Sunrise: SAB Choral Octavo
Words and music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0001778
$1.85
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
Pickup currently not available
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.
Sunrise: SAB Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0001778
More about this title
About the Composer: Jay Althouse
Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus. He spent eight years managing rights and licenses for a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America, giving him deep knowledge of how choral music reaches classrooms and concert halls.
As a composer, Althouse has amassed more than 800 published works for choirs across all levels, performed widely throughout the English-speaking world. He holds membership in ASCAP and is a regular recipient of the ASCAP Special Award for his compositions. Beyond choral writing, he has co-authored children's musicals with Sally K. Albrecht, compiled vocal solo collections, and written widely used classroom resources including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book, Accent on Composers, and Ready to Read Music. He has also served the choral community through leadership roles with the North Carolina Master Chorale and the Folk Art Society of America.
Why we love this
Althouse writes for real choirs with real rehearsal schedules. The syncopations pop without requiring excessive section time, and the SAB voicing sits naturally across a range of voice types and training levels. A piece that genuinely illuminates rather than just fills a concert slot.
What to expect
Radiant and kinetic. Bright harmonic language pairs with rhythmic energy that propels the piece forward, while Althouse's text painting makes the sunrise feel immediate and vivid. Singers experience the thrill of ensemble precision meeting lyrical purpose.
Who it's for
Three-part mixed choirs looking for a concert opener or closing piece that engages both performers and audiences. Works equally well for festival submissions or a program moment that calls for brightness and optimism.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the bright, energetic quality by keeping the opening sections articulate and forward-moving; resist the urge to linger or undersell the syncopations.
- Bring out inner voice motion in the soprano and alto lines that supports the text's imagery of light and movement.
- Balance the piece's rhythmic vitality with clear phrasing of the poetic text; the two should feel interwoven, not competing.
- Experiment with dynamic contrast across sections to mirror the arc of sunrise itself, building naturally toward the piece's peak moments.
How to use it
Program this as an opener to establish an energetic, positive tone, or place it near the end of a concert to send audiences out uplifted. It pairs beautifully with more introspective or serious pieces, providing textural and emotional variety.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing syncopated rhythms in three-part texture
- Balancing harmonic blend while maintaining rhythmic precision
- Text painting and connecting lyrical imagery to musical interpretation
- Blend and balance across unequal voice part sizes (SAB voicing)