Wall Street Rhythm: 3-Part (any combination) Choral Octavo
Music by Jay Althouse
Item: 00-PO-0004560
$2.25
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
This new 3-part speech chorus is an exciting trip through the financial world of Wall Street.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0004560
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 was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus. Early in his career, he worked for eight years in rights and licensing at a major educational music publisher and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America. His output as a choral composer is substantial: more than 800 works for choirs at all levels have found their way into print and are performed regularly across the English-speaking world.
Althouse's contributions to music education extend well beyond composition. He is a writer member of ASCAP and a consistent recipient of the ASCAP Special Award for his standard music compositions. Working often with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, he has co-authored children's musicals, compiled vocal solo collections including Folk Songs for Solo Singers, and written influential resources like The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His classroom materials, Ready to Read Music, Sixty Music Quizzes, and One-Page Composer Bios, have become staples in music programs. Althouse and Albrecht collaborated on I Hear America Singing, performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Barack Obama's 2009 Inauguration. He currently serves on the National Advisory Board of the Folk Art Society of America and contributes articles to its quarterly publication.
Why we love this
Althouse brings his gift for accessible, engaging choral writing to an entirely fresh subject: the rhythmic energy and language of the financial markets. The speech chorus format lets your singers embody the buzz and pace of Wall Street without requiring complex harmonic control, making it ideal for mixed-ability ensembles who want something contemporary and theatrical. This is exactly the kind of secular piece that draws audiences in immediately and stays with them long after the concert ends.
What to expect
Wall Street Rhythm pulses with the relentless energy of trading floors, ticker tape machines, and financial transactions. The blend of spoken text and singing creates a kinetic, almost rhythmic-spoken-word quality that feels modern and urgent without losing its choral identity. It's exhilarating and clever, with enough musical substance to satisfy singers while entertaining audiences with its fresh, unexpected subject matter.
Who it's for
This piece works for choirs comfortable with contemporary idioms and ready to experiment with speech chorus techniques. The flexible 3-part voicing accommodates mixed ensembles of varying sizes and ranges, making it accessible to high school choirs, adult community groups, and college ensembles seeking repertoire that bridges popular culture and serious choral artistry.
How to get the most out of it
- Treat the speech rhythms as a percussion ensemble. Even when singers aren't vocalizing on pitch, their articulation, pacing, and dynamic contrast carry the musical texture. Rehearse these spoken sections with the same attention to ensemble precision you'd give to instrumental rhythms.
- Balance clarity with energy. The financial language and market references need to land cleanly so the audience catches them, but the overall feel should stay buoyant and propulsive, not didactic.
- Tap into the competitive energy of the subject matter. This piece thrives when singers lean into the urgency and forward momentum of trading floors and ticker tape, letting that kinetic quality infuse both the spoken and sung passages.
How to use it
Program this as a concert highlight that showcases your choir's versatility and willingness to engage with contemporary themes. Its high-energy character makes it an excellent closer or a bold statement piece in a mixed program of traditional and modern works. The novelty and theatrical appeal also make it a natural choice for educational concerts or community outreach events where you want to demonstrate that choral music speaks to the world singers actually inhabit.
Skills your students will build
- Speech chorus technique and rhythmic articulation of text
- Ensemble precision in passages alternating between spoken and sung material
- Contemporary choral performance practices and theatrical delivery
- Character interpretation and dramatic context in secular music