Shenandoah / He's Gone Away: Synthesizer: Choral SoundPax
Traditional American Folk Songs / arr. Mark Hayes
Item: 00-PC-0015637_SYN
$4.00
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Description
A breathtaking combination of two simple folks songs, newly available for SSA. The artistic treatment of these two favorites will raise your choir to a new level of excellence. Opulently expressive. Includes parts for flute, oboe, clarinet, percussion and synthesizer.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Shenandoah / He's Gone Away: Synthesizer: Choral SoundPax comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
20
SKU:
00-PC-0015637_SYN
Instrumentation:
SoundPax
More about this title
About the Arranger: Mark Hayes
Mark Hayes has published over 1,750 works across multiple genres and mediums, establishing himself as one of the most prolific and respected voices in American choral and orchestral music. His work has been featured at major venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the National Cathedral, and his compositional reach extends from sacred settings (including a Requiem premiered at Lincoln Center in 2013 and later performed at St. Ignatius Basilica in Rome) to musical theater scores and concert works. Hayes earned his Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude in Piano Performance from Baylor University in 1975, and in 2010 received the Award for Exemplary Leadership in Christian Music from his alma mater.
Beyond his choral and orchestral contributions, Hayes maintains a deep commitment to keyboard literature, with over 100 piano books spanning classical, jazz, gospel, and Broadway idioms. His versatility as a composer, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor reflects a singular dedication to creating accessible yet artistically substantial music across all performance settings.
Why we love this
Hayes's arrangement elevates two cherished folk melodies through sophisticated harmonic language and orchestral color without losing their essential character. The addition of flute, oboe, clarinet, and synthesizer parts creates genuine ensemble interplay rather than simple doubling, giving your singers active musical partners. This is the kind of arrangement that feels effortless to perform but sounds polished enough to anchor a concert.
What to expect
These two beloved melodies unfold with lyrical warmth and emotional depth, supported by rich harmonic underpinnings and subtle orchestration that suggests both intimacy and grandeur. The arrangement honors the simplicity of the source material while wrapping it in refined, expressive textures that invite the listener deeper into each song's storytelling.
Who it's for
SSA choirs seeking sophisticated folk arrangements that work equally well in concert and community settings. Directors looking for repertoire that sounds advanced and expressive without requiring virtuosic singers will find this pairing ideal for intermediate-to-advanced ensembles.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the instrumental parts carefully in rehearsal; the flute and oboe should breathe with the choir rather than overshadow it.
- Use the recorded accompaniment in early rehearsals to lock the harmonic foundation, then gradually reduce its role as your singers internalize the parts.
- Shape the dynamic arc across both songs as a single emotional journey rather than treating them as separate pieces; the transition matters.
- Attend to vowel unity in the SSA voicing, especially where upper voices split; consistency keeps the blend coherent even with instrumental color.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece in a folk music or Americana concert, or use it to open a program requiring a memorable, emotionally resonant moment. Its combination of accessibility and artistic sophistication makes it equally valuable in a repertoire-focused concert or a community-centered performance.
Skills your students will build
- Blending SSA voices with instrumental colors (flute, oboe, clarinet)
- Sustaining legit phrasing across longer harmonic progressions
- Balancing dynamic control across two related melodies with different text demands
- Responding to synthesizer accompaniment with rhythmic precision and flexibility