We, the Children of America: Unison Choral Octavo

Feldstein writes patriotic music that actually excites young singers. The unison voicing means your ensemble can focus on confident, clear tone production and lyrical phrasing without navigating complex harmonies, but the piece still carries genuine musical weight. The option to expand with band or strings (or both) transforms a straight choral performance into a full-ensemble event, making this one piece do serious work across your concert calendar.

Straightforward and stirring. The piece conveys genuine patriotic feeling without sentimentality, letting young voices own the melody with clarity and pride. There's a sense of collective voice and purpose that resonates with performers and audiences alike.

This unison octavo is ideal for middle school choirs, younger high school groups still building confidence, and combined youth ensembles pulling singers from multiple schools. It works especially well if your singers have limited reading experience or mixed ranges, since everyone sings the same line and the focus stays on ensemble unity and expressive singing.

• Anchor the melody with your strongest singers in the middle of the voicing; encourage them to project without straining so the unison line feels unified across the section.
• If you're adding band or orchestra accompaniment, rehearse the choir separate from the ensemble first to lock in the unison intonation, then layer in the instrumental parts gradually.
• Shape the phrase with dynamic sensitivity. Young singers often sing through to the end without breath or musical intention; mark clear breathing spots and ask them to "speak the text" before singing it, which clarifies the emotional arc.
• Record a rehearsal on your phone and play it back. Unison pieces expose tuning issues immediately, and hearing themselves in context helps singers self-correct faster than external feedback.

This belongs in your spring or early summer patriotic programming, and it's a natural choice for community events, memorial services, or Fourth of July celebrations. If you have a concert band or string orchestra program in your building, seize the chance to program this as a combined ensemble finale; the coordination challenges are modest, but the musical payoff transforms the concert moment.

• Unified unison intonation across a full choir section
• Sustained phrase singing with intentional dynamic shaping
• Text clarity and diction in English patriotic literature
• Ensemble blend and listening to singers around them
• Confidence performing without harmonic support