Walk Dem Bones!: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Joyful and infectious, with the spiritual depth of tradition meeting the playfulness of youth music. The merger of 'Dry Bones' and 'Ezekiel Saw the Wheel' creates moments of reverence alongside moments of pure fun, and the rhythm instruments transform the whole sound into something alive and celebratory.

Young choirs hungry for repertoire with personality and payoff. This piece works for elementary and middle school ensembles, and the flexible voicing means it doesn't matter if your soprano line outnumbers your altos.

• Recruit non-singing ensemble members to handle the rhythm instruments during the 'Dry Bones' section. This keeps the texture alive and invites participation from your full music community.
• Emphasize the rhythmic precision of the choral parts against the percussion layer. The interplay between voices and instruments creates the piece's energy, so rhythmic clarity matters as much as tone.
• Explore the movement and staging suggestions built into the score. Young singers connect deeply with music when they can express it physically, and this piece practically asks for it.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the harmonic foundation while your singers build confidence with the melodic line. The SoundTrax CD gives you consistent support during rehearsals.

Position this as a concert closer or anchor a spring program around spiritual themes. The accessible voicing and built-in movement make it a natural fit for family concerts, assembly performances, or programs celebrating American musical heritage.

• Blending two familiar spirituals into a cohesive harmonic structure
• Layering vocal lines against percussion accompaniment while maintaining rhythmic integrity
• Flexible part-singing across multiple voice combinations (3-part voicing)
• Expressive and confident performance of sacred material with contemporary staging