Sunrise: SATB Choral Octavo
Words and music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0001777
$1.85
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Jay's poetic text is a rhapsodic ode to the dawning of a day. Bright chords and vibrant syncopations depict the rising of the sun. This outstanding concert work will easily come together to make your group shine.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0001777
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse studied Music Education and Music at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he later received the Distinguished Alumni award. He spent eight years managing rights and licensing for a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America during that tenure.
Althouse has composed more than 800 choral works that are performed regularly across the English-speaking world. Beyond composing, he has compiled vocal solo collections, co-authored pedagogical texts including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers, and created classroom resources for music teachers. He is a writer member of ASCAP and a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Award. His collaborative work with his wife, Sally K. Albrecht, includes children's musicals and I Hear America Singing, performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration.
Why we love this
Althouse captures something genuinely joyful in this piece without resorting to saccharine writing. The syncopated rhythms and bright harmonic language feel modern and energetic, yet the text remains poetic and grounded. Your singers will connect to the imagery of dawn while enjoying harmonies that sit naturally in their ranges.
What to expect
Sunrise blooms with golden light and purposeful energy. Bright chords stack and shimmer against syncopated rhythms that create forward momentum, while Althouse's poetic text invites singers and listeners into a quiet moment of natural wonder. The overall effect is uplifting and vivid, with an almost tangible sense of the sun breaking across the horizon.
Who it's for
Intermediate to advanced SATB choirs seeking a concert opener or festival selection that showcases both musicality and rhythmic sophistication. The piece works equally well for community choirs, college ensembles, and advanced high school groups looking for repertoire that feels contemporary without being experimental.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the bright upper voices with a warm, full sound from the lower parts; the vibrant syncopations need a solid harmonic foundation to land properly.
- Shape the text phrases like a sunrise itself: let them build gradually rather than arriving at full volume all at once.
- Tune the chords cleanly before rehearsing tempo and rhythm; this piece's color depends on chord clarity.
- Bring out rhythmic vitality in the syncopations without letting them dominate the legit singing lines; articulation should enhance the text, not obscure it.
How to use it
Open a concert with this piece to establish a bright, optimistic tone and showcase your ensemble's rhythmic precision. Its energy and accessibility also make it an excellent festival selection or a strong pairing with other contemporary secular works that explore nature or daily life.
Skills your students will build
- Singing syncopated rhythms accurately while maintaining legit vocal line
- Balancing four-part homophonic textures with clean intonation
- Shaping longer phrases with textual awareness and musical direction
- Executing clear articulation without sacrificing tone quality