Seize the Moment: 2-Part (with Opt. Sign Language) Choral Octavo
Music by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0006520
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
With a meaningful text and a strong melody, this inspiring ballad will find a place on any choral concert, at any level. "Hand in hand, side by side. Here we stand, filled with pride. Seize the moment!" Includes two optional four measure solos. Ideal for graduation or spring concerts, but also suitable as part of a patriotic concert. Meaningful music for any age group, especially with sign language (included). Staging Suggestions are featured on Sally's "Showtime!" video, Alfred #21176.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0006520
More about this title
About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht
Sally K. Albrecht has built a four-decade career as a composer, conductor, and clinician with particular expertise in integrating movement into choral performance. Her output is prolific: over 600 choral publications and 75 songbooks and musicals currently in print, earned her ASCAP Special Music Awards every year since 1987. She has conducted honor choirs at major venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center, and directed school choral and vocal publications for Alfred Music and other major publishers for more than thirty years.
Albrecht holds degrees from Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater, 1976), the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, 1977, and M.M. in Accompanying, 1979). She taught at Oakland University, Jersey City State College, and Meredith College before settling 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, where she serves on the Board of Trustees.
Why we love this
Albrecht and Althouse deliver a piece that feels both genuinely uplifting and musically substantial for 2-part singers. The text is direct and memorable ("Seize the moment"), the melody sits naturally in the voices, and the optional sign language integration offers a tactile, visual dimension that transforms a good song into a memorable performance experience. This is the kind of repertoire that works equally well at a spring concert or a graduation ceremony because the sentiment transcends the occasion.
What to expect
Confident and affirming, with a melody that lands firmly and a text that feels genuinely purposeful rather than trite. The piece radiates optimism without saccharine sentimentality, creating space for singers to invest in the message whether they're in 8th grade or 80 years old.
Who it's for
Middle school through adult choirs at any experience level seeking meaningful repertoire with built-in engagement tools. The 2-part voicing makes it accessible to developing singers, while the optional sign language and solos provide layers of sophistication for choirs wanting to deepen their performance.
How to get the most out of it
- Teach the sign language gestures before drilling the melody; singers will internalize the music faster when body and voice work together from the start.
- Balance the two optional solos carefully so they feel like moments of individual expression rather than extended spotlight breaks; brief rehearsals with soloists to match their phrasing with the ensemble helps.
- Use the recorded accompaniment for early rehearsals to establish tempo and harmonic context, then rehearse with piano to build independence.
- Emphasize the text's conviction in the final statement of "Seize the moment"—let the repeated phrase build with confidence, not diminish.
How to use it
This works beautifully as an anchor piece for spring or graduation concerts, particularly when paired with other motivational or celebratory repertoire. It also serves well in patriotic programming during Earth Day or civic-themed events. The optional sign language integration makes it a standout choice if your program includes interdisciplinary collaboration or community partners trained in ASL.
Skills your students will build
- Singing with confident tone in unison and 2-part harmony
- Coordinating melodic phrasing with purposeful gesture and movement
- Interpreting text with appropriate emotional expression
- Basic sign language communication as an alternative or complementary performance mode
- Ensemble balance when performing alongside optional soloists