What Is Life?: SATB Choral Octavo
Words by Pamela Stewart, music by Greg Gilpin
Item: 00-PO-0001670
$1.85
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Inspired by the words of the Native American Crowfoot, this introspective text contemplates the meaning of life. Anchored with enduring musicality that builds to a dramatic peak and concludes with the soft realization that "life is the moment, that alone."
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
8
SKU:
00-PO-0001670
More about this title
About the Composer: Greg Gilpin
Greg Gilpin is an ASCAP-award-winning composer and arranger whose choral music is performed across the country and around the world. He has conducted at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Ryman Auditorium, the Sydney Opera House, Royal Festival Hall, and Harpa Concert Hall, and serves as Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press.
Beyond the concert hall, Gilpin has expanded his creative reach into film scoring, producing the award-winning score for the short film "Rosie's Rescue" in 2021. He holds membership in ACDA, NAfME, SAG-AFTRA, and is a Life Loyal Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Why we love this
Gilpin grounds this text in music that earns its emotional arc. The piece builds deliberately toward a powerful climax before settling into that final, hard-won realization, giving singers and audiences a genuine journey rather than a surface treatment of profound ideas. The Crowfoot inspiration elevates graduation programming beyond the expected.
What to expect
The music unfolds like a quiet conversation that gradually reveals its depth. There is genuine weight in the harmonic language and a sense of purpose as the piece builds toward its emotional peak, only to resolve into a moment of clarity and acceptance. Singing this piece feels like participating in something that matters.
Who it's for
Choirs at the high school and college level who are ready to tackle introspective material with musical maturity. The piece suits graduation ceremonies, festival competitions, and concert settings where meaningful text paired with sophisticated writing will resonate with both singers and listeners.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening phrases with restraint to establish the introspective mood; this creates dynamic space for the building intensity that follows.
- Attend carefully to the transition into the dramatic peak so the climb feels inevitable rather than sudden.
- Balance the final section's softness with clarity of text and tone quality; "life is the moment, that alone" should land with intimate conviction.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to lock ensemble intonation during the more complex harmonic passages.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece for graduation ceremonies or spring concert finale. Its contemplative opening pairs well alongside more energetic choral selections, and its philosophical text makes it particularly suitable for festivals where thoughtful, award-worthy repertoire is valued. The eight pages allow it to stand on its own without overwhelming your concert arc.
Skills your students will build
- Sustained legit singing through building dynamic layers
- Balance and blend in SATB writing with chromatic voice leading
- Text-driven interpretation and emotional arc awareness
- Intonation in passages with close harmonic spacing
- Phrasing across longer musical phrases without disruption