Psalm 117 (Hallelu et Adonai) is a compact, ecstatic setting of the shortest psalm—a direct call for all peoples to praise—building to an exuberant “Halleluya!” Beyond its liturgical roots, it also works as a vivid, high-energy concert opener or closer, celebrating joy, invitation, and collective voice. At a glance SSA • piano • c. 2′ […]
Originally written for a Portuguese children’s choir, this simple a cappella setting could equally be performed by an adult women’s choir. It is mostly in two parts (SA), but there is an optional 3rd part towards the end of the piece. The first few measures may be sung as a solo. Translation: “Not unto us, […]
This arrangement of the traditional carol, which combines the words of “While shepherds watched their flocks by night” with the refrain, “Sweet chiming Christmas bells”, is written for three-part upper voices (SSA) and piano. It’s very light and jolly, and incidentally makes reference to one or two other Christmas tunes in the piano accompaniment! […]
This setting of the traditional “Hail Mary” prayer takes a new approach, employing a lullaby rhythm in F minor. The voices become a haunting plea for forgiveness and intercession. The piano accompaniment provides support for the singers while still maintaining its own voice.
This setting of a poem by Linda Marcus is entirely pentatonic (i.e. uses only 5 notes – C, D, F, G and A) apart from the very last measure. The pentatonic setting is intended to create a naive effect, recalling childhood. (The very opening is based on a universal 3-note ‘song of childhood’.) The points […]
Shepherds Left Their Flocks / Quem pastores is an arrangement of a 14th century German Christmas carol for unison treble voices (or solo voice) and organ. Latin text with English translation. In verses one and three, the voices have the melody. In verse two, the voices have an obbligato while the organ has the melody.
“Celebrate A New Day,” is an uptempo, rhythmic piece that was composed for the 75th Anniversary of the Australian Boys Choir. It is ideal for special occasions like graduations and is suitable for all young treble choirs, mixed children’s choirs, as well as boys and girls choirs. The work received the “Audience Favorite” award at […]
Commissioned premiere performance at Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco) by the San Francisco Girls Chorus. The explosive Lang work was appropriately contrasted by the excellent, gentle and more subtle O Magnum Mysterium by Kurt Erickson. This world premiere was commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Here the “mystery” part of the thematic trinity […]
Looking for a challenging piece for your high school or college women’s chorus? Kirsten Shetler’s setting of “Alleluia” will be a beautiful addition to any program in any season.
A brief, delightful and whimsical setting of a text by American poet Gertrude Stein. It may be learned quickly. It is almost entirely built on a round, which underscores the poem’s wordplay. For 3-part treble choir, with piano accompaniment. Secular.
GA-ZE (SSA) is from the northwestern part of Uganda (West Nile Region), bordering with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, formerly Zaire). It is closely associated with the traditional Gaze dance of the Lugbara people, and the lyrics are a mixture of Lugbara and Lingala. The Gaze play/dance songs encourage and inspire children, usually […]
A sweet and evocative, lyrical piece for treble voices and piano, this delicate song is a setting of a list of paint colors by Martha Stewart. The piece is also available in versions for solo voice and piano (baritone or soprano). It can be performed with or without a video/slide presentation of the paint colors.
