Alleluia

SATB, a cappella

Your choir will love the simple, yet rich nature of this setting of the Alleluia text. This piece is appropriate for the advanced middle and high school choirs.

Demo recording by Kinnison Choral Company
Website: https://kinnisonchoralco.com
Facebook: kinnisonchoralco
Instagram: @kinnisonchoralco
YouTube: ‪@kinnisonchoralcompany9869‬

Score Preview

As Long As There’s a Christmas

A reminder for us all to celebrate and give thanks for the reason of the Christmas season – the birth of Jesus Christ. With an enchanting pop-like melody and lyrical accompaniment patterns, this comforting message in song will be a highlight at your next performance.

Score Previews: SATB SAB SSA Unison/Two-Part

SATB recording by Rocky Mountain Chamber Choir – Virtual Singers
Facebook: @Rocky Mountain Chamber Choir – Virtual Singers
Instagram: @RMCCVC
YouTube: @rockymountainchamberchoir3528
#RMCC, #RMCCVC


For the solo version, click here.

Be Thou My Vision

3-Part Mixed Voices and Piano, with optional Handbells

An arrangement of the traditional Irish melody, the lyric continuously grows into a musical confession of one’s faith. The piano comfortably supports the voices, and the handbells become an additional voice providing further embellishment to the well-known tune. This arrangement was written in dedication to Sara Mahaffy for her 40 years of service as organist for Ashland United Methodist Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Also available as solo. Handbell part score included.

Score Preview

Blow Thy Trumpet

SATB, a cappella
SSAA, a cappella

This a cappella work takes inspiration for its melody from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chorale No. 212. Perfect as a sight-singing example for the classroom or as a short concert performance piece.

Score Preview (SATB)

Score Preview (SSAA)

A Child’s Song of Christmas

This lyrical Christmas poem gets an equal treatment with a folk-like melody and simple harmonies that illustrate the humble beginnings of Christ’s birth.  Available in multiple voicings, this song is appropriate for all ages at school concerts, worship services, and other musical performances.

Score Previews: SATB SAB SSA Unison/Two-Part

Christmas Carol

The bells are ringing out with this boisterous Christmas anthem!  Not to be confused with the Charles Dickens classic, this musical setting of Dunbar’s poem gives a vivid illustration of the yuletide while the piano incorporates bell-like clusters and occasional lyrical arpeggiations.  The work segues to a tranquil parallel minor before returning to the original for the celebratory finale.

Score Previews: SATB SAB SSA TTB

SATB
SAB
SSA
TTB

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

A new arrangement for the familiar Robert Robinson text. The second verse features a solo accompanied by only the choir. This new setting will be a welcomed feature in your church service performance.

Score Previews: SATB SAB

SATB
SAB

The First Noel
(with Pachelbel’s Canon in D)

An integration of Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D with the familiar English Christmas carol, this song will surely be a delight to perform during the Holiday season.

Score Previews: SATB SAB SSA TB Two-Part

SATB
SAB
SSA
TB
Two-Part

God is Love

SATB and Piano, with optional Handbells (1-Octave) and Horn in F

Adapting the scripture 1 John 4:7-18, this empowering anthem will be a great gift to those whom we continue to love through our life’s journey. First performed on Mother’s Day, it is a fitting setting for any celebratory holiday. Commissioned in loving memory of Connie Agnew.

Chancel Choir of Ashland United Methodist Church in St. Joseph, Missouri, directed by Shaun Agnew

Score Preview

Preview recording: Chancel Choir of Ashland United Methodist Church, St. Joseph, Missouri

Good News from Heaven the Angels Sing

(A Christmas Carol for Children)

Perfect as a processional introit or concert opener, this triumphant setting of the Martin Luther text gives a grand welcome to the Christmas season.  Features included repeated voicings, a contrasting legato bridge, and accents illustrating the calling from the angels.  This work can be learned in a few rehearsals and will be an enjoyment for your audiences at your next concert or worship service.

