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Anthony Doherty

Anthony Doherty graduated summa cum laude with a major in composition from the Catholic University of America, and received a master's degree in music history from Princeton University. He studied medieval liturgical and chant manuscripts in Italy on a Fulbright Scholarship, served on the staff of the Library of Congress's Music Division, and contributed articles on music and musicians to the New Catholic Encyclopedia.

His works include numerous sacred and secular choral compositions, including commissions and/or first performances by the St. Thomas Apostle Choir, Washington DC (where he was designated Composer to the Choir under director James Walsh), The College of New Rochelle Glee Club, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and the Contra Costa Children's Chorus. Other vocal works include songs as well as performing editions of liturgical chants and other medieval and renaissance music.

His orchestral and chamber works have been performed by the Arlekin Quartet and the Warsaw Symphony, and the Kensington Symphony commissioned and performed Anniversary Overture for its 30th anniversary. The Oakland Chamber Orchestra commissioned and performed his arrangements of selections from Scott Joplin's opera Treemonisha. His concert overture Celebration was awarded an honorable mention in the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music (Catholic University of America) 50th Anniversary Composition Contest.

He has trained and conducted choirs at churches in the Washington DC area, Central Florida (where he was also Musical Director of the Opera Arts Association), and the San Francisco Bay area, as well as opera and musical theater choruses. He served as Staff Arranger for the internationally acclaimed Contra Costa Children's Chorus, for which he composed a number of pieces, including My Voice, a major work with text by his late wife, novelist Patricia Doherty, commissioned by the Chorus for its 25th anniversary season. He is a member of St. Demetrios Church, Concord CA, where he serves as Music Director and Conductor of the choir.