Set in three languages (Spanish, English, and Latin), each iteration takes a slightly different style for the message of Psalm 18 (19): “The ordinances of the Lord are right…”
All vocal groups need short, portable items in their repertoire. A round is a melody which can unfold into harmony, the prime tool of choral directors who wish to develop in singers an ability to listen to others while holding an independent line. Rounds build cohesion among singers and provide opportunities for improving ensemble, sight-reading, […]
“Snow Globe Upon a Sill” is a New Year’s piece. Using the childlike metaphor of a snow globe, the work is a tender and moving reflection on transition and the possibility of renewal that comes at the close of one year and the start of another. Perfect for a winter concert! Also available from Swirly […]
The round in Western culture has been associated as closely with wit as it has with praise. Here are thirteen risible rounds of varying difficulty intended for a cappella performance. Admirably suited to treble voices, they may be sung by mixed groups of all ages. The lyrics are light and teasing, the music jaunty and […]
Nearly every December, Christmas sneaks up on me far too quickly, busy as I am with end-of-semester grading and final exams. I’m an admittedly nostalgic guy who unabashedly loves Christmas music, and every year I think to myself ‘I really should have written a Christmas piece this year’. Christmas 2015 followed a similar pattern, except […]
The clear, rinsed sound of Women’s voices is hardly more thrilling than in the recital of rounds. And when the rounds offer plenty of movement among the parts, as do most in this collection, the effect can be delightful. These twelve rounds, set largely to medieval texts, are of varying difficulty and may require rehearsal. […]
If music be the food of love . . . then you’ll simply love this collection of rounds that has Food as its theme. Expect some heartburn as you sing of pumpkins, peas, eels, gammon steak and applesauce—all washed down with ale and black coffee. The twelve rounds encompass many moods and offer more than […]
“Community of Unity” is an exciting and uplifting piece written specifically for civic and municipal events. Beginning with a lyrical, unison verse, the soundscape opens up to a chorus in 3 part harmony. A driving, rhythmic piano accompaniment propels the piece throughout. There is a 4 measure a cappella section near the end, and two […]
The voice of the English-speaking working classes is preserved in the rich body of song that developed in the centuries leading up to the Industrial Revolution and in the years surrounding the Great Depression. The songs abound with hope, despair, delight, passion and humour. This original collection of 12 folk-inspired rounds borrows lyrics from English […]
Steven Paxton’s RAINDROP SONG is a setting of a whimsical poem by Texas poet Chris Willerton, about a talking raindrop. This short, delightful work for treble choir requires a good pianist, and includes short spoken segments for individual speaker as well as full choir.
Corde natus ex parentis is a 4th century hymn by the Roman poet Aurelius Prudentius Clemens (348 – c. 413). This piece sets the first, fourth, and fifth stanzas of the nine-stanza poem (the ninth of which is a paraphrase of the Lesser Doxology), paired with the traditional chant associated with the text, “Divinum mysterium,” […]
The sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Britain form a golden age of round-singing; even the nineteenth provided some fine examples. These twelve rounds, set to texts by Shakespeare, Skelton, Swift, Dryden, Johnson, Carroll and Synge, are of varying difficulty and may require rehearsal. Keeping as they do to the style of the period, they […]
This inspirational piece for treble voices begins and ends with a canon. Originally written for a high school girl’s choir, it is appropriate for younger singers as well as professionals.
In the poem “Psalm of the Sky,” Rabbi Rachel Barenblat reimagines “The Lord is My Shepherd” (Psalm 23) in a contemporary context. Performers may highlight the many instances of text painting and create contrast between moments of gentleness, boldness, and carefree movement. The last verse of Psalm 23 is included in Hebrew as a coda […]
The Magnificat (Song of Mary) and Nunc dimittis (Song of Simeon) are biblical canticles. Mary sings the Magnificat (“My soul doth magnify the Lord”) on the occasion of her visit to Elizabeth, as narrated in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:39–56). Simeon sings the Nunc dimittis (“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace”) […]
This piece was written while walking through the Mission District of San Francisco on a rainy evening. California has been experiencing a serious drought these past few years. I was thrilled to feel the raindrops, hence the celebratory feeling of the piece. — Mark Growden Also available in TTBB and SSAA versions.
The familiar words, “It came upon a midnight clear”, are set to a lively tune, with piano accompaniment, and a simple refrain is added, with the words “Deo, Deo, Gloria in excelsis Deo” (“Glory to God in the highest”). Written with women’s voices in mind, it could also be tackled by a good children’s choir.
This piece was written while walking through the Mission District of San Francisco on a rainy evening. California has been experiencing a serious drought these past few years. I was thrilled to feel the raindrops, hence the celebratory feeling of the piece. — Mark Growden Also available in SATB and TTBB versions.
