Snow Day!: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0004246
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
"What's in the forecast? Could it be snow?" Yes!! And not just a flurry, but a blizzard enough to make it a Snow Day! "I've been waiting since September, even though I must remember, we'll make it up in June." Sure to be a favorite with your singers. We'll bet they'll even want to sing it long after the last snow has melted. Fully arranged SoundTrax. Staging Suggestions are featured on Sally's "Showtime!" video, Alfred #21176.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0004246
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he later received the Distinguished Alumni award. Before establishing himself as a prolific composer, he spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. His catalog now includes more than 800 choral works performed regularly across the English-speaking world, and he maintains active membership in ASCAP, earning the organization's Special Award multiple times for his contributions to standard choral repertoire.
Beyond composition, Althouse has shaped music education through collaboration with his wife Sally K. Albrecht on children's musicals and through authorship of classroom resources including Ready to Read Music, Sixty Music Quizzes, and One-Page Composer Bios. He co-wrote The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and compiled respected vocal solo collections. The couple's choral work I Hear America Singing was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's 2009 Inauguration. Althouse resides in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America.
Why we love this
Althouse captures the genuine excitement of a weather event that stops the world for young singers. The novelty setting combined with relatable lyrics about September anticipation and June make-up days anchors this piece in the real lives of your students, making it feel immediate rather than contrived. The fully arranged SoundTrax support and included staging suggestions lower the rehearsal burden while keeping the fun factor high.
What to expect
The piece captures the electricity of an unexpected winter gift: anticipation, celebration, and just a touch of mischief. The music bounces with the kinetic joy of singers who've waited months for this moment, delivering straightforward melody and harmony that let the story and excitement do the emotional work.
Who it's for
This arrangement works for middle school and early high school choirs seeking accessible 2-part literature that still engages singers' voices and musicianship. It's ideal for directors who want a secular winter selection that celebrates rather than sentimentalizes a snow day, keeping energy high and morale higher.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the two parts clearly so both lines remain audible; resist the urge to oversing what may feel like a "simple" arrangement, as lightness serves the song's playful mood.
- Reference the staging suggestions on Sally's "Showtime!" video to bring visual storytelling that matches the singers' enthusiasm for the text.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the groove early in rehearsal so singers can focus on diction and ensemble blend rather than finding pitches.
How to use it
Program this as the opener or closer of a winter concert to set an energetic, audience-friendly tone that bridges formal and fun. It pairs well with more serious seasonal fare and works especially well in February or early March when actual snow days have become distant memory and singers need a morale boost.
Skills your students will build
- Singing with clear diction and rhythmic precision in a supported, upbeat style
- Balancing two independent choral lines while maintaining ensemble blend
- Responding to textual expression and character through vocal control and phrasing