What Is Life?: SAB Choral Octavo
Words by Pamela Stewart, music by Greg Gilpin
Item: 00-PO-0001671
$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-0001671
More about this title
About the Composer: Greg Gilpin
Greg Gilpin stands among the most performed choral composers in America, with a catalog that spans concert halls from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House and Royal Festival Hall. An ASCAP award-winning composer and arranger, Gilpin has also built a career as a respected choral conductor and serves as Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press, where his understanding of what works in the rehearsal room directly shapes the music he writes.
Beyond composition, Gilpin has diversified his professional life in unexpected ways. He produced the award-winning short film score for "Rosie's Rescue" in 2021 and has become a certified financial coach and professional organizer, work that has brought him to national television. A Life Loyal Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Gilpin remains active across multiple creative and educational roles while continuing to compose music that speaks to choirs and audiences alike.
Why we love this
Gilpin captures profound philosophical content without overwrought sentiment. The piece builds purposefully to its dramatic peak, then pulls back to deliver the core message with restraint, making the final moment of realization earned rather than imposed. For a graduation program, this offers genuine depth alongside accessibility for a three-part mixed choir.
What to expect
The piece unfolds like a meditation, grounded in honest musical writing that respects the Native American text without sentimentalizing it. As the music swells toward its climax, you feel the weight of the question "What is life?" and then, in the gentle retreat to the final statement, a quiet wisdom settles over the choir.
Who it's for
SAB choirs at the high school or community level who want repertoire that engages with meaningful ideas. The three-part voicing remains accessible while the harmonic language and emotional arc feel substantial enough for mature singers and audiences.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the contemplative opening so the text lands clearly; this is not a piece to sing through without intention.
- Build momentum gradually through the middle section, resisting the temptation to rush ahead as the music grows.
- Shape the final section as a genuine reflection, pulling back dynamically to let the text about the present moment breathe.
How to use it
A natural fit for graduation ceremonies, this works equally well as a concert anchor or festival selection. Consider pairing it with lighter fare to let it stand alone as the program's centerpiece moment, or use it to close a set that moves from celebration into reflection.
Skills your students will build
- Phrasing sustained text across long melodic lines
- Managing dynamic contrast and building intensity purposefully
- Balancing three-part harmony with clear voice leading
- Interpreting text with emotional authenticity