Choral Music for the Season
May 2012
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May 09, 2012

Psalm 34 is one text of which a choir can never have too many settings. One of the best-known choral settings is by Ralph Vaughan Williams. His setting, composed in 1952, does not use inclusive language. David Hurd’s composition, written in 1995, uses inclusive language, replacing “blessed is the man that trusteth in him” with “happy are they who trust in you.”

This interesting choral setting is composed in an A-B-A form, so once the first section is learned, you’re half way through! The B section, only seven measures long, is composed in an imitative way. Beginning with the sopranos, the music moves in a triplet figure through each voice (to the text “happy are they who trust in you”), becoming, in the process, ever more lively and joyful. Contrary to expectations, the first three notes move downward, a half-step followed by a whole-step, to the text “happy.” It’s easy to lose pitch in this section, so experiment with ways to keep the pitch up. One exercise I often do with my choir, though they think it feels silly, is to have them point their index finger toward the ceiling as they are descending in pitch. Simply thinking of ascending while descending can make all the difference toward making clean interval changes.

What I find most appealing about this anthem is its unique, original sound. The composer uses the parts to achieve a fresh and contemporary choral experience. The end has a bit of a Manhattan Transfer feel to it, but in a well-crafted, choral sort of way! Only thirty-seven bars in length, this unaccompanied SATB choral anthem is useful any Sunday of the year as a short anthem after Communion.

Choral Music for the Season
April 2012
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April 05, 2012

The Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote, “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” I don’t think he had music specifically in mind, but there may not be four better words to describe the foundation of both the aesthetic and practical sides of the art of music.

Take balance, for instance. Many church musicians have shared with me their unhappiness with the frenetic pace of Holy Week and the Triduum. I hear of long rehearsals and extra rehearsals—a general feeling of being overwhelmed during this time of the Church year. It is difficult to maintain balance while overwhelmed; and it is not just the music director who suffers: the choir and other musicians are impacted by the director’s lack of balance.

Preparing adequately well in advance is one of the best gifts you can give to your choir as a director. Going into liturgies with calmness and security opens a space for all to fully engage in the beauty of the rite, without the exhaustion and anxiety brought on by additional commitments and the anxious feeling of being ill-prepared.

Balance extends into the details of the liturgy too. Does the music you choose provide a balance to the wordiness of the readings and allow the rite to breathe? The liturgy has order, but does the music enhance the rhythm of the ritual flow or get in its way?

As you program music for Easter season and beyond, keep in mind Merton’s four pillars of happiness: balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.

Choral Music for the Season
March 2012
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March 02, 2012

The Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote, “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” I don’t think he had music specifically in mind, but there may not be four better words to describe the foundation of both the aesthetic and practical sides of the art of music.

Take balance, for instance. Many church musicians have shared with me their unhappiness with the frenetic pace of preparing for Holy Week and the Triduum. I hear of long rehearsals and extra rehearsals—a general feeling of being overwhelmed during this time of the Church year. It is difficult to maintain balance while overwhelmed; and it is not just the music director who suffers: the choir and other musicians are impacted by the director’s lack of balance.

Preparing adequately well in advance of Holy Week and Triduum is one of the best gifts you can give to your choir as a director. The same applies to the Advent/Christmas season. Going into these liturgies with calmness and security opens a space for all to fully engage in the beauty of the rite, without the exhaustion and anxiety brought on by additional commitments and the anxious feeling of being ill-prepared.

Balance extends into the details of the liturgy too. Consider how many words are part of the Easter Vigil, for example. Does the music you choose provide a balance to the wordiness of the readings and allow the rite to breathe? The liturgy has order, but does the music enhance the rhythm of the ritual flow or get in its way?

As you program music for Holy Week, Triduum, and Easter this year, keep in mind Merton’s four pillars of happiness: balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.

Choral Music for the Season
February 2012
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February 01, 2012

The Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote, “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” I don’t think he had music specifically in mind, but there may not be four better words to describe the foundation of both the aesthetic and practical sides of the art of music.

Take balance, for instance. Many church musicians have shared with me their unhappiness with the frenetic pace of preparing for Holy Week and the Triduum. I hear of long rehearsals and extra rehearsals—a general feeling of being overwhelmed during this time of the Church year. It is difficult to maintain balance while overwhelmed; and it is not just the music director who suffers: the choir and other musicians are impacted by the director’s lack of balance.