Choral Music by Anthony Doherty

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for mixed chorus and organ
ADY-022
SATB
3'20"
English
A setting of John Donne’s poem of repentance, redemption, and trust in God’s mercy, especially suitable for the Lenten season.
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for SSA chorus
ADY-020
SSA
2'40"
English
Composed for the Bodø (Norway) Damekor.
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for mixed choir and organ
ADY-007
SATB
4'15"
English
A setting of Psalm 127/8 originally written in memory of one who fitted the description. Suitable for general use, a memorial service, or any occasion with an emphasis on family.
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for SAB choir a cappella
ADY-021
SAB
4'40"
English
This beautiful text is sung during the Byzantine Divine Liturgy in conjunction with the Great Entrance procession with the Gifts ( the bread and wine for Holy Communion). Choral settings are also used as motets or anthems by churches of the Western tradition as well as in choral concerts. Hagia Sophia, meaning holy wisdom, is […]
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for treble voices
ADY-001
SATB
2'
English
A short, rhythmically intense piece for Easter setting forth St. Paul’s words from the Epistle to the Romans (6:8-11). 2-part harmony, with octave doubling in the final alleluias, gives simplicity and clarity that further enhances the text, while making the piece easy to learn and effective for even the smallest choir.
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for mixed choir and organ
ADY-005
SATB
5'
A fresh setting of George Herbert’s well-known poem, using a variety of techniques including canon and mirror inversion as well as an a cappella section. Moderate difficulty.
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for SSA chorus a cappella
ADY-026
SSA
3'
French
German
A traditional Alsatian Christmas song, with both French and German texts. A reference (non-singing) English translation of both is included.
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for SSA chorus
ADY-016
SSA
6'55"
English
Four delightful 16th-Century poems in a variety of settings that make a great addition to a choral concert. Ideal for middle school, high school, and college choruses, but fun for adults as well.
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SSA
6' 40"
English
Four texts from the Bible and from ancient Christian sources dating from the late 3rd or 4th Centuries that are sung or chanted in the Orthodox Vesper service that begins the liturgical day.
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for mixed chorus a cappella
ADY-025
SATB
2'25"
English
The Troparion of Christmas from the Byzantine liturgy contemplates how the Star of Bethlehem led the star-worshiping Magi to worship Christ, the true Sun of Righteousness.
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for SSAA, percussion (finger cymbals, tambourine, small drum
ADY-032
1' 30"
A traditional Catalan Christmas song dating from the 16th Century. Various versions of the Catalan text exist, including two verses included here that seem to have little to do with Christmas. “Fum”is the Catalan word for smoke, but here most likely suggests the strumming of a guitar or perhaps drum beats. A phonetic (for English-speakers) […]
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for unison choir or solo cantor
ADY-054
Unison
0'30"-1'
for chorus or solo cantor
ADY-053
The communion verse is a good accessible entry into Gregorian chant. These pieces are relatively short, but still provide the essentials of the musical principles and styles of the eight chant modes. They can be learned quickly and have a variety of uses. The transcriptions are based in general on the accentualist principles of Dom […]
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for women's or men's chorus and piano
ADY-031
3'45"
A vigorous traditional song of the sea, with a rhythmically intense piano accompaniment in versions for either women’s or men’s chorus.
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for Mixed Chorus a cappella
ADY-042
1'20"
A short Communion antiphon with text from John 6:35.
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for Mixed choir, flute, and organ
ADY-035
3' 20"
In this passage from Psalm 140/1, the psalmist sees rising incense smoke and lifted hands as a visual metaphor for prayer arising to God. The music echoes this image with rising vocal lines and an ascending ostinato figure from the organ, while the flute takes the place of the incense. The text figures in the […]
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for mixed choir a cappella
ADY-004
SATB
2'
English
A harmonious setting of Robert Bridges’ lovely poem for unaccompanied choir, suitable for general use or a meditation after communion
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for mixed choir and organ
ADY-023
SATB
2'15"
English
Dedicated to a couple that devoted themselves to their church’s music program throughout their lives, this text, taken from Psalm 146, expresses the heart of a church musician.
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for SSAA chorus, piano, and strings
ADY-018
SSAA
14'
English
The work was commissioned by the Contra Costa Children’s Chorus for its 25th anniversary season (2008-09) and was first performed December 20, 2008. The poem “My Voice” was written especially for this work by author Patricia Doherty to celebrate the Contra Costa Children’s Chorus’s achievement, as well as the role of music in the lives […]
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for mixed chorus (SSAB)
ADY-044
2'45"
This very popular and well-loved hymn to the Theotokos (Mother of God; the Virgin Mary) was written and composed by St, Nektarios of Aegina (1846-1920). This arrangement was made for the Contra Costa Children’s Chorus and, under the direction of Iris Lamanna, performed by them in the original Greek at the 2011 Festival of the […]
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for SSAA chorus, unaccompanied
ADY-049
3'10"
A song of the sea, as experienced on the Pacific Coast just south of Carmel, California, dedicated to one who is passionate about the ocean.
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for SATB choir, 2 trumpets, organ
ADY-033
3'
A joyful anthem on the opening verses of Psalm 95/6, especially suited to festive occasions.
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for unaccompanied SATB chorus
ADY-034
2' 00"
Traditional spiritual, suitable for times of renewal and repentance, such as Lent, or for general use.
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for SSAA chorus, piano, and double bass
ADY-017
SSAA
4'
English
A close-harmony setting for SSAA chorus, piano, and bass of Shakespeare’s lovely invitation to music from King Lear (Act V, Scene 1). Shakespeare and jazz — together again!
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for treble voices
ADY-003
SSA
2'
English
A setting of William Blake’s well-known poem using flexible meter to enhance the flow of the text. Also available in a lower key.
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for treble voices
ADY-002
SSA
2'
English
A setting of William Blake’s well-known poem using flexible meter to further enhance the text. Also available in a higher key.
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for mixed choir a cappella
ADY-028
SATB
1'25"
A simple homophonic setting based on liturgical chanting in the Russian tradition. The concluding acclamation “For Thine is the kingdom” is omitted here, making it suitable for use in services where it is separated from the main text by a prayer as in the Western Church, or chanted by the presiding clergy as in the […]
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for mixed chorus a cappella
ADY-040
SATB
2' 15"
English
Three of the shortest psalms expressing praise and trust.
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for mixed choir and organ
ADY-006
SATB
3'35"
English
A setting of Edward Caswall’s translation of the Latin office hymn Summi parentis filio, suitable for the feasts of the Sacred Heart and Christ the King, as well as general use.
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Music for Solo Voice by Anthony Doherty

