Discover new music for your choir from the Choral Review Service. With songs of varying difficulty, instrumentation and style, the Choral Review Service will introduce you to inspiring, seasonal choral works from respected liturgical composers three times per year. Below are just a few examples of the music within this year’s Ordinary Time 2 packet, plus a detailed description and insight on how to use each piece.
One Heart
Curtis Stephan
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: Three-part Choir
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Guitar, Assembly
A call to unity, this contemporary song of praise is scored for three-part choir with piano and guitar accompaniment. Upbeat but intuitive syncopations enliven the two verses and the catchy refrain. The topics of global family, creation, and love of God for us make this an ideal gathering song.
Esto Les Digo
Victoria Davison and Rudy Lupinski
Difficulty level: Medium
Voicing: SAB
Instrumentation: Piano
Topics of comfort, faith and church are always appropriate and this choral anthem in Spanish will not disappoint. Scored simply for SAB choir and piano, it is moderately difficult due to the independence of the choral parts and rhythmic variety. The piano plays an ostinato figure throughout, a stately, triple-time polonaise rhythm that is punctuated periodically by guitar-like arpeggiated flourishes. This provides the harmonic framework over which the choral parts unfold, often with baritone voice singing independently from the upper voices (themselves often paired in thirds). Especially fitting for advanced high school or college choirs, as well as church music programs, this stylistic choral anthem will bring beauty and charm to your choral repertoire.
We Cannot Measure
Andrew Wright
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir, Descant
Instrumentation: Organ, Guitar, Assembly
Wright’s compelling, through-composed arrangement of the hymn tune YE BANKS AND BRAES flows along in a brisk triple time (felt in one). The simple organ accompaniment never overshadows the varying vocal textures: over its three verses it progresses from unison on the first verse, through the rich SATB setting of the second verse, and then modulates to feature a descant in the final verse. A non-modulating, hymn-style guitar accompaniment is also included in this octavo.
Sweet Jesus
Stephen M. Lee
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir, Solo
Instrumentation: Piano
Quick to point out that Black Gospel music is rooted in improvisation, Lee reminds us that the score for this title, like the others in this collection, is conceived as a musically notated guide to the pianist and soloist, rather than a be-all, end-all transcription. Encouraging freedom of expression and ornamentation, this soulful song of praise for Jesus is scored for soloist and SATB choir with piano accompaniment.
Kapayapaan, Peace Be with You
Maria Nieva
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB Choir, Descant
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Guitar, Assembly
Freely adapted from the well-known prayer of St. Francis, this lovely bilingual SATB setting (English and Filipino) was originally written for a Tagalog prayer service at the 2020 NPM convention. Yet, the only Filipino word in the entire piece is Kapayapaan, making this ideal for parishes with an English-speaking majority who are looking to demonstrate the universal and cross-cultural appeal of God’s message of love and peace. There are accompaniments for piano and guitar in the octavo. Parts for string quartet are available as a separate download.
Let the Children Come to Me
Luke D. Rosen
Difficulty level: Easy/Medium
Voicing: SATB or Two-part Choir, Cantor, Descant
Instrumentation: Keyboard, Guitar, Solo Instrument, Assembly
This short refrain was written as a dismissal for the Children’s Liturgy of the Word. Its compact nature was designed to fit the approximate length of the dismissal without taking extra time. It can be repeated, if necessary, for larger churches or when there are many children. Two keyboard accompaniment versions are included in this octavo: one is more complex and driving, the other is simpler and straightforward. Likewise, options for SATB choir with descant or two-part choir are included, as are parts for guitar and solo instruments in C, B-flat, and E-flat.
Explore more music from this season's edition
Choral Review Service
These songs can be found in Choral Packet 101 from the Choral Review Service. Offering music for traditional and contemporary choirs, children’s voices and intercultural ensembles, the Choral Review Service is the best way to find something new for your choir and community.