Winter: SATB Choral Octavo
Words by H. P. Nichols, music by Greg Gilpin
Item: 00-PO-0007076
$2.20
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Quiet, crisp lines are echoed from voice to voice and punctuated with chilling whispers in this rhythmic setting told from winter's point of view. A mixed meter refrain creates a sense of surprise when ice "locks the fountains and chains the river," and a layered counterpoint section builds to a frosty celebration of the season.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
16
SKU:
00-PO-0007076
More about this title
About the Composer: Greg Gilpin
Greg Gilpin has built a reputation as both a prolific choral composer and a conductor whose performances have graced some of the world's most prestigious venues, from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to the Sydney Opera House and Royal Festival Hall. His work with ASCAP recognition reflects a career spent deepening the choral repertoire with pieces that challenge singers while remaining deeply musical.
Beyond the concert hall, Gilpin has shaped choral music education through his role as Director of Educational Choral Publications at Shawnee Press, where he advocates for quality writing in school and community choirs. His creative reach extends across multiple disciplines: he has composed for film, arranged concert works with established opera singers, and brought his organizational expertise to the professional and media worlds. A member of ACDA, NAfME, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Gilpin continues to compose, conduct, and mentor musicians.
Why we love this
Gilpin captures winter not as a postcard but as a character with its own voice, delivering text and music that feel genuinely theatrical without becoming overwrought. The mixed meter refrain catches singers and listeners off guard, exactly as it should, and the layered counterpoint that follows rewards careful preparation with a moment of real musical satisfaction.
What to expect
The piece opens with an almost crystalline quality, quiet and precise, as voices pass material back and forth like snowflakes catching light. Then it shifts; the mixed meter disrupts expectation, building tension as winter's grip tightens, culminating in a layered, shimmering celebration that feels both celebratory and austere.
Who it's for
This piece works beautifully for mixed choirs at the intermediate to advanced level who are ready to engage with metric complexity and polyphonic texture. Directors seeking a winter concert selection that moves beyond sentimental carol arrangements will find a sophisticated, dramatically engaging option here.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the rhythmic clarity of those opening echoed lines; precision in the attacks will make the whisper effects land with full impact.
- Bring the mixed meter refrain to rehearsal as a standalone rhythmic exercise before integrating it into the full texture so singers feel secure in the shift.
- Shape the counterpoint section with dynamic intention; let each voice part understand its own melodic contour so the layering builds transparently rather than muddily.
- Use the recorded accompaniment in early rehearsals to establish the harmonic foundation, then gradually reduce reliance on it as singers internalize their parts.
How to use it
This octavo fits perfectly as a centerpiece in a winter or seasonal concert, particularly if you are programming a thematic set that explores nature or the passage of seasons. It also serves as a compelling choice when you want to move beyond holiday fare and include contemporary secular choral writing that challenges both singers and audiences.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing mixed meters (maintaining steady pulse across meter shifts)
- Layered counterpoint and part independence
- Rhythmic precision in ensemble singing
- Interpretive control of dynamics and texture in response to text and musical gesture
- Understanding how musical form and text work together to tell a story