Preparing adequately well in advance of Holy Week and Triduum is one of the best gifts you can give to your choir as a director. The same applies to the Advent/Christmas season. Going into these liturgies with calmness and security opens a space for all to fully engage in the beauty of the rite, without the exhaustion and anxiety brought on by additional commitments and the anxious feeling of being ill-prepared.

Balance extends into the details of the liturgy too. Consider how many words are part of the Easter Vigil, for example. Does the music you choose provide a balance to the wordiness of the readings and allow the rite to breathe? The liturgy has order, but does the music enhance the rhythm of the ritual flow or get in its way?

As you program music for Holy Week, Triduum, and Easter this year, keep in mind Merton’s four pillars of happiness: balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.

Choral Music for the Season
January 2012
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January 05, 2012

The short stretch of Ordinary Time between the busy Advent-Christmas season and the beginning of Lent is a good chance for you and your choir to catch your breath. In a situation like this, finding repertoire that works with little or no rehearsal time is essential. One solution is hymn arrangements. Besides requiring little practice, they’re a clever way to present new hymns to your congregation. Choral or concertato arrangements of hymns can be of advantage in two ways: they can “dress up” a congregational hymn, and they can serve as a stand-alone choral anthem. Below is a choral arrangement of one traditional, well-known hymn that may be used in one of these ways.
These weeks may also be an opportunity to work with your singers toward the goals you set last September at the beginning of the choir season. “Sacred Rounds,” described below, makes an excellent warm-up exercise. Try it during this time to work on intervals, rhythms, and articulation, among other things.

Choral Music for the Season
December 2011
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December 02, 2011

“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week,” says the old Spanish proverb. After a long wait for the new Roman Missal, the time for implementation is finally here. These weeks of Advent will be busy ones for everyone in the Church—even more than usual. And while the new Roman Missal is certainly a big change and deserves much of our attention and preparation, we need to be equipped with solid choral music that will enhance the liturgies of this time of change and transformation. Consider offering choral music that is well crafted but not overly demanding after the many hectic liturgies of Christmas. These offerings are elegant and simple and won't take hours of rehearsal to pull together.

Choral Music for the Season
November 2011
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November 03, 2011

Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week,” says the old Spanish proverb. After a long wait for the new Roman Missal, the time for implementation will be here before we know it, and possibly before we’re ready. These last days before Advent will be busy ones for everyone in the Church—even more than usual. And while the new Roman Missal is certainly a big change and deserves much of our attention andpreparation, we are also entering a new liturgical year and approaching seasons filled with their rites of great anticipation and joy. This year it is equally important to be equipped with solid choral music that will enhance the liturgies thatbegin this time of change and transformation. It is a wonderful yet challenging time to be a church musician!

Choral Music for the Season
October 2011
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October 04, 2011

Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week,” says the old Spanish proverb. After a long wait for the new Roman Missal, the time for implementation will be here before we know it, and possibly before we’re ready. These last days before Advent will be busy ones for everyone in the Church—even more than usual. And while the new Roman Missal is certainly a big change and deserves much of our attention andpreparation, we are also entering a new liturgical year and approaching seasons filled with their rites of great anticipation and joy. This year it is equally important to be equipped with solid choral music that will enhance the liturgies thatbegin this time of change and transformation. It is a wonderful yet challenging time to be a church musician!

Choral Music for the Season
September 2011
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September 06, 2011

There are times in the liturgical year when it seems there is an abundance of music, often too much, from which to choose. I have so many exceptional Advent, Christmas, and Lenten anthems and motets that I have to cut selections that my choir loves. But in Ordinary Time, I find myself desperately searching for new and exciting pieces. Then there are feasts such as All Saints and All Souls when a larger work is desired. Below are two pieces that I highly recommend for the last few months of the year.

Choral Music for the Season
August 2011
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August 04, 2011

Getting through the Holy Week, Easter, and confirmation push is quite an accomplishment; we all know how much work goes into these liturgies. Afterward, for most parish musicians, it’s a time to relax, take a breather, and enjoy the spring. Ironically, my work at the cathedral actually seems to rev up and get busier. Go figure! Multiple confirmation liturgies and ordinations make for a busy spring; then come all the June weddings! And although my choir officially ends its season on the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we occasionally come together during the summer. The choir is often requested to provide music for weddings, so I look regularly for appropriate newly composed music to complement the popular classics like Franck’s “Panis Angelicus,” the Schubert “Ave Maria,” and Ireland’s “Greater Love Hath No Man.” This “Cantate” features six choral octavos for the Most Holy Trinity, Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, weddings, and general use. I hope you find these valuable additions to your choral program.

