Shout the News!: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo
Music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0007944
$1.65
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
We can't wait to shout the news of this sensational seasonal spiritual from the incomparable Jay Althouse. It's got an exciting declarative chorus, a funky contrapuntal "Hallelujah" section, and the best in a cappella harmony. You'll want to perform this gem year after year. Awesome and singable for SATB choirs, and equally festive for choirs with fewer men than women in the SSAB.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0007944
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse earned degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was later recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus. His eight years as a rights and licenses administrator for a major educational publisher gave him deep insight into what choirs actually need, knowledge he channels into his prolific output of over 800 published works spanning all ability levels.
Althouse holds membership in ASCAP and regularly receives their Special Award for compositions in standard music. Beyond choral writing, he has co-created children's musicals with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, compiled respected vocal solo collections, and authored influential pedagogical resources including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His collaborative work I Hear America Singing was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's 2009 Inauguration. Based in North Carolina, he serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.
Why we love this
Althouse understands what makes a spiritual stick in singers' and audiences' memories. The funky contrapuntal "Hallelujah" section gives the piece real rhythmic personality while the declarative chorus keeps the proclamatory energy alive, and all of it sits comfortably in the voice without requiring soloists or dramatic range extremes. Equally valuable: the SSAB option means you're not turning singers away based on voice part imbalance.
What to expect
Joyful announcement wrapped in rich harmonic color. The piece opens with declarative energy, then shifts into something funkier and more intricate in the "Hallelujah" section where voices weave around each other. There's a festive quality throughout that comes from the spiritual tradition but feels fresh and contemporary in Althouse's hands.
Who it's for
Any SATB choir looking for a seasonal work with real groove and harmonic substance. The piece adapts beautifully to groups with uneven voice distributions (it's arranged in SSAB as well), making it practical for most ensemble configurations.
How to get the most out of it
- Keep the "Hallelujah" section crisp and rhythmically locked by having singers tap the pulse against their legs during the first rehearsal run-through; this cuts through the contrapuntal texture and prevents the section from turning muddy.
- Balance the exciting declaration of the chorus by anchoring the harmonic foundation with your strongest singers in the lower parts, freeing sopranos and altos to project the text with real conviction.
- Let the piece breathe slightly at phrase endings rather than pushing through; spirituals thrive on the call-and-response feeling, and these moments of air give each phrase its full weight.
How to use it
Program this as a closing number for a holiday or winter concert where you want genuine excitement without relying on orchestration. It pairs naturally with other spirituals but also stands alone as a showpiece that demonstrates your choir's blend and rhythmic sophistication in one compact package.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing independent melodic lines within harmonic texture
- Maintaining rhythmic precision in syncopated, contrapuntal writing
- Shaping declarative text with harmonic support
- Blending vocal timbres across all four parts without sacrificing clarity