New Choral Music for Fall 2014

It's August, which means it's time to start listening to Christmas music, right? I've been working on a few new choral projects this summer and am excited to share them with you! Here are four new choral works - anthems and hymn arrangements perfect for your Fall, Advent, and Christmas programs! Take a look at the scores, listen to the recordings, and let me know if you are interested in any of these works. I'd love to hear from you!

Best wishes for a wonderful Fall semester!

For All His Blessings SATB Choir with Piano

This lyrical anthem quotes the text and music from the doxology - "Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" - in a recurring refrain.  D.W. Griffin's text is general enough to be used at any point of the year, but it is especially fitting for Thanksgiving! The final stanza illustrates the richness of textual imagery: "O praise the Lord for all He’s done, for all His blessings, one by one, and see His goodness, mountains high, fill all the earth and sea and sky."

See the score here.

Wake, O My Soul SATB Choir Unaccompanied

A carol-like anthem for the Advent and Christmas season - full of joy, awe, and reverence.  Perfect for Christmas Eve or a special holiday program! The opening stanza reads, "Wake, O my soul, and hail the morn, for unto us a Savior’s born; see, how the angels wing their way, to usher in the glorious day!"

See the score here.

O Little Town of Bethlehem SATB Choir & Organ with optional String Quartet and Congregational Singing

A simple and serene setting of this well-known carol, with the tune FOREST GREEN. This work was written as a hymn arrangement to be used with congregational singing, but may also be used as a choral anthem.  Perfect for a Lessons and Carols service! Use with organ accompaniment or organ and string quartet.  An optional Soprano descant is included for the last verse.

See the score here.

Advent Hymn Arrangements

This past Sunday, the church choir in which Ashley and I sing took on Vivaldi's Gloria under the direction of Music Director Dr. James Douthit and Organist Dr. Bruce Frank.  It was wonderful! A few weeks ago, James asked if I would arrange the hymns that would be included as part of the service along with the Vivaldi.  We were very fortunate to have a chamber orchestra (strings, oboe, trumpet, organ) to accompany the Vivaldi, and without special arrangements, the instrumentalists would not have music to play during the hymns.

It was so much fun to work with these three wonderful hymns: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus, and Jesus Comes With Clouds Descending.

I had a blast, and the sound of organ, choir, strings, trumpet, oboe and congregational singing was magnificent!  If you are interested in these arrangements (there are still two Sundays left in Advent!), I have included links to the scores below.  Contact me if you are interested in purchasing the scores and parts.  I would be happy to customize these for slightly different instrumentations, if needed.  Recordings will be forthcoming.

PDF Scores

• O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
• Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
• Jesus Comes With Clouds Descending

Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving approaches, I'm happy to report that my new wind ensemble consortium piece for winds and film is nearly complete!  The music is essentially done, there is just a bit of editing and orchestration left to do.  I'm very excited about the piece and looking forward to getting the music and film out to consortium members in January. The past few days I have been working on a new project - arranging a few Advent hymns!  I love Advent!  The church choir I am singing in will be singing Vivaldi's Gloria on December 9th, with strings and organ.  The Director asked if I would arrange the 3 hymns for the service for strings, organ, oboe, and trumpet (and congregational singing of course).   I'm having a great time with this - and I have the opportunity to work with some wonderful hymns (and wonderful musicians!).

I have been working on Jesus Comes with Clouds Descending which is quickly becoming one of my favorite hymns.   It is a soaring, powerful melody, and it doesn't hurt that the harmony is written by Ralph Vaughan Williams.  I've had the tune stuck in my head for about a week, and I think I could listen to this all day.  Among many, many other things, I'm thankful for this powerful and transformational music we have.