Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow!: TTBB Choral Octavo

Hayes knows how to write for lower voices without sacrificing musicality or impact. The unison passages here give your singers breathing room while the majestic opening and swinging middle sections provide musical substance that lets a strong accompanist shine. This is an arrangement that respects both your singers and your audience.

A spiritual that commands respect from the moment it opens. The majestic fanfare sets a solemn tone, then the moderate swing breathes with the ease and conviction of a timeless song. By the powerful final section, you've traveled from formal ceremony to joyful proclamation.

TTBB choirs with access to a capable pianist who can handle Hayes's sophisticated accompaniment work. This arrangement works well for choirs that want to perform spirituals with musical depth and aren't intimidated by a challenging piano part.

• Let the opening fanfare establish the spiritual's dignity before settling into the moderate swing feel. Your pianists should approach the opening with ceremonial weight, then shift into a relaxed, grounded pulse for the main section.
• Shape the dynamic arc carefully through the moderate swing section. The unison writing means every voice is heard, so encourage singers to listen for when their line is carrying the melody and when they're providing foundation.
• Build the ending deliberately without rushing. Hayes has written this to grow in power, so maintain steady tempo and let each harmonic layer add weight as you approach the final statement.

Program this as a centerpiece for a concert focused on American sacred music or as a standout selection in a mixed choral concert. The spiritual tradition and Hayes's substantial arrangement make it equally at home in a Christmas program or as part of a concert exploring African American musical heritage. Its length and moderate difficulty level fit well in the second half of a program, after voices are warmed up and audiences are settled.

• Reading and performing unison passages with rhythmic precision and unified tone
• Balancing TTBB voicing within a swing rhythmic context
• Responding to a complex piano accompaniment and using it as an anchor for ensemble cohesion
• Shaping longer phrases with dynamic control across a building harmonic structure