end concerts and graduation events. "I'm not gonna stop trying to reach my dreams." Featured on "Reaching for the Stars" choral movement DVD 00-39928. Check this out! https://leapingbrain.com/modshop/product/?shop=9&product=5690

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
UPC: 038081445878
SKU: 00-39926

More about this title

About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht has shaped American choral music for over three decades as a composer, conductor, clinician, and publisher. A recipient of the ASCAP Special Music Award annually since 1987, she has placed more than 600 choral works in print alongside 75 larger-scale musicals and songbooks. Her conducting has graced honor choirs and festivals at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center, and she spent her career directing choral, vocal, and elementary publications for major educational music publishers, including Alfred Music. She holds degrees from Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater, 1976), the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, 1977; M.M. in Accompanying, 1979), and was honored with Distinguished Alumna Awards from both institutions in 2021.

Albrecht's partnership with composer and arranger Jay Althouse, her husband, has produced some of the most performed contemporary choral literature in schools today. Known especially for her integrated approach to choral movement and staging, she brings theatrical sensibility to every score she writes. Her leadership extends beyond music; she has chaired the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and received their "Pillar of Leadership" award.

Why we love this

Albrecht and Althouse have crafted a closer that works because it means something. The central message ('I'm not gonna stop trying to reach my dreams') lands with genuine conviction rather than empty sentiment, giving your singers real emotional stakes to perform. The inclusion of choreography and staging notes transforms this from a sweet choral moment into a full-production finale that will stay with your audience long after the curtain falls.

What to expect

Uplifting without being saccharine, with a contemporary edge that respects young singers' musical intelligence. The melody carries optimism but grounded in the specific desire to keep trying, creating a moment that feels earned rather than imposed.

Who it's for

Directors closing a concert or graduation ceremony who need a piece with built-in theatricality and age-appropriate emotional resonance. This works for middle school through early high school groups seeking something that feels both contemporary and substantial, especially ensembles with some experience in choral movement or those ready to develop it.

How to get the most out of it

  • Teach the text with intention. This is not a song to rush through. Have singers internalize the message first, then let the melody serve their conviction rather than the other way around.
  • Use the movement vocabulary in the score to deepen ensemble cohesion. Even if you simplify the choreography for your group's ability level, the physical commitment will unlock vocal commitment.
  • Balance clarity of diction with the aspirational quality of the melody. Slight sustained vowels on key words (especially 'reaching' and 'dreams') will elevate the emotional arc without losing intelligibility.

How to use it

Program this as your concert or ceremony finale. Its thematic power works best in the last position, where it can send students and families out with forward momentum. The integrated staging also gives you a strong visual payoff that will photograph well and feel memorable to attendees.

Skills your students will build

  • Two-part harmonic independence in unison and divisi passages
  • Expressive text delivery and emotional commitment to lyrical content
  • Coordination of singing and choreography with ensemble precision
  • Sustaining focus and energy through the final moments of a performance

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