Wings: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Strommen has a gift for writing melodies that lodge in singers' hearts without sacrificing musical substance. Wings captures that same spirit that made Like An Eagle endure in choral programs, and the recorded accompaniment on the SoundTrax CD means your singers can hear the work fully realized and learn from a professional recording.

Wings is soaring without being bombastic. The melody flows naturally, inviting singers to inhabit the text of aspiration and freedom; listeners will hear hope and possibility rather than triumph. The recorded accompaniment provides the full harmonic context, so even a choir learning it for the first time can envision the complete musical picture.

Treble, mixed, or SATB choirs seeking music that speaks meaningfully to graduation ceremonies and occasions celebrating new beginnings. The work sits comfortably for intermediate to advanced high school and adult choirs who want to program something with both emotional resonance and singable lines.

• Let the text 'Give me wings to travel swiftly' shape your phrasing; treat it as a request, not a proclamation, and the warmth will follow naturally.
• Use the SoundTrax accompaniment in sectional rehearsals to anchor parts independently before balancing with full choir.
• The imagery of 'fields of green and skies of blue' calls for clarity in the upper voices; resist the urge to oversing, and let the transparency convey the lightness of flight.
• Build the piece's arc gradually; this is aspirational rather than triumphant, so control dynamics carefully to avoid peaking early.

This is ideal for graduation ceremonies, end-of-year concerts, or any program celebrating transition and growth. Program it following something in a contrasting style or mood; its lyrical quality and inspirational message make it a natural closer, though it also works well as the anchor piece in a set of shorter works.

• Singing legit lyrical lines with sustained, supported tone
• Interpreting text-driven phrasing and musical shape
• Balancing blend across SATB ranges in a hymn-like harmonic setting
• Working with a recorded accompaniment to develop independence and ear training