“Shenandoah” is a new, rich arrangement for women’s voices. The piano accompaniment is optional but does provide support and some additional harmonies. Your women’s choir or trio will find “Shenandoah” to be well worth the effort. This piece is an excellent concert choice and would also be very appropriate for contests, festivals, and literary events.
Daniel Paulson and VoxMusica commissioned this beautiful a cappella arrangement of Avrom Goldfaden’s beloved Yiddish lullaby. A beautiful solo verse is followed by a lush contrapuntal setting your singers and audience will find very meaningful.
Forget the traditional setting of “We thee kings of Orient are”! This is a much more reflective version, for choir and orchestra, given its first performance by the Nidarosdomens Guttekor in the splendid setting of Trondheim Cathedral in December 2017. They also performed the piece on their pre-Christmas tour, using just organ for accompaniment. The […]
Are you a square? Can you easily retrieve a gas bill from 1979? Do you pine for the return of spats? Do you chew each mouthful forty times while letting the bottle “breathe”? And when you watch TV, do you recoil from all murders except those committed on the village green? If so, these rounds […]
The text for How Can I Keep from Singing was written by members of the Derventio Choir of Allestree, Derbyshire, England, and Steven Paxton’s setting was composed for the competition celebrating that choir’s 30th anniversary. Moderate tempo a cappella sections alternate with fast, rhythmically driving sections mixing 6/8 and 5/8 meters. The piano accompaniment is […]
This sweet and gentle setting of a classic Southern Harmony hymn features the Alto section in its first verse, then opens out into a joyful depiction of the sensation of flight. The second verse features birdcalls in the piano accompaniment. Recording by First Readings Project. This recording is of the SATB version of the piece, […]
“To Soar” was premiered on June 3 and 9, 2018 in New York City by Accord Treble Choir, directed by Liz Geisewite. A live recording appears on Accord’s 2019 album Celestial & Terrestrial. I chose this poem by Walt Whitman to fit the theme of Accord’s June 2018 concert program “On Wings.” The piece squeezes […]
A poignant set of modern-day madrigals is crafted from three exquisite poems by Christina Rossetti that pay homage to the moon. SATB version also available »
This setting of the Offertory for the Third Sunday of Easter (Psalm 145:2) uses the Latin form of:Praise the Lord, O my soul:I will praise the Lord throughout my life;I will sing to my God for as long as I live,alleluia
This is the combined choir (SATB) version of “Puzzle.” There is also 2-part, SA choral piece for children’s choir/ elementary choir. Lyrics by Linda Trott Dickman. How can we resolve our disagreements? “Puzzle” suggests there is a way. The text begins “How to get along together / it’s a puzzle / Will we understand each […]
The round is the first tool of any music teacher wishing to develop in children an ability to listen to others while holding an independent line. Rounds also build cohesion among singers, providing opportunities to improve ensemble, sight-reading, articulation and breathing. Here are thirteen original rounds of varying difficulty for Youth Choir: while intended for […]
This is the SSAA treble choir version of the award winning “In Those Years, No One Slept.” The text is a scene from a time of conflict/war, by Romanian-American immigrant Claudia Serea. The score is at once rhythmic and exciting, haunting and unsettling. It was a winner of the 2018 Uncommon Music Festival Composition Competition. […]
This new setting of the traditional Latin prayer features traditional harmonies and a simple unhurried rhythm, providing ample space for prayer and contemplation of the one blessed among women.
This short SSA piece was written for the University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club. It is an unaccompanied 3-part setting of the poem by the English poet, Robert Herrick. Jaclyn Johnson, Interim Director of the Glee Club said, “This is a WONDERFUL piece! I love that you have composed in an older polyphonic style to match […]
“Puzzle” is a 2-part, SA choral piece for children’s choir/ elementary choir. There is also a combined choir (SATB) version. Lyrics by Linda Trott Dickman. How can we resolve our disagreements? “Puzzle” suggests there is a way. The text begins “How to get along together / it’s a puzzle / Will we understand each other […]