Choral Music for the Season
July 2011
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July 01, 2011

Something happens toward the end of the choir season. Attendance in the choir becomes more sporadic. The commitment level has a tendency to drop off, forcing the choir director to choose music that works no matter how many choristers happen to make it that Sunday. One great way to keep the attendance strong until the end of the choir season is to program challenging music. Keeping the interest of the choir with a challenge has certainly proven effective in my experience. However, we also need to be realistic. A beautiful, sunny late spring weekend can result in a tenor section with only three members. I can stress the importance of each singer to the overall sound—and the assembly’s worship—again and again, but programming music that is rewarding and just challenging enough makes them want and need to be there! Here are two wonderful choir pieces that will engross your choir and keep them coming back for more.

Choral Music for the Season
June 2011
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June 02, 2011

Getting through the Holy Week, Easter, and confirmation push is quite an accomplishment; we all know how much work goes into these liturgies. Afterward, for most parish musicians, it’s a time to relax, take a breather, and enjoy the spring. Ironically, my work at the cathedral actually seems to rev up and get busier. Go figure! Multiple confirmation liturgies and ordinations make for a busy spring; then come all the June weddings! And although my choir officially ends its season on the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we occasionally come together during the summer. The choir is often requested to provide music for weddings, so I look regularly for appropriate newly composed music to complement the popular classics like Franck’s “Panis Angelicus,” the Schubert “Ave Maria,” and Ireland’s “Greater Love Hath No Man.” This “Cantate” features six choral octavos for the Most Holy Trinity, Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, weddings, and general use. I hope you find these valuable additions to your choral program.

Choral Music for the Season
May 2011
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May 02, 2011

Getting through the Holy Week, Easter, and confirmation push is quite an accomplishment; we all know how much work goes into these liturgies. Afterward, for most parish musicians, it’s a time to relax, take a breather, and enjoy the spring. Ironically, my work at the cathedral actually seems to rev up and get busier. Go figure! Multiple confirmation liturgies and ordinations make for a busy spring; then come all the June weddings! And although my choir officially ends its season on the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we occasionally come together during the summer. The choir is often requested to provide music for weddings, so I look regularly for appropriate newly composed music to complement the popular classics like Franck’s “Panis Angelicus,” the Schubert “Ave Maria,” and Ireland’s “Greater Love Hath No Man.” This “Cantate” features six choral octavos for the Most Holy Trinity, Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, weddings, and general use. I hope you find these valuable additions to your choral program.

Choral Music for the Season
April 2011
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March 28, 2011

In my role as a cathedral music director, I am frequently asked, “How did you build your choral program?” There are many things that contribute to building a solid music program, but certainly one of the most important is providing well-crafted music for the choir to sing. When I offer this response, another question often follows: “How do you build a library of good choral music?” In reality, it takes years to build and grow a choral library. Not only is it time-consuming to find and review music, acquiring it is limited by budget constraints; there are only so many new pieces of music that I can purchase each year. And I’ve been frustrated at times to purchase a new choral octavo only to realize it isn’t what I thought it would be. (This is especially annoying after I’ve numbered and hole-punched it!) Dollars down the drain. Create a long-range plan for building your choral library. Add one or two new choral octavos each season. Weed out the pieces taking up space in your library that you know you will never do. In time, you will have a solid library of well-crafted choral works that you will rotate throughout the years. Below are three outstanding choral octavos that will aid in the growth of your library.

Choral Music for the Season
March 2011
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March 02, 2011

In my role as a cathedral music director, I am frequently asked, “How did you build your choral program?” There are many things that contribute to building a solid music program, but certainly one of the most important is providing well-crafted music for the choir to sing. When I offer this response, another question often follows: “How do you build a library of good choral music?” In reality, it takes years to build and grow a choral library. Not only is it time-consuming to find and review music, acquiring it is limited by budget constraints; there are only so many new pieces of music that I can purchase each year. And I’ve been frustrated at times to purchase a new choral octavo only to realize it isn’t what I thought it would be. (This is especially annoying after I’ve numbered and hole-punched it!) Dollars down the drain. Create a long-range plan for building your choral library. Add one or two new choral octavos each season. Weed out the pieces taking up space in your library that you know you will never do. In time, you will have a solid library of well-crafted choral works that you will rotate throughout the years. Below are three outstanding choral octavos that will aid in the growth of your library.

