The Tiger: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Name: The Tiger: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-SV9314
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

By Sherri Porterfield

Level: Moderate

Item: 00-SV9314

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Musical life is breathed into William Blake's stunning text. Intensity builds throughout this well-constructed work. Sherri captures the excitement, the fear, and dread of the tiger. A wonderful new work for concert, contest or festival. Creative yet accessible.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Tiger: 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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Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Studio PR Catalog

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 029156012644

SKU: 00-SV9314

More about this title

About the Composer: Sherri Porterfield

Sherri Porterfield directs choirs at Cedar Park Middle School in Cedar Park, Texas, bringing decades of experience across Missouri, Kansas, and Texas. Her student ensembles have earned numerous first-place and sweepstakes awards at competitions and performed at state music educators conventions. She has also served as an adjunct assistant professor of music education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.

As a prolific composer, Porterfield has published over 175 choral works with Alfred Music Publishing and other major publishers, earning ASCAP awards annually since 1997 for her compositions. She holds a B.S.E. in music education from the University of Memphis and a Master of Music in choral conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Recognized four times by Who's Who Among America's Teachers and selected as Teacher of the Year at Frontier Trail Junior High in Olathe, Kansas (1999), she regularly works with honor choirs across the country as a clinician and guest conductor.

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Why we love this

Porterfield's setting gives Blake's iconic poem genuine dramatic arc without overcomplicating the 2-part texture. The writing balances the fear and ferocity of the tiger through smart pacing and harmonic choices that feel earned rather than imposed, making it rewarding for young singers to discover those shifts themselves.

What to expect

The piece pulses with controlled energy, capturing the paradox of the tiger: beautiful and terrifying, precise and wild. Moments of restraint give way to sections where the voices surge together, creating visceral power that young singers feel in their bodies as they sing.

Who it's for

Middle school and upper elementary choirs seeking substantive literature with literary merit. This work appeals to choirs ready to tackle expressive singing and poetic interpretation while building confidence in 2-part textures.

How to get the most out of it

Build intensity gradually across phrases rather than jumping into full volume early; let the text and harmony guide the dynamic shape so the final verses land with real impact.
Pay attention to where Porterfield places syllabic versus melismatic writing to clarify Blake's language and enhance the imagery of movement and power.
Balance the two parts so neither dominates; when voices diverge, both lines should remain audible and intentional.

How to use it

Program this alongside other works exploring nature, power, or transformation for thematic depth on a concert. Its moderate difficulty and compelling text make it ideal for contest or festival settings where emotional maturity in interpretation will earn recognition.