Score Previews: SATB SAB SSA TTB Unison/Two-Part

SATB
SAB
SSA
TTB
Unison/Two-Part

He Will Illumine My Soul to You

SATB, a cappella

Using verses from the books of Isaiah and Matthew, the theme of light is ever present.  This a cappella setting uses a homophonic texture mostly throughout the work, with variances for one voice to progress the work forward.  The penultimate section with layering motifs create a tranquil, mystical atmosphere to illustrate heaven.  This work can be used throughout the worship calendar year for church choir, and can be used as an intimate performance setting for your next school choir concert.

Performance by the Ashland Vocal Ensemble
Ashland United Methodist Church (St. Joseph, MO)
Sunday, October 1, 2023

Score Preview

How Great Thou Art

Solo, SATB and Piano

One of the greatest and well-known hymns of all time is a proud declaration of God’s almighty power.  This arrangement works to recreate that power as a mighty and triumphal praise song.  Every voice in the choir gets their own feature, including a soloist and even the piano accompanist!  You will not want to miss out on this arrangement of the all-time classic hymn.

Score Preview

A Hymn on the Nativity of My Savior

The definitive opening hits from the piano begin this triumphant work appropriate for the Christmas season.  The echoic texture of the voices illustrates the resounding nature of the text before the chorus expands to traditional harmonic chords.  A contrasting middle section gives more motion to the work before building to a recapitulation of the opening stanza.  This will be a great opener for your choirs at your holiday concert or worship service.

Score Previews: SATB SAB SSA TTB

SATB
SAB
SSA
TTB

I Can Do All Things

SATB and Piano

Using the popular scripture Phillippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, the gentle words are given support by a propulsive ballad accompaniment and lyrical melodic treatment. Premiered November 9, 2008 by the Chancel Choir at Ashland United Methodist Church in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Score Preview

It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)

TTBB and Piano

Score Preview

Kyrie, Christe, Illumina

Combining the Latin texts from the Ordinarium Missae and Psalm 30, this setting for unaccompanied chorus creates a sanctuary for the voices.  Beginning with cascading figures, the lyrical voice-leading allows the work to optimize its traditional harmonies and simplistic chordal progressions for the singers to easily blend.  The Illumina section becomes the crux of the work accented by a key change and supportive lines from all voices, including divisi in the lowest voice.  Perfect for festival and general concerts – can also be used in worship services.

Score Previews: SSA TBB

SSA
TBB

Laudate!

SATB Divisi, unaccompanied

Laudate! is a celebratory work of excitement and praise. After its boisterous opening, the energy of the song takes off with differing motifs and rhythmic figures in each voice before the chorus unites in large, harmonic textures.  The anticipation builds again before returning to the polyphonic section from before. The work slightly slows down, while maintaining its energetic spirit, creating polychordal harmonies. The uptempo energy comes back once more and builds through the key change and rollicking finale (similar to the beginning).  Each voice section gets featured in this work, and would be a great opener at your next concert.  This work is suitable for advanced high school, collegiate, and community choruses.

Score Preview

Recording by Rocky Mountain Chamber Choir Virtual Singers
Facebook: @Rocky Mountain Chamber Choir – Virtual Singers
Instagram: @RMCCVC
YouTube: @rockymountainchamberchoir3528
X (formerly Twitter): #RMCC, #RMCCVC
https://www.rockymountainchamberchoir.com

Music on Christmas Morning

SATB and Piano

This poem by the young nineteenth-century poet Anne Bronte gives a vivid stance on the power of music, specifically during the Christmas season, that glorifies the light of the Holy Spirit and dashes away the darkness of evil.  An easy, jazzy approach is given to the musical setting of the text with variations in texture to feature each voice section.  Contrasting sections in the parallel keys as well as an unaccompanied verse complete this work.  Your church choir will enjoy performing this warm song for your audience during the yuletide celebrations and worship services.

