New Publications Available!

I'm pleased to share that three of my works recently accepted for publication are now available directly from the publishers: Augsburg Fortress, Colla Voce Music, and Keyboard Percussion Publications.

• Chorale Variations, commissioned by the percussion duo Escape X, is now available from Keyboard Percussion Publications here.
• Speaking Love, a Christmas Carol for SATB Choir and Piano is now available from Colla Voce Music here.
• Filled With His Voice, (SATB+piano+alto sax) commissioned by the Bethel College Concert Choir directed by Dr. William Eash, is now available in the St. Olaf Choral Series of Augsburg Fortress here.

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

Goodnight, Goodnight This Sunday - Greater Gardner Community Choir

This Sunday, May 20th, the Greater Gardner Community Choir will perform Goodnight, Goodnight under the direction of the wonderful Diane Cushing.  I will be there and I'm really looking forward to the performance! Who: Greater Gardner Community Choir When: May 20, 2012 - 4:00pm Where: Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Gardner, MA

Arise and Sing - This Sunday!

This Sunday I will conduct "Arise and Sing" in two services at the Westminster First Congregational Church in Westminster, MA. Arise and Sing is a 30 second introit piece for SATB unaccompanied choir intended to herald the opening of an Easter service.  It is in the key of C and we will be dovetailing it with the opening hymn in the service - Christ the Lord is Risen Today. We tried this last year, and it was pretty cool.  The choir lands on a powerful C major chord at the end of Arise and Sing, and while the choir is holding the last chord (fff of course) the organ comes in like a bulldozer, starting the introduction to the hymn. It's powerful - trust me.  (Or better yet, come hear it on Sunday!)

Below is the King's College Choir singing Jesus Christ is Risen Today (same hymn as Christ the Lord is Risen Today).  We will be singing it out of our hymnal, but Ashley and I co-wrote a descant for the last verse!  Should be quite a morning! Happy Easter to all!