When I Was The Forest: SSA Choral Octavo

Brewbaker crafts a piece that sits comfortably in the choral octavo repertoire without resorting to predictable harmonic or structural choices. The poetic conceit of embodying a forest perspective creates natural opportunities for imaginative interpretation, and the SSA voicing makes it accessible to developing choirs while maintaining enough musical substance to engage advanced ensembles.

The piece inhabits a reflective, contemplative space where voices move through phrases with an almost meditative quality. There's an intimacy here that emerges from the SSA voicing and the introspective perspective of the text, creating moments of both vulnerability and quiet strength.

This octavo works well for middle and high school choirs seeking concert or festival repertoire that challenges singers musically without overwhelming them technically. It appeals to directors who program literature with substantive poetic content and want their ensembles to explore meaning through music.

• Clarify the piece's central image early in rehearsals. Knowing they are singing from the forest's point of view helps singers internalize the emotional arc and commit to consistent phrasing.
• Shape phrases with attention to natural speech patterns in the text. This piece rewards singers who listen to how the words breathe rather than mechanically observing note lengths.
• Balance textural clarity against the lyrical through line. When multiple parts move, ensure each voice remains audible without sacrificing the overall emotional pull.

This work fits naturally into a festival or concert program that explores nature themes or first-person narrative in poetry. Its moderate length and character make it an excellent pairing alongside both contemporary and classical selections, and it works particularly well as a program closer that leaves audiences with something to sit with.

• Singing from a dramatic or narrative perspective
• Sustaining legit phrases in SSA voicing without loss of precision
• Balancing independence and blend in three-part writing
• Responding to poetic imagery through vocal color and phrasing