The Race Is Run: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo

Name: The Race Is Run: SATB, a cappella Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-41529
Price: 1.85 USD
Availability: InStock

Words and music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-41529

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Remembering the 2013 Boston Marathon, this reverent tribute is an exceptional a cappella selection for concert groups. Throughout the brief ABA format, occasional dissonance resolves into lush choral harmony. And at the end, a final unison note symbolizes our unity.

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Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081447292

SKU: 00-41529

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 earned the Distinguished Alumni award. Early in his career, he worked as a rights and licenses administrator for a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. As a composer, he has created more than 800 choral works performed worldwide and is a writer member of ASCAP, a regular recipient of the ASCAP Special Award for his compositions.

Beyond composing, Althouse has co-written children's musicals with Sally K. Albrecht, compiled respected vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and authored or co-authored several influential books such as The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His educational resources for music classrooms include Ready to Read Music, Sixty Music Quizzes, and One-Page Composer Bios. He co-wrote I Hear America Singing, performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's 2009 inauguration. Based in North Carolina, he has served on the board of the North Carolina Master Chorale and currently advises the Folk Art Society of America.

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Why we love this

Althouse captures genuine emotion without sentimentality, allowing the brief ABA structure to unfold naturally rather than forcing a climax. The resolution from dissonance into lush harmony models sophisticated harmonic writing that remains accessible to most singers, and the final unison gesture gives every voice a moment of equal weight and impact. This is the kind of piece that stays with singers long after rehearsal ends.

What to expect

The piece moves with quiet dignity, honoring loss while affirming collective strength. Dissonant moments feel like shadows passing through candlelight before resolving into warmth and unity, and the final unison note arrives not as an ending but as a shared breath.

Who it's for

Concert choirs seeking meaningful material for memorial or tribute performances, this octavo works well for groups with developing harmonic sophistication and secure blend. The a cappella format requires singers who can maintain pitch and balance without instrumental support, making it suitable for intermediate to advanced ensembles.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the occasional dissonance carefully in rehearsal so singers understand it as intentional and purposeful rather than an error; this builds their confidence in the harmonic language.
Let the unison final note breathe and sustain fully without rushing, since it carries symbolic weight and serves as the emotional resolution.
Shape the return to the A section with subtle dynamic shaping rather than an exact repeat; this acknowledges the journey the text has taken.

How to use it

This works powerfully as a concert closer or centerpiece for programs exploring themes of resilience and community. It also fits naturally into memorial services, graduation ceremonies, or benefit concerts where emotional authenticity matters more than spectacle.