The Haunting: New Chorals for Halloween & Fall Concerts Wednesday, September 10, 2025
recommended by Jen Sper, School Choral Music Specialist
The Haunting by Meredith Tompkins, SSA with piano
“The Haunting” for SSA voices and piano is a spellbinding choral work that blends ethereal harmonies with hauntingly poetic text. Exploring themes of lingering spirits and echoes of the past, the piece features intricate vocal lines and a fluid piano accompaniment that enhance its eerie, atmospheric beauty. With dynamic contrasts, layered textures, and moments of delicate phrasing, it challenges singers to deliver emotive storytelling, making it a captivating choice for advanced treble choirs seeking dramatic and theatrical repertoire.
The Autumn Moon by Mary Donnelly & George L.O. Strid, 2-part with piano and optional flute
The established writing team of Mary Donnelly and George L.O. Strid brings us this serene and reflective work, capturing the quiet beauty of an autumn night. With a moderate tempo and optional flute accompaniment, the piece vividly portrays the glowing moon casting its silver light over rooftops and country lanes. The lyrics evoke a sense of peace as the moon’s light finally rests upon the windowpane, inviting a tranquil connection to nature’s stillness. This gentle composition is perfect for choirs seeking to convey the soothing elegance of the changing seasons.
The Ballad of the Witches’ Road (Sacred Chant Version) arr. Roger Emerson, SSA with piano and optional rhythm
From Marvel Television’s “Agatha All Along,” this epic setting by Roger Emerson is the perfect addition to any fall concert. Incorporating modal mixture, pedal tones, stepwise motion, and rounds this arrangement is a great device for teaching music literacy and blend.
Ghostbusters arr. Tom Anderson, 3-part mixed with piano
Grab your proton pack and join the ultimate ghost-busting adventure with Ray Parker, Jr.’s iconic 1980s hit. This action-packed novelty goes over the top with high-energy beats and a catchy chorus that instantly gives supernatural silliness. Whether you’re celebrating Halloween or just in need of a good time, this retro throwback will get everyone dancing.
Wind in the Pines by Bruce W. Tippette, SAB with piano
This expressive poetic setting opens with a piano motif reminiscent of rushing wind. Three legato voice parts unfold and intertwine. Staggered entrances in the middle assemble and grow until we “hear sonorous lines soaring through the pines.” Encourage singers to soften and slow to a dreamy, relaxed ending. Ideal for contest and festival use.
Living in the Seasons by Joel Snyder & Jane Kozhevnikova, SATB with piano
Songwriting duo Snyder & Kozhevnikova have created a fun and accessible piece for every season! Original lyrics, SATB (no divisi), and a joyful piano accompaniment make this a great concert and festival piece for high school mixed ensembles.
Four Seasonal Rounds by Alan A. Craig, 3-part treble with piano and optional orchestra
This tasteful set of brief canons is an elegant journey through the four seasons. Each movement presents a melody in unison before staggering entrances to assemble beautiful polyphony. Creative accompaniments provide harmonic and rhythmic variations that elevate the genre to a place of excellence. Program individually throughout the year or as a 6-minute feature. Perform with piano alone or the full orchestral accompaniment.
An Awful Tempest by Jeffrey Cobb, SA with piano
“An Awful Tempest” will cast its spell over your choir, turning your singers into a coven of plotting witches. This exciting setting of the Emily Dickinson text will thrill and delight singers and audiences alike. Complete with cackles, screeches and sound effects, the musical cauldron is stirred and heated until it bubbles over with excitement!
The Green-Eyed Dragon arr. Larry Shackley, TB with piano
“The Green-Eyed Dragon” is a lighthearted and delightfully whimsical song by Wolseley Charles and Greatrex Newman, now brilliantly adapted and arranged for tenor-bass choirs. Telling the quirky tale of a princess, her wicked father, and a fearsome (but charmingly mischievous) dragon, this piece is filled with humor and drama. Larry Shackley’s arrangement features robust vocal writing that gives TB singers plenty to wrap their voices around, supported by a substantive piano accompaniment that brings the story to life.
In Noctem (from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) by Nicholas Hooper/arr. Andy Beck, SATB with piano
This shadowy cinematic selection, whose title means “into the night,” was featured in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” With a secular text in both English and Latin, the haunting minor-key theme is harmonized in shimmering thirds, and floats above distant staccato chanting. A minimalist piano part mirrors the film score’s bell-like treble motive and pizzicato bass notes.
Eine Kleine Kazoo Musik by W.A. Mozart/arr. Tom Anderson, SAB with piano & kazoos
You’ve never heard Mozart like this before! “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” is performed on neutral syllables with plenty of kazoo moments interspersed throughout. Get ready to switch back and forth between singing and kazoo-ing, but be sure to keep a straight face while performing the dramatic dynamic and tempo changes. It’s guaranteed to be the most fun you’ll ever have performing a masterwork!
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About the Author:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.