Choral Music for the Season
February 2011
by View archives »
February 03, 2011

In my role as a cathedral music director, I am frequently asked, “How did you build your choral program?” There are many things that contribute to building a solid music program, but certainly one of the most important is providing well-crafted music for the choir to sing. When I offer this response, another question often follows: “How do you build a library of good choral music?” In reality, it takes years to build and grow a choral library. Not only is it time-consuming to find and review music, acquiring it is limited by budget constraints; there are only so many new pieces of music that I can purchase each year. And I’ve been frustrated at times to purchase a new choral octavo only to realize it isn’t what I thought it would be. (This is especially annoying after I’ve numbered and hole-punched it!) Dollars down the drain. Create a long-range plan for building your choral library. Add one or two new choral octavos each season. Weed out the pieces taking up space in your library that you know you will never do. In time, you will have a solid library of well-crafted choral works that you will rotate throughout the years. Below are three outstanding choral octavos that will aid in the growth of your library.

Choral Music for the Season
January 2011
by View archives »
January 05, 2011

In my role as a cathedral music director, I am frequently asked, “How did you build your choral program?” There are many things that contribute to building a solid music program, but certainly one of the most important is providing well-crafted music for the choir to sing. When I offer this response, another question often follows: “How do you build a library of good choral music?” In reality, it takes years to build and grow a choral library. Not only is it time-consuming to find and review music, acquiring it is limited by budget constraints; there are only so many new pieces of music that I can purchase each year. And I’ve been frustrated at times to purchase a new choral octavo only to realize it isn’t what I thought it would be. (This is especially annoying after I’ve numbered and hole-punched it!) Dollars down the drain. Create a long-range plan for building your choral library. Add one or two new choral octavos each season. Weed out the pieces taking up space in your library that you know you will never do. In time, you will have a solid library of well-crafted choral works that you will rotate throughout the years. Below are three outstanding choral octavos that will aid in the growth of your library.

Choral Music for the Season
December 2010
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December 02, 2010

The seasons of Advent and Christmas are two of my favorites. Advent texts present themes of longing for the birth of Christ, and memorable, well-known carols arranged for choirs touch our hearts at Christmas. The Spirit during this time of year is abundant, and finding new choral gems is essential. Since the season is very busy, try incorporating only a couple of new pieces each year. Here are two suggested choral pieces for Advent and Christmas that I have found to be beautiful additions to the many liturgies throughout this time of year. It is my hope that you, too, will find some of these useful.

Choral Music for the Season
November 2010
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November 03, 2010

Each year I speculate why the preparation period for Advent and Christmas feels shorter and busier than the previous year. When I count the number of liturgies that take place between Christmas and Epiphany, it doesn’t even remotely compare to Holy Week. What’s more, many of the Advent and Christmas pieces can be repeated throughout the season and therefore do double duty. I think it’s just an unusually busy time of year. Additional demands fall upon everyone, especially church musicians, during these times. Perhaps your parish does an Advent Lessons and Carols service—a beautiful way to begin the Advent season. Or possibly your choir offers a choral concert of a large work, such as Handel’s Messiah or the Bach Christmas Oratorio. Such programs take countless rehearsal hours. Even if your parish is not taking on such ambitious events, the Advent and Christmas season is busy. Up-front planning is essential to avoid feeling overwhelmed at the last minute; I strive to begin rehearsing any new Advent and Christmas music in September to achieve a less frantic November and December. (May is even a better time to introduce a new piece. When it is brought out again in the fall, you will be that much further ahead in its learning.) Building a repertoire from year to year is crucial. Here are seven choral anthems for the season that can augment and beautify your choir’s Advent and Christmas repertoire.

Choral Music for the Season
October 2010
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October 04, 2010

Each year I speculate why the preparation period for Advent and Christmas feels shorter and busier than the previous year. When I count the number of liturgies that take place between Christmas and Epiphany, it doesn’t even remotely compare to Holy Week. What’s more, many of the Advent and Christmas pieces can be repeated throughout the season and therefore do double duty. I think it’s just an unusually busy time of year. Additional demands fall upon everyone, especially church musicians, during these times. Perhaps your parish does an Advent Lessons and Carols service—a beautiful way to begin the Advent season. Or possibly your choir offers a choral concert of a large work, such as Handel’s Messiah or the Bach Christmas Oratorio. Such programs take countless rehearsal hours. Even if your parish is not taking on such ambitious events, the Advent and Christmas season is busy. Up-front planning is essential to avoid feeling overwhelmed at the last minute; I strive to begin rehearsing any new Advent and Christmas music in September to achieve a less frantic November and December. (May is even a better time to introduce a new piece. When it is brought out again in the fall, you will be that much further ahead in its learning.) Building a repertoire from year to year is crucial. Here are seven choral anthems for the season that can augment and beautify your choir’s Advent and Christmas repertoire.

