We Are the Music: SAB Choral Octavo

Strommen understands what school choirs need: accessible voicing that doesn't compromise musicality, and text that resonates with young singers. The poetry here (music explaining a sunrise, describing a star) gives students something genuine to sing about, making this an ideal anchor for a concert or Music In Our Schools Month celebration without feeling like an obligatory program piece.

Warm and reflective, with the kind of sincerity that makes young singers sit up straighter. The piece invites the audience into an intimate thought about music's role in human experience, not through complexity but through clarity and honest emotion.

Middle and high school choirs looking for repertoire that works as a concert anchor or thematic piece without requiring technical virtuosity. The straightforward vocal lines and practical harmonies suit developing ensembles while the meaningful text appeals to singers old enough to understand why music matters.

• Lean into the legit of the text by having singers connect each poetic image to a specific memory or moment in their own musical experience; this transforms the piece from generic to personal.
• The movement and staging possibilities are built into the score; block these early in rehearsal so singers can internalize the choreography before polishing the vocal lines.
• Balance the three parts carefully in rehearsal, paying attention to how the harmonies shift the weight between soprano, alto, and bass; SAB voicing can obscure inner lines if the alto section isn't heard clearly.

Open your spring concert or Music In Our Schools Month celebration with this piece; its thematic focus on music's transformative power sets a thoughtful tone. You might pair it with instrumental selections to underscore the concert's message, or use it as a bookend to frame other choral selections that follow.

• three-part harmony voicing in SAB texture
• sustaining legit phrasing over simple harmonic progressions
• coordinating vocal line with choreographed movement
• connecting lyrical content to expressive singing