The Flu Fugue: SAB Choral Octavo
Words and music by Sally K. Albrecht
Item: 00-PO-0005587
$1.90
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This Baroque-esque concert work explores imitative texture, counterpoint, and fugue form in an accessible, educational way. Plus, there's a twist! Sally's creative lyrics are a humorous take on the common cold. Consider adding tissue box choreography as shown on the When We Sing! DVD. A truly "infectious" feature for any time of year.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0005587
More about this title
About the Composer: Sally K. Albrecht
Sally K. Albrecht has shaped American choral music for over three decades, first as Director of School Choral, Vocal, and Elementary Publications at Alfred Music, then as a prolific composer with more than 600 published works and 75 songbooks and musicals currently in circulation. Her contributions to the field have earned her annual ASCAP Special Music Awards since 1987, and she has conducted honor choirs at major venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center.
Albrecht holds degrees from Rollins College (B.A. in Music and Theater, 1976), the University of Miami (M.A. in Drama, 1977; M.M. in Accompanying, 1979), and has taught at Oakland University in Michigan, Jersey City State College in New Jersey, and Meredith College in North Carolina. In 2021, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from both the University of Miami Frost School of Music and Rollins College. She resides in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with her husband, composer and arranger Jay Althouse.
Why we love this
Albrecht writes educational choral music that teaches real concepts without sacrificing fun or musicality. The Flu Fugue delivers Baroque counterpoint and fugal structure through a piece that students actually want to sing, complete with clever lyrics and optional movement elements that keep rehearsals energized and memorable.
What to expect
Witty and nimble, with the intellectual satisfaction of hearing multiple melodies weave together. The piece bounces between scholarly Baroque architecture and contemporary comedy, creating that rare energy where students feel both musically challenged and genuinely entertained.
Who it's for
Directors seeking a concert piece that makes Baroque fugal form tangible for singers of mixed ability levels. This octavo works equally well for middle school choirs ready for three-part mixed voicing and high school ensembles who appreciate humor alongside musical substance.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish clear voice independence in the opening exposition. Have each part sing alone through their entrance before combining, so singers understand their melodic responsibility before managing three-part texture.
- Use the tissue box choreography sparingly at first. Teach the music solidly before layering movement; once singers own their lines, the physical comedy amplifies rather than distracts.
- Shape phrase endings with slight ritardandos to highlight the imitative entrances and make the structural points land clearly.
- Balance the playful lyrics with genuine attention to counterpoint. The humor works best when the writing underneath is clean and the singers understand what they're doing musically.
How to use it
Program this as a concert opener or closer to set a lighter tone, especially effective in winter or spring concerts when audiences welcome both humor and harmless subject matter. It pairs well with more serious repertoire on a mixed program, offering contrast without feeling frivolous.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and singing independent melodic lines in imitative texture
- Understanding fugal form and exposition structure
- Tracking voice entries and phrases across multiple voices simultaneously
- Balancing articulation and phrasing in three-part mixed voicing
- Coordinate singing with choreographed movement and staging