Choral Music for the Season
September 2010
by View archives »
September 03, 2010

The beginning of the choir season is an exciting time. Repeatedly, I enter the new season with great eagerness and enthusiasm. At the same time, there is a feeling of apprehension and anxiousness. Will I retain the choir roster after the relaxing break? Will my choristers be committed to the demanding schedule of the season? Will the members be energized or dreading what lies ahead?

Choral Music for the Season
August 2010
by View archives »
August 03, 2010

The beginning of the choir season is an exciting time. Repeatedly, I enter the new season with great eagerness and enthusiasm. At the same time, there is a feeling of apprehension and anxiousness. Will I retain the choir roster after the relaxing break? Will my choristers be committed to the demanding schedule of the season? Will the members be energized or dreading what lies ahead?

Choral Music for the Season
July 2010
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June 30, 2010

The beginning of the choir season is an exciting time. Repeatedly, I enter the new season with great eagerness and enthusiasm. At the same time, there is a feeling of apprehension and anxiousness. Will I retain the choir roster after the relaxing break? Will my choristers be committed to the demanding schedule of the season? Will the members be energized or dreading what lies ahead? Following are several pieces that I recommend for the beginning of your choir season.

Choral Music for the Season
June 2010
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June 02, 2010

Summer is a time when many choirs take a break from the demanding schedule of providing music each Sunday. Members of a liturgical choir spend countless hours together over the course of a year, and time apart, even for a month or two, is rewarding in numerous ways. Not only is a break beneficial to the members of the choir, it also can result in a greater appreciation for the choir upon their return.

Choral Music for the Season
May 2010
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May 12, 2010

The cathedral where I am director of music has wonderful acoustics. It is reasonably live, with a slightly more than three-second reverb, but not so live that the delay is problematic. The acoustics lend themselves magnificently to unaccompanied choral motets—so much so that most of my choir’s Lenten choral repertoire is unaccompanied polyphony from the Renaissance era. While I would never diminish the importance of such repertoire, I always strive to find new, well-crafted music to supplement the choral gems by Palestrina, Victoria, and Byrd. My choir can be a bit particular and leery of newly composed music. Although I value their opinions, I certainly don’t let them dictate the repertoire we sing. Besides, you really can have too much of a good thing. Several of the following motets for Lent, Easter Triduum, Easter season, and Pentecost have become wonderful additions to our choral repertoire. I hope you will find them useful to your choral programs as well.

Choral Music for the Season
April 2010
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April 01, 2010

The cathedral where I am director of music has wonderful acoustics. It is reasonably live, with a slightly more than three-second reverb, but not so live that the delay is problematic. The acoustics lend themselves magnificently to unaccompanied choral motets—so much so that most of my choir’s Lenten choral repertoire is unaccompanied polyphony from the Renaissance era. While I would never diminish the importance of such repertoire, I always strive to find new, well-crafted music to supplement the choral gems by Palestrina, Victoria, and Byrd. My choir can be a bit particular and leery of newly composed music. Although I value their opinions, I certainly don’t let them dictate the repertoire we sing. Besides, you really can have too much of a good thing. Several of the following motets for Lent, Easter Triduum, Easter season, and Pentecost have become wonderful additions to our choral repertoire. I hope you will find them useful to your choral programs as well.

Choral Music for the Season
March 2010
by View archives »
March 01, 2010

The cathedral where I am director of music has wonderful acoustics. It is reasonably live, with a slightly more than three-second reverb, but not so live that the delay is problematic. The acoustics lend themselves magnificently to unaccompanied choral motets—so much so that most of my choir’s Lenten choral repertoire is unaccompanied polyphony from the Renaissance era. While I would never diminish the importance of such repertoire, I always strive to find new, well-crafted music to supplement the choral gems by Palestrina, Victoria, and Byrd. My choir can be a bit particular and leery of newly composed music. Although I value their opinions, I certainly don’t let them dictate the repertoire we sing. Besides, you really can have too much of a good thing. Several of the following motets for Lent, Easter Triduum, Easter season, and Pentecost have become wonderful additions to our choral repertoire. I hope you will find them useful to your choral programs as well.