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Voice
Duration
Woman's voice and piano
Mezzo-Soprano
Soprano
4'25"
The poem is from Visions: The Collected Poems of Patricia Doherty, copyright © 2009 by the Estate of Patricia Doherty
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Woman's voice and piano
Mezzo-Soprano
Soprano
3'30"
The poem is from Visions: The Collected Poems of Patricia Doherty, copyright © 2009 by the Estate of Patricia Doherty
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for high voice and piano
Soprano
Tenor
2'
The poems are from Visions: The Collected Poems of Patricia Doherty, copyright © 2009 by the Estate of Patricia Doherty
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Baritone
Mezzo-Soprano
Soprano
Tenor
2'
A song of longing, on seeing the flight of a pelican at Big Sur, “the greatest meeting of land and water in the world” (James Conaway). The poem is from Visions: The Collected Poems of Patricia Doherty, copyright © 2009 by the Estate of Patricia Doherty.
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Solo cantata for soprano or tenor and organ
Organ
Soprano
Tenor
6' 35"
A setting of Psalm 8, a meditation on the wonders of Creation and the place of humans within it.
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Choral
Solo Voice
0'30"-1'
for male voice and piano
Baritone
Tenor
7' 45"
Seven short songs from the Elizabethan era, mainly about the general topic of fun and how to have it.
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Music for other instruments by Anthony Doherty

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Instrumentation
Duration
Organ
8'30"
Variations on the traditional Byzantine chant melody of Christos anesti (Christ is risen), the hymn sung throughout the Paschal season in Orthodox churches. The theme in the final section is the alleluia melody from the hymn Osi is Christon (Those who have been baptized in Christ).
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for organ
Organ
5'
A moto perpetuo toccata in memory of a brilliant young organist who left us much too soon.
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for violin, viola and cello
Cello
Viola
Violin
10'30"
Five short movements reflecting a few of the paths taken, for good or for ill, in music in the 20th century. Or not.
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for string orchestra
Orchestra
15' 25"
Five movements: Con brio Lento Allegro moderato Andante Allegretto Includes one full score and parts (4,4,3,2,2). To order extra parts @ $3.00 each, please contact [email protected].
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Organ
3'
Six short contapuntal pieces in the spirit of works from the Baroque era that could be inserted between verses of a chorale or that substituted for sections of sung liturgical texts. These, however, are not derived from existing melodies.  Tempos are suggested, but other details, such as dynamics, articulation, and registration, are left to the […]
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for Brass Quintet
French Horn
Trombone
Trumpet
Tuba
5' 42"
Composed for the Renaissance V Brass Quintet Score and parts.
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for bassoon and piano
Bassoon
8'45"
Planctus — Because sometimes there is grief A song for the sorrows of life, a threnody for things lost, an elegy for those we can no longer reach, a dirge for the foreshortened lives that might have been, yet a necessary prelude to hope. Dedicated to a musician and scholar as eloquent in music as […]
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for string orchestra
Orchestra
Strings
4' 35"
A chamber orchestra is playing a piece of Pachelbelian baroque mood music for the umpteenth time. The bored musicians begin to tweak the piece, first by adding some offbeat accidentals here and there, then by slipping into various outside-the-ballpark styles (which they’re not particularly adept at). An attempt at 12-tone pointillism makes them stop and […]
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Organ
4' 40"
This piece was composed to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the publication of Kentucky Harmony by Ananias Davisson in 1816. It was the first Southern shape-note collection of hymn tunes, leading to later collections of folk hymnody such as The Sacred Harp and Southern Harmony, all part of a significant chapter of the history of […]
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Organ
9'50"
The melody of the very popular and much-loved hymn to the Theotokos (Mother of God; the Virgin Mary) is here explored in varied textures and rhythms.
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for violin and piano
Violin
13' 00"
A day in the life of a talented young musician in six movements. Dawn Song Tree Canon Walking Tune Quiet Time Melody Tea Waltz Tango at 5:00
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a festive overture for symphony orchestra
7' 54"
Honorable Mention, Benjamin T. Rome School of Music (Catholic University of America) 50th Anniversary Composition Contest Price includes full score and parts. (Strings: 4,4,3,2,2 – to order additional string parts @ $3.00/ea, please contact [email protected].)
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Orchestra
9'45"
This work was commissioned by the Kensington Symphony Orchestra, Geoffrey Gallegos, conductor, on the occasion of the orchestra’s 30th anniversary.
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