Stars to Hold: SAB Choral Octavo
Words by Sara Teasdale, music by Victor C. Johnson
Item: 00-PO-0008305
$2.50
Minimum order quantity: 10 copies
Please note: Under U.S. copyright law, you must purchase the exact number of copies needed for your ensemble. Printing, duplicating or sharing additional copies is strictly prohibited.
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Description
Victor C. Johnson turns Sara Teasdale's sea-and-starlight imagery into a stunning emotional arc with this original concert work. The sensitive setting traces peace flowing in like the tide, grows richer and as the full-voiced choir builds to its artistic high point, then settles back into the quiet plea that opened the piece. A shimmering piano part and an optional cello obbligato add warmth throughout. "Give me your stars to hold."
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0008305
More about this title
About the Composer: Victor C. Johnson
Victor C. Johnson brings decades of choral leadership to his prolific composing and arranging work. Based in Dallas, he has shaped generations of singers as a director at Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and currently serves as School Choral Editor for Sing!, the educational publishing arm of Choristers Guild. His catalog exceeds 500 published works spanning choral octavos, vocal solos, and keyboard collections.
Beyond the page, Johnson conducts the Dallas Symphony Children's Chorus Mixed Ensemble, a high school resident choir for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He holds membership in the American Choral Directors Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, ASCAP, and serves in leadership roles within the American Guild of Organists and National Association for Music Education.
Why we love this
Johnson's setting honors Teasdale's luminous language while building genuine dramatic momentum. The piece opens with vulnerability, swells into a rich four-part sonority, then folds back into the quiet vulnerability that frames it. What stands out is how the optional cello obbligato and shimmer of the piano part reward both singer and listener without overshadowing the text.
What to expect
Serene and reflective, with an undercurrent of longing. The piece floats like tide pools catching starlight, then expands into something fuller and more assured before receding into contemplation. Throughout, the piano and optional cello create a shimmering warmth that wraps around the voices.
Who it's for
SAB choirs looking for a concert piece with genuine emotional substance and textual sophistication. The work suits both festival and recital settings and sits comfortably for high school and adult community choirs with solid fundamentals.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening phrase with restraint; the initial plaintiveness sets up the entire emotional trajectory. Resist any urge to swell too early.
- Balance the full-voiced climax so sopranos and altos don't disappear under the men's parts. The richness Johnson seeks comes from blend, not volume.
- If you include the cello obbligato, rehearse it separately with the piano first so both players understand where they shadow one another and where they diverge.
- Return to that opening dynamic after the climax with intention. The 'quiet plea' Johnson mentions isn't a let-down; it's a conscious resolution.
How to use it
Pair this with other sea- or night-themed works for a thematic program, or use it as an opener that sets a lyrical tone. The moderate length and emotional accessibility make it a strong choice for spring or winter concerts where you want poetry and musicality to frame the event.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining long phrases with legit breath placement
- Blending three-part harmony across changing harmonic contexts
- Responding to text-driven dynamic and tempo nuance
- Tracking an emotional arc across a complete form
- Balancing parts in full SAB texture without forcing volume