Solitary Snowflake: 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo
Music by Jerry Estes
Item: 00-PO-0003882
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
An expressive choral work celebrating the snowflake...its unique qualities, its ability to transform our world "to one of dazzling white." A useful, secular work for the winter and holiday season. Meaningful text: "Dreams are for the taking, wings come to those who fly. Miracles are for the making, winners are those who try."
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0003882
More about this title
About the Composer: Jerry Estes
Jerry Estes brings classroom experience directly into his compositional voice. A vocal music educator at Wydown Middle School, where he teaches grades 6-8, Estes earned his B.M.E. in vocal emphasis from Southwest Baptist University and later completed his M.M. at Southern Illinois University. His work reflects the insights of someone who understands what student singers can achieve and what directors need in the rehearsal room.
Esses holds memberships with MENC and ASCAP, connecting his teaching practice to the broader music education and composition communities. Beyond the classroom, he shares his life with his wife Julie and their two children, Haley and Baxter.
Why we love this
The text lands with genuine inspiration without overshooting into sentimentality. Estes pairs a straightforward winter setting with an uplifting message about courage and possibility, making this work feel purposeful rather than decorative. The three-part mixed voicing sits accessible for developing singers while the expressive writing gives them something meaningful to convey.
What to expect
Quiet contemplation that gradually builds toward hope. The work captures the solitary beauty of a single snowflake and then expands outward to celebrate transformation and human potential, creating a shift from introspection to quiet determination.
Who it's for
Middle school and high school choirs looking for a secular winter piece with substance beyond decoration. Directors who want their singers to engage with an uplifting message while developing blend and musical expression in accessible three-part voicing.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the phrase "Dreams are for the taking" with a gentle lift in the middle voices; avoid letting this moment fall flat even though the text is intimate.
- Balance the part-writing so the SAB texture remains clear during the dazzling white imagery. The middle voice often carries important harmonic color that can disappear if the sopranos dominate.
- Consider how your singers breathe together between major text ideas. Unified breath placement strengthens the reflection and forward momentum of the piece.
- Let the text's natural phrasing guide your tempo choices rather than rushing through sectional changes. The snowflake metaphor works best when singers have time to inhabit the imagery.
How to use it
Pair this with other winter selections to create a concert arc from the individual to the universal. It works particularly well in programs that move between secular celebrations of the season and more reflective moments. The 8-page length makes it manageable for groups with limited rehearsal time.
Skills your students will build
- Three-part mixed voicing balance and blend in SAB arrangement
- Expressive phrasing and text interpretation in a contemporary harmonic language
- Sustaining focused tone across longer phrases with meaningful text
- Ensemble unity through breath control and sectional coordination