Rise Above The Walls: Choral Instrumental Pak
By Greg Gilpin
Item: 35-PK00151151
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Description
This powerful ballad asks us to recognize our differences, see beyond them, and let love lift us all "above the walls." Orchestrated by Mark Hayes, this piece can serve as a closing number or a theme for any multicultural program or need. It will definitely inspire and challenge your singers and audiences. A new classic! Duration: ca. 4:36.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00151151
More about this title
About the Composer: Greg Gilpin
Greg Gilpin has established himself as one of America's foremost choral composers and conductors, earning ASCAP recognition for his prolific output. His work has been performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Sydney Opera House, and Royal Festival Hall, establishing him as a sought-after voice in contemporary choral music. As Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press, he shapes the landscape of choral repertoire available to directors nationwide.
Beyond the concert hall, Gilpin has expanded his creative reach into film scoring and professional organizing, bringing the same discipline and vision to multiple disciplines. His arrangement of "What Child is This?" with soprano Angela Brown and the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir represents his commitment to reimagining familiar material for modern audiences. He holds memberships in ACDA, NAfME, and SAG-AFTRA, and remains actively engaged in teaching, composing, and conducting.
Why we love this
Gilpin and Hayes have crafted a piece that speaks directly to the urgency of our current moment without resorting to didacticism. The orchestration carries the emotional weight equally with the choir, creating a shared musical conversation rather than a sermon, and the 4:36 duration sits perfectly as a concert finale that leaves audiences seated in reflection rather than rushing toward the exits.
What to expect
The ballad unfolds with the inevitability of a resolved conversation, moving from recognition of division toward genuine connection. There's an earnestness here, neither cynical nor saccharine; instead, the music holds space for both the acknowledgment of difference and the conviction that shared humanity transcends boundaries.
Who it's for
This piece serves directors seeking a meaningful closing number for spring concerts, graduation ceremonies, or programs addressing social cohesion and multicultural themes. Choirs with solid intonation and the ability to navigate sustained, hymn-like passages will connect most effectively with the material's emotional core.
How to get the most out of it
- Let the instrumental foundation establish the emotional ground before your choir enters; Mark Hayes's orchestration deserves space to breathe and set the tone for what follows.
- Shape the text "above the walls" as a genuine turning point in the piece where harmonic movement lifts rather than merely repeating familiar phrases.
- Work your ensemble to sing with conviction on the thematic material, avoiding the trap of sentimental phrasing that undermines the message's power.
- Balance choir volume against the orchestra so neither entity dominates; this is a true collaboration where both voices carry equal authority.
How to use it
Position this as your final selection on a spring concert or commencement program, where it can serve as both artistic climax and philosophical statement. The piece works equally well anchoring a multicultural festival or justice-themed concert series, and its accessibility makes it suitable for community collaborations where multiple choirs or a combined ensemble gathers to perform a unified message.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining legit vowels across extended phrases without pitch drift
- Blending voices into unified harmonic structures with Hayes's contemporary voicings
- Responding to dynamic and textural cues from orchestral accompaniment
- Conveying emotional subtext through interpretive choices rather than surface-level expression