Stories of My Life: 2-Part Choral Octavo

$2.05 USD

Stories of My Life: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Name: Stories of My Life: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-45643
Price: 2.05 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Words and music by David Waggoner

Item: 00-45643

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An imaginative text woven from the titles of 20 favorite children's books, coupled with a lyrical piano accompaniment, celebrates the role of literature in our lives. How about a crosscurricular storybook-themed program this year? "Come with me, and turn the page." This title available in MakeMusic Cloud.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Stories of My Life: 2-Part Choral Octavo comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 038081513829

SKU: 00-45643

More about this title

About the Composer: David Waggoner

David Waggoner holds degrees from the University of Michigan School of Music and a master's degree from Eastern Michigan University. He currently directs the music program at an elementary school in Woodhaven, Michigan, while also serving as Director of Music at the First United Methodist Church in Wyandotte, Michigan.

Waggoner has built a compositional catalog spanning choral music, handbells, and instrumental works. His experience teaching young musicians directly informs his approach to writing accessible, engaging repertoire that connects students to meaningful texts and musical experiences.

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Why we love this

Waggoner's clever use of children's book titles as lyrical material creates an immediate connection with young singers while offering genuine artistic substance. The pairing of imaginative text with lyrical piano writing gives this piece real concert presence, making it memorable for both performers and audiences without talking down to either.

What to expect

Warm, imaginative, and conversational. The music unfolds like someone inviting you to open a book and discover worlds within. There's genuine lyricism in the writing without sentimentality, and the piano accompaniment creates an intimate, supportive soundscape that makes singers feel comfortable exploring the text.

Who it's for

This piece works beautifully with developing 2-part choirs in elementary and middle school settings. It's equally valuable for community youth choirs and festival choirs looking for repertoire that engages young singers' minds as well as their voices.

How to get the most out of it

Emphasize the storytelling quality of the text by coaching singers to engage with the narrative arc created by the book titles rather than simply matching the accompaniment.
Balance the two voice parts carefully; the secondary part often carries important harmonic color that deserves clarity without overwhelming the primary line.
Work with your pianist to ensure the accompaniment breathes with the singers. This is not a rigid metrical piece; it should feel like the piano is supporting a natural, conversational delivery.
Build energy gradually across the middle sections before settling into the contemplative closing. The dynamic arc of the entire octavo matters more than any single moment.

How to use it

This octavo is ideal for a literature-themed or interdisciplinary concert celebrating children's books and storytelling. It also works as a bridge piece between rounds or simpler repertoire and more complex choral arrangements, offering students a satisfying musical and intellectual experience at a transitional level. The concert and festival designations make it suitable for formal performance contexts as well as educational showcases.