So Take This Song Of Joy: SAB Choral Octavo
So Take This Song Of Joy Sheet Music Preview

So Take This Song Of Joy: SAB Choral Octavo

Arranged by Greg Gilpin

Item: 35-DS00360363
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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 9
SKU: 35-DS00360363

More about this title

About the Arranger: Greg Gilpin

Greg Gilpin

Greg Gilpin is an ASCAP award-winning composer and arranger whose choral work has been performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Ryman Auditorium, Sydney Opera House, Royal Festival Hall, and Harpa Concert Hall. As Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press, he shapes the landscape of choral music available to schools and community ensembles across the country.

Beyond the concert hall, Gilpin has expanded his creative reach into film scoring, producing arrangements for professional recordings, and building a second career as a certified financial coach and professional organizer. His diverse experience across music and organizational work informs his approach to choral writing: clear-headed, purposeful, and designed for real ensembles working under real constraints. He holds membership in ACDA, NAfME, SAG-AFTRA, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Why we love this

Gilpin has an instinct for SAB voicing that respects what each part can do without asking the impossible. The melody sits naturally in the soprano line while the alto and bass parts provide genuine harmonic support rather than doubling. That balance makes the piece both accessible for developing singers and rewarding enough to hold the interest of stronger ensembles.

What to expect

The piece radiates optimism and straightforward joy without sentimentality. The text invites singers to connect with something larger than themselves, and Gilpin's harmonies support that emotional landscape with warmth and clarity. By the final measures, the arrangement builds a sense of collective celebration that feels genuine rather than manufactured.

Who it's for

SAB choirs at the intermediate to early-advanced level will find this arrangement both musically engaging and technically manageable. It works equally well for community, church, or school ensembles looking for repertoire that feels fresh without excessive complexity.

How to get the most out of it

  • Build the dynamic arc gradually from the opening; resist the urge to start big and let the text unfold naturally as the piece gains momentum.
  • Shape the alto line as a counter-melody rather than filler. Its independence from the soprano should be audible but never compete for attention.
  • Lock the bass part to the harmonic rhythm early in rehearsal so the middle voices can relax into their role rather than feeling lost beneath the melody.

How to use it

This works beautifully as a closing or encore piece when you want to leave your audience feeling uplifted without the weight of something deeply introspective. It also pairs well on a concert that mixes sacred and secular repertoire, offering a bridge between different musical contexts and moods.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing independent inner voice lines while hearing the melody above
  • Balancing blend across three parts with unequal numbers of singers
  • Interpreting dynamic and textual cues that shape the emotional arc
  • Sustaining long phrases without sacrificing breath control or intonation

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