Sing with the Angels: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

This arrangement takes two beloved hymn melodies and weaves them together with genuine musical sophistication rather than simple layering. The optional SoundTrax accompaniment adds orchestral depth without overwhelming young singers, making it feel like a fully realized production even in modest rehearsal spaces.

Serene and luminous, with the interweaving melodies creating an almost ethereal wash of sound. The Orff-like bells and harp glissandos evoke genuine reverence rather than saccharine holiday sentiment, making room for quiet beauty alongside the warmth of tradition.

Choirs with 2- and 3-part voices, including mixed elementary, middle school, or high school ensembles with a range of experience levels. Directors seeking a tasteful holiday offering that combines familiar hymns without feeling like a clichéd mashup will find this especially useful for winter concerts and community performances.

• Balance the overlapping melodies carefully in rehearsal; assign parts by range and ear rather than age, since the three-part voicing accommodates varied voice types.
• When using the SoundTrax CD, adjust your tempos in early rehearsals to match the recorded accompaniment, then gradually build independence before the final performance.
• Shape the arpeggiated chords and harp writing to breathe with your singers; the accompaniment should feel supportive, not metronomic.

Slot this into the second half of a winter concert where it can provide a contemplative counterpoint to brighter, more energetic selections. The arrangement's flowing texture works particularly well as a bridge between secular and sacred repertoire, or as the closing number of a holiday program when you want to send the audience out thoughtfully rather than triumphantly.

• Singing overlapping melodies and maintaining independent part integrity
• Blending two familiar melodic lines into cohesive harmonic texture
• Following recorded accompaniment while maintaining choral integrity
• Shaping and breathing within arpeggiated harmonic accompaniment