Runnin' to Bethlehem Cover Image

Runnin' to Bethlehem: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

$24.95 USD
$24.95 USD
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Runnin' to Bethlehem Cover Image
Runnin' to Bethlehem: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Runnin' to Bethlehem: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Words and music by Sally K. Albrecht

Item: 00-28504
$24.95
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Description
"You better hurry!" You don't want to miss this infectious original Christmas spiritual that captures all the energy and excitement surrounding the baby's birth. A winner in any voicing, for school or church choirs. Featured on the "Hooray for Hollywood!" DVD #28868.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
UPC: 038081310480
SKU: 00-28504

More about this title

About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht

Sally K. Albrecht has spent over three decades shaping choral music education, first as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications at major educational publishers including Alfred Music, and throughout her career as a sought-after clinician and conductor. Her prolific output includes more than 600 choral works and 75 larger musicals and songbooks, with consistent recognition through annual ASCAP Special Music Awards since 1987. She has conducted honor choirs at prestigious venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center.

Albrecht earned her B.A. from Rollins College in Music and Theater, then continued at the University of Miami, where she completed an M.A. in Drama and an M.M. in Accompanying. Her expertise in choral movement and staging has become a defining characteristic of her compositions. She has served on the faculty at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College, and currently resides in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with her husband, composer and arranger Jay Althouse. In 2021, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College.

Why we love this

Albrecht's gift for infusing spiritual material with genuine joy and momentum shines here. The piece swings with infectious energy while maintaining the reverence of the season, making it equally at home in school concerts and worship settings without sacrificing musical substance for accessibility.

What to expect

Urgent and celebratory, this piece captures the anticipation and excitement of the nativity story as a living event rather than a distant historical moment. The rhythm propels you forward, the melody soars with joy, and the entire arc radiates the kind of infectious enthusiasm that draws audiences in.

Who it's for

School and church choirs looking for a Christmas piece that energizes rather than sentimentalizes. The flexible voicing works for mixed ensembles at intermediate and advanced levels, making it adaptable to your specific choir configuration.

How to get the most out of it

  • Lean into the rhythmic drive that propels the piece forward; think of it as a spiritual that urges listeners to move, both physically and emotionally.
  • The included SoundTrax recording provides a strong harmonic anchor and full groove, but use it as a learning tool first, then consider performing live accompaniment once your choir internalizes the harmonic and rhythmic foundation.
  • Exploit the movement and staging opportunities built into the score. Albrecht designs her pieces with physicality in mind, so blocking and gesture will unlock the piece's true character.
  • Balance the spiritual tradition with contemporary energy; avoid making it sound either archaic or overly pop, instead finding the sweet spot where both elements coexist.

How to use it

Program this as a standalone moment of high energy within a Christmas concert, or pair it with more contemplative sacred selections to create dynamic contrast. It works especially well as a finale or penultimate number when you want to leave audiences energized and uplifted.

Skills your students will build

  • Maintaining rhythmic momentum in syncopated spiritual style
  • Balancing ensemble blend while executing movement choreography
  • Connecting lyrical content to physical expression and staging
  • Reading flexible voicing arrangements for mixed choir

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