Stars for Mixed Voices: SSAATTBB Choir

Stars rewards singers with music that sounds more complex than it is to prepare. The spatial simplicity of the writing (the 'glowing simplicity' Ešenvalds describes) lets voices focus on tone and blend, while the tuned glass and Tibetan bowl parts create an immersive soundworld that feels genuinely special in concert. Your singers will remember this performance.

Serene and transcendent. The piece opens with radiant chorale writing that feels timeless, then gradually surrenders to a hypnotic wash of sustained chords and shimmering overtones from glass and bowls. There's wonder here—the kind that comes from quiet observation of something vast and beautiful.

SSAATTBB choirs seeking repertoire that combines accessibility with genuine musical distinction. This work suits groups with 30-50 singers and access to musicians who can play tuned percussion; it works equally well for university choirs, community ensembles, and advanced high school programs.

• Tune the glasses or singing bowls before rehearsal begins so singers can hear the exact pitches they're supporting; this clarifies intonation throughout the piece.
• Shape the chorale section with unified breath and phrase arc across all parts; the radiance comes from collective stillness, not individual expression.
• Balance the oscillating chord pairs carefully in the final section so neither part dominates; the magic lives in the wash of sound rather than harmonic clarity.
• Assign glass and bowl players a dedicated stand where they can see the conductor clearly; their rhythmic precision anchors the entire ensemble.

Stars functions beautifully as a concert closer or as the reflective centerpiece of a program built around themes of light, nature, or spirituality. Its eight-page length and modest technical demands make it manageable alongside more demanding contemporary repertoire, and the striking instrumental colors create a sonic journey that audiences find memorable.

• Sustained tone production across a full harmonic texture
• Listening for and adjusting intonation within a blocked chord structure
• Blending eight distinct voice parts with unified approach to vowel color
• Responding to unconventional ensemble sounds (glass, Tibetan bowls) as full orchestra partners
• Maintaining legit legit intonation and tone in slower tempos