When I Am Singing!: SATB Choral Octavo

There's an optimism and directness in this piece that comes from its very title. Singing about singing has a reflective quality that lets the text do emotional work while the music supports that journey with clarity and warmth.

This octavo works well for concert choirs and festival performers looking for secular repertoire that's both approachable and musically engaging. The 22-page score suggests enough substance for a meaningful rehearsal process without becoming unwieldy.

• Keep the text intelligible by shaping phrases around the lyrical content rather than the bar lines. The meaning of 'When I am singing' should come through clearly in every section.
• Pay attention to the octavo's harmonic movement in the accompaniment. Use it as a guide to help your singers find their parts and understand where the piece is heading tonally.
• Balance between voices matters here. SATB writing at this level often benefits from an ear toward blend rather than individual prominence, especially in sustained passages.

Consider this for a concert where you want to celebrate the simple act of ensemble singing. It pairs naturally with other contemporary secular choral works and makes a strong statement when paired thoughtfully alongside more elaborate arrangements.

• SATB voice independence in moderate harmonic contexts
• Text projection and diction consistency across four parts
• Listening for blend while maintaining individual line integrity
• Finding home pitch and harmonic function within the ensemble