Choral Music for the Season
February 2010
by View archives »
February 01, 2010

The cathedral where I am director of music has wonderful acoustics. It is reasonably live, with a slightly more than three-second reverb, but not so live that the delay is problematic. The acoustics lend themselves magnificently to unaccompanied choral motets—so much so that most of my choir’s Lenten choral repertoire is unaccompanied polyphony from the Renaissance era. While I would never diminish the importance of such repertoire, I always strive to find new, well-crafted music to supplement the choral gems by Palestrina, Victoria, and Byrd. My choir can be a bit particular and leery of newly composed music. Although I value their opinions, I certainly don’t let them dictate the repertoire we sing. Besides, you really can have too much of a good thing. Several of the following motets for Lent, Easter Triduum, Easter season, and Pentecost have become wonderful additions to our choral repertoire. I hope you will find them useful to your choral programs as well.

Choral Music for the Season
January 2010
by View archives »
January 01, 2010

The cathedral where I am director of music has wonderful acoustics. It is reasonably live, with a slightly more than three-second reverb, but not so live that the delay is problematic. The acoustics lend themselves magnificently to unaccompanied choral motets—so much so that most of my choir’s Lenten choral repertoire is unaccompanied polyphony from the Renaissance era. While I would never diminish the importance of such repertoire, I always strive to find new, well-crafted music to supplement the choral gems by Palestrina, Victoria, and Byrd. My choir can be a bit particular and leery of newly composed music. Although I value their opinions, I certainly don’t let them dictate the repertoire we sing. Besides, you really can have too much of a good thing. Several of the following motets for Lent, Easter Triduum, Easter season, and Pentecost have become wonderful additions to our choral repertoire. I hope you will find them useful to your choral programs as well.

Choral Music for the Season
December 2009
by View archives »
December 01, 2009

There are times in the liturgical year when it seems there is an abundance of music, often too much, from which to choose. I have so many exceptional Advent, Christmas, and Lenten anthems and motets that I have to cut selections that my choir loves. But in Ordinary Time, I find myself desperately searching for new and exciting pieces. Then there are feasts such as All Saints and All Souls when a larger work is desired. Below are two new pieces that I highly recommend for the last few months of the year.

Choral Music for the Season
November 2009
by View archives »
November 01, 2009

There are times in the liturgical year when it seems there is an abundance of music, often too much, from which to choose. I have so many exceptional Advent, Christmas, and Lenten anthems and motets that I have to cut selections that my choir loves. But in Ordinary Time, I find myself desperately searching for new and exciting pieces. Then there are feasts such as All Saints and All Souls when a larger work is desired. Below are two new pieces that I highly recommend for the last few months of the year.

Choral Music for the Season
October 2009
by View archives »
October 01, 2009

Once again we find ourselves facing the busiest time of year, both in our personal lives and in our music ministry role. It is also the time of year I most enjoy, both in my personal life and in my role as a music director. There are scores of magnificent anthems and motets for Advent and Christmas. While many choose to stick to the expected carols, which are certainly important and meaningful, I challenge you to break out of that comfort zone and explore the beauty that the following choral pieces can bring to your Advent and Christmas liturgies. Because this is a busy time, I aim to choose new Advent and Christmas pieces shortly after Easter and introduce them to the choir prior to our break over the summer. We read through each piece of music and spend a bit of time rehearsing problem areas if time permits, so that in the fall these pieces are somewhat familiar. I encourage you to try this method of teaching new music. Introducing a piece several months before needing to work on it gives the choir a sense of recognition when it is reintroduced. This process is extremely beneficial at the very busy times of year such as Christmas. I hope you enjoy learning some fresh literature for this magical yet hectic season full of wonder and awe.

Choral Music for the Season
September 2009
by View archives »
September 01, 2009

Once again we find ourselves facing the busiest time of year, both in our personal lives and in our music ministry role. It is also the time of year I most enjoy, both in my personal life and in my role as a music director. There are scores of magnificent anthems and motets for Advent and Christmas. While many choose to stick to the expected carols, which are certainly important and meaningful, I challenge you to break out of that comfort zone and explore the beauty that the following choral pieces can bring to your Advent and Christmas liturgies. Because this is a busy time, I aim to choose new Advent and Christmas pieces shortly after Easter and introduce them to the choir prior to our break over the summer. We read through each piece of music and spend a bit of time rehearsing problem areas if time permits, so that in the fall these pieces are somewhat familiar. I encourage you to try this method of teaching new music. Introducing a piece several months before needing to work on it gives the choir a sense of recognition when it is reintroduced. This process is extremely beneficial at the very busy times of year such as Christmas. I hope you enjoy learning some fresh literature for this magical yet hectic season full of wonder and awe.