Sing A Song Of Thanksgiving: Unison, 2-Part Treble Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes crafts thanksgiving music that feels genuinely singable for young voices without sacrificing musical substance. The unison and two-part treble voicing keeps technical demands reasonable while the harmonic language and text setting reflect his deep expertise in choral writing across all levels.

Warm and celebratory with the sincerity appropriate to thanksgiving themes. Hayes avoids schmaltzy sentimentality, instead creating music that feels both joyful and genuine, with text-driven melodic lines that invite singers to connect with the meaning of the words.

Elementary and middle school choirs, youth choir programs, and treble ensembles preparing festival or concert material. The unison and two-part options make it accessible for developing singers while remaining musically engaging for more advanced groups.

• Pay attention to the text setting at phrase endings; Hayes typically shapes the melodic contour to emphasize meaningful words, so let the natural accents emerge rather than forcing even rhythm.
• Balance the unison sections with the two-part moments to maintain engagement. Young singers often coast through unison passages, so set clear expectations for tone quality and phrasing throughout.
• Explore the recorded accompaniment early in rehearsals to establish tempo and character, then work toward confident singing independent of it for performance.

Anchor a fall concert or thanksgiving assembly with this piece, or use it as part of a larger thanksgiving/gratitude themed program. The eight-page format and mixed voicing options give you flexibility to feature different sections of your choir on the same work.

• Blending unison lines with consistent intonation
• Transitioning between unison and two-part textures
• Expressive text interpretation and phrasing
• Sight-reading rhythmically straightforward melodic material with harmonic support