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The Candle Is a Symbol: 2-Part Choral Octavo

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The Candle Is a Symbol Cover Image
The Candle Is a Symbol: 2-Part Choral Octavo

The Candle Is a Symbol: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Words and music by Andy Beck

Item: 00-48447
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Description
An emblem that transcends cultures, religions, and time periods, the flickering candle offers a message of joy, hope, and peace that can reach every human heart. Start with the spark of a single voice on the opening solo, and then light your choir's inner flame when the entire group joins. Simple, with a folk-like quality; artful, as the composer explores dark versus light, major versus minor.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Candle Is a Symbol: 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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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
UPC: 038081552705
SKU: 00-48447

More about this title

About the Composer: Andy Beck

Andy Beck

Andy Beck directs choral publications at Alfred Music and has composed and arranged more than 450 works for singers of all ages, from children's musicals to sophisticated choral literature. His pedagogical resources—including Sing at First Sight, Foundations in Choral Sight Singing, and Vocalize! 45 Vocal Warm-Ups That Teach Technique—have shaped how countless music teachers approach vocal instruction and musicianship. A trained tenor and conductor, Beck holds degrees in Music Education from Ithaca College and Northwest Missouri State University.

Beck's dual commitment to artistry and education shows in every piece he writes. He regularly guests as a conductor, clinician, and adjudicator at honor choirs and all-state festivals across the country, and his music circulates globally through performances by singers in schools, churches, and concert halls. Since 1992, he has also served as a studio vocalist for Alfred Music, bringing performer's sensibility to his compositional work.

Why we love this

The opening solo feels intimate and inviting, drawing singers and listeners into the piece before the full choir enters with warmth and unity. Beck's interplay of major and minor tonality creates genuine emotional depth without demanding complex harmonies, making this both musically satisfying and genuinely accessible for 2-part ensembles.

What to expect

Like watching a single spark grow into steady flame. The piece begins solitary and contemplative, with folk-song simplicity that feels both timeless and immediate. When the choir enters, there's a natural sense of gathering warmth and collective purpose, underscored by Beck's thoughtful harmonic movement between shadow and light.

Who it's for

Directors working with developing 2-part choirs who want repertoire with emotional substance and cultural relevance for winter and holiday programming. This works equally well in secular concert settings and in faith-based contexts where themes of hope and peace matter.

How to get the most out of it

  • Let the opening soloist breathe and phrase naturally; this moment sets the emotional tone and should feel conversational rather than formal.
  • Shape the transition from solo to full choir carefully so the moment of joining feels like a genuine gathering rather than an abrupt entrance.
  • Explore the major-minor contrast through subtle dynamic and tonal shifts, allowing singers to feel the symbolic shift from darkness to light without overdoing the interpretation.
  • If using the recorded accompaniment, rehearse with it early so singers internalize the harmonic support and can focus on blend and tuning in ensemble passages.

How to use it

Pair this with other pieces that explore themes of unity and light (instrumental or choral) to build a thematic set for a winter concert. It also stands beautifully as a reflective centerpiece in a longer program, offering a moment of stillness before or after more energetic selections.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing solo lines with confidence and musical maturity within an ensemble context
  • Blending and listening as a unified group after entering as individuals
  • Understanding tonal color and how major versus minor affects emotional expression
  • Phrasing through simple, lyrical melody that mirrors speech and emotion

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