Witness: SATB divisi Choral Octavo

Name: Witness: SATB divisi Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-23848
Price: 2.75 USD
Availability: InStock

Traditional Spiritual / arr. Mark Hayes

Item: 00-23848

$2.75

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Everybody will be a witness for this driving new arrangement of a spiritual favorite. Mark Hayes has done it again, redefining a traditional tune into a funky cool knockout! The stories of Nicodemus and Samson have never been this hip and need never be told again after this memorable, advanced performance. Too many surprises to describe, with a hot SoundTrax CD to boot.

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Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 20

UPC: 038081239439

SKU: 00-23848

More about this title

About the Arranger: Mark Hayes

Mark Hayes has composed and arranged more than 1,750 works across sacred, secular, and instrumental genres. A pianist trained at Baylor University (summa cum laude, 1975), Hayes conducts internationally and has premiered major works at Lincoln Center, the National Cathedral, and Carnegie Hall. In 2010, Baylor's Center for Christian Music Studies recognized his leadership in the field with a special award.

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Why we love this

Hayes transforms a spiritual standard into something that feels entirely contemporary without losing its roots. The divisi writing creates textural richness and genuine musical surprise, while the arrangement's rhythmic energy and harmonic sophistication make it rewarding for advanced choirs ready to dig into something with personality and edge.

What to expect

Funky and hip, with the spiritual's storytelling depth intact. The driving energy and surprising harmonic turns create a sense of constant motion, yet the sacred text anchors everything with genuine reverence and weight.

Who it's for

Advanced high school, college, and professional choirs with solid blend, intonation control, and comfort with contemporary harmonic language. This arrangement demands vocal maturity and rhythmic independence, making it ideal for ensembles ready to perform repertoire that sits at the edge of traditional choral writing.

How to get the most out of it

Lean into the rhythmic precision of the funky sections; the groove depends on ensemble lock, so isolate these passages in rehearsal and nail the exact articulation and dynamic shape.
Balance the divisi moments carefully so each voice part is heard distinctly; use sectional rehearsals to confirm that upper and lower lines aren't muddying each other.
Reference the recorded accompaniment to internalize the contemporary harmonic language and feel; Hayes's arranging style rewards singers who can hear the full instrumental context.
Shape the narrative flow between the Nicodemus and Samson stories; treat these sections as dramatic peaks and valleys rather than isolated musical moments.

How to use it

Program this on a concert celebrating contemporary sacred music or as a centerpiece in a spirituals-focused program that pairs traditional and modern arrangements. The piece's energy and accessibility make it a natural closer or strong mid-program statement that audiences will remember.