Sing Noel: A Christmas Fanfare: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Althouse's gift lies in balancing accessibility with genuine musical substance. Here he takes a familiar carol and reimagines it as a concert opener that works equally well as a stripped-down vocal showcase or a full brass and percussion statement, giving you real programming flexibility without sacrificing quality in either version.

A surge of celebratory sound that respects the carol's origins while moving it into fresh territory. The piece shifts between intricate, interweaving voices and warm, unified harmonies, creating a dynamic listening experience that feels both reverent and joyful.

Choirs seeking a concert-opening number that combines festive energy with genuine musicianship. This works for high school, college, and community choirs who want something more inventive than a standard carol but still accessible to singers of moderate ability.

• Balance the contrapuntal writing in the opening section by letting each voice line sing through clearly; resist the urge to blend everything into a homogeneous wash.
• If using the brass quintet and percussion, rehearse the choir independently first so they own the harmonic progression before layering in the accompaniment.
• Shape the dynamic arc across the entire piece rather than treating the homophonic middle section as a static slower moment; let tension build toward the final statement.

This is an ideal choice for opening your Christmas concert because it establishes an uplifting, elegant tone while showcasing your choir's range. The optional instrumentation also means you can scale the arrangement to match your resources, whether your program features multiple pieces or stands alone as a shorter concert.

• Singing independent melodic lines within a contrapuntal texture
• Maintaining clarity of harmony in faster-moving passages
• Balancing blend and balance across changing textures (contrapuntal to homophonic)
• Responding to dynamic and expressive cues that shape a multi-section form