Score Preview

O for a Closer Walk with God

SATB and Organ

This resonant text by William Cowper has become a great devotional poem for worship services. The musical setting is a direct reflection of these words, with a calm and easy-going organ accompaniment that bookends the song as well as a slight modulation and mood change during the second stanza. Not too overpowering, this work can be performed for church choirs of all sizes.

Score Preview

O Holy Night

SATB and Piano with opt. Violin and Cello

This is a masterful rendition of the renowned Christmas carol. With the chorus gently opening in unison (and closing in the same way), the audience is then taken on a beautiful lyrical journey. The part-writing in each of the voices give the chorus the opportunity to blend and even make the chords ring with excitement throughout the work. The instruments uses triplets and duplets interchangeably throughout the work as they seemlessly accompany the lyrics to the beloved tune. Your violinist and cellist will have a performance outreach as they play their respective melodic lines. The key change further explores the optimism and hope the Christmas season brings, culminating in a thunderous vibrant moment on the word “glory”, proclaiming the power of His majesty before tapering into the divine night. The audience will be inspired with your choir’s performance of this work.

Violin and cello part scores are included.

Commissioned by Ashland United Methodist Church of St. Joseph, Missouri for their 2022 Christmas Eve services.

Score Preview

(I Am Going to My Lord)
On a Sunny Day

This upbeat gospel song is so full of positive vibes that you won’t want to end!  The syncopated rhythms and moving bass lines create a dance-like atmosphere propelling this work toward its rambunctious finale.  Appropriate for any general worship service.

Score Previews: SATB SAB Unison/Two-Part

SATB
SAB
Unison/Two-Part

Psalm 148 (Praise!)

A strong, organum-style setting of this psalm moves the melody between all voices as the supporting divisi chorus create echoes within the harmonic progressions. Homophony gets embellished into lyrical phrasings, building and expanding the voice leading toward contrary motion between the upper and lower voices. A final resolve brings the work to a triumphant conclusion. Ideal for worship services, but is also perfect for high school and collegiate concerts and festivals.

Score Preview

Redeemer

Starting with an a cappella verse and chorus, this worshipful power ballad is definitely one to highlight your church choir!  This is an inspirational message for all listeners, supported in this arrangement by the piano accompaniment building from beginning to end with lyrical arpeggiations and powerful chordings.

Score Previews: SATB SSAA TTBB

SATB
SSAA
TTBB

A Spotless Rose

SATB, a cappella

Based on Isaiah 11:1, this 15th century German carol poem was translated to English by Catherine Winkworth around the turn of the 20th century.  The illustration of the rosebud blossoming from the tender root is metaphoric to the birth of Jesus from the Virgin Mary.  This tranquil a cappella setting features an echo-like repetition of the first stanza, and divisi for all parts in the second.

Score Preview

Surely the Presence of the Lord

SATB and Piano

This contemporary church song by Lanny Wolfe has become a beloved staple for modern worship.  This simplistic yet wholesome arrangment is accessible for the small-medium church choir and will be an excellent addition to your choral library.

Score Preview

Te Cubrirá (Salmo 91)

SSA, a cappella

The words from Psalm (Salmo) 91:4-5 are given this musical setting from the Catholic liturgy. Influences of Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony are evident. Each voice part is given a lyrical flair while still creating traditional harmonies and neighboring key modulations throughout the work. This setting of the sacred Spanish text is appropriate for your women’s chorus for festivals and general concerts.

Score Preview

Worthy is the Lamb

3 SSAATTBB Choruses, a cappella

This setting emulates the myriad of 24 angels singing together in the Revelation scripture. Three separate choirs of SSAATTBB voicing unite on the beginning and ending sections. The middle section has the first chorus establish their respective voice melodies on an Alleluia, then continued on as the second chorus sings the same patterns but augmented, and the third chorus sings an augmentation of the second chorus’ patterns. An ambitious composition for advanced high school, collegiate, and community choral ensembles.

Score Preview

Other songs composed or arranged, but not yet available for purchasing:

The Little Road to Bethlehem by Michael Head — Two-Part and Piano