First-Time Editors’ Choice Honorees: Choral Composers 

Each year, we’re proud to bring you the very best new music for every ensemble. Our team listens to hundreds of selections from a wide range of publishers to identify the highest-quality titles for musicians of all ages. 

In addition to being a helpful tool for teachers and directors, Editors’ Choice represents a major career aspiration for composers and arrangers! For the second year running, we’re featuring composers who’ve had one of their choral pieces chosen for the first time this year. Read on to learn about the honorees and their selected works. 

For more inspiration, check out our 2023 First-Time Editors’ Choice Composers blog! 

School Choral 

Church Choral 

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School Choral

Tyler Adcock is an accomplished educator, adjudicator, and composer from Fort Worth, Texas. He has taught choral music at the middle school level for 12 years in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Mr. Adcock’s choirs consistently receive superior ratings at area competitions. 

Mr. Adcock holds a Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) degree from Texas Christian University and is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) as well as the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA). 

At the heart of my compositional philosophy is a deep respect for the text and the voices that will bring it to life. I strive to create music that is deeply moving and exciting, each composition providing an opportunity to connect with audiences on an emotional level. The first step in my creative process often involves selecting a text that resonates with me. This could be poetry, sacred texts, or even original writings with emotional and narrative qualities that shape the musical direction. Once selected, I immediately begin singing through the text with random melodies until I feel like I have found one that aligns with the text’s natural stress and emotional contour. Then I use the other voice parts to develop a harmonic palette that further illustrates the spirit of the text. Lastly, I try to carefully structure the piece to highlight the text’s narrative arc. This usually involves contrasting sections, dynamic shifts, and varying textures to keep the listener engaged and to convey the text’s message effectively. 

In regard to Gloria!, I was heavily inspired by the song Nearer, My God, to Thee arranged by James L. Stevens. This piece involves declamatory text and dynamic swells that create an epic listening experience, and I knew I needed to make something that fosters this effect. I really enjoy sacred or religious texts and compound meter, so after creating the initial drone, the rest of the piece just kind of flowed. If you’re looking for an exciting opener that will draw the audience in, consider programming Gloria! at your next concert! 

I have two new pieces set to be published by Oxford University Press in the fall of 2024: In Quiet Peace and My Soul Is Awakened.

Instagram: @tristino_ali 

My musician journey began in seventh grade beginning choir. I’ve loved singing in choirs ever since. I pursued a bachelor’s degree in choral music education from Brigham Young University and am starting my sixth year of teaching high school choirs.

For me, composing for choirs is very special because singers are the only musicians that get to sing words. That’s where I start my composition process. I read a lot of poetry (a tip from Tony Silvestri). I know I can compose a piece when I read and hear the song start to come together in my head. When that happens, I run to the piano with staff paper and a pencil to get that music on the page as fast as possible. It’s like the words tell me the music they want rather than me putting music to the words. The feeling is difficult to describe, but my favorite and most successful compositions have all come about this way, often completed in one sitting. I Would Live in Your Love was one of those pieces where the music filled my mind as I was reading and came across this Sara Teasdale text. The choral parts almost wrote themselves, followed shortly by the accompaniment. This piece won the ACDA Utah Composition Competition and had its world premiere at the 2022 conference. This led to my being mentored by Jocelyn Hagen at Graphite Publishing where it and its sister piece Let It Be Forgotten were published. You can also hear my setting of God So Loved the World on Cantorum Chamber Choir’s latest album, The Best of Rooms, streaming on all platforms. I’m excited, honored, and grateful to have my first published piece selected by J.W. Pepper’s editors and look forward to sharing more compositions in the future. 

As a young composer nearing graduation with a degree in choral music education from Florida State University, I am thrilled to share my piece Santiana” along with the insights behind its creation. The creative process is often challenging to articulate. Inspiration doesn’t always strike suddenly; it’s rarely a quick journey, particularly with a piece like Santiana. This composition has been brewing in the back of my mind since high school. When I compose/arrange, I often reflect on my high school self and the pieces that captivated and delighted me. I strive to infuse my work with elements that I enjoyed then, not just because I believe my peers in my college choirs would find them exciting or innovative but also to evoke that same spark and excitement in young singers today. 

I first discovered Santiana in high school, a time when sea shanties were experiencing a resurgence on the internet. It wasn’t until about two years ago that I discovered the sound it truly needed: a blend of Latin American-inspired percussion and rhythms while retaining the essence of a traditional sea shanty. Santiana references the events of the Mexican-American War, so I delved into researching timbale and conga patterns, experimented with various beats, altered the rhythm of the melody, and incorporated the tresillo rhythm (commonly known as the millennial clave), giving the piece a vibrant, dance-like quality. 

I have always been captivated by the integration of percussion with a cappella choir, inspired by the works of Michael Barrett and Sydney Guillaume. I hope that Santiana brings as much joy and engagement to choirs as the music of these composers has brought to me. I look forward to seeing how choirs will embrace this piece, sparking the same enthusiasm and inspiration in their singers that I experienced in my journey. 

Hello, my name is Clinton Barrineau and I have taught high school choir for the past seven years in Waco, Texas at University High School. I earned my bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor. My compositional journey has been private and focused solely on creating repertoire and exercises for the students in front of me. I had the privilege of working with primarily Hispanic students as well as African-American students, which allowed me to enter into musical worlds not from my personal upbringing. I value humility and hard work as a teacher, so I use the same attributes to connect with my students, which inspires me to write each year. 

My desire has always been to help other people grow as musicians and as community members. My set of three Spanish Christmas carols Tres canciones de Navidad was inspired by an encounter I had at one of our holiday performances. Out of all the choirs that performed at this event in Waco, we were the only choir to perform Spanish music in a city that has a large Hispanic population. A man came up to me and with great pride thanked me and our choir for representing our beautiful city. That meant so much to me, so I came up with the idea to compose these three pieces with my show choir students based on what they would sing in their living rooms celebrating the holidays. We made a list of Spanish songs, (checked it twice), and voted on which songs I would arrange for them. It was a beautiful project that I am forever grateful for. 

You can find me on Facebook or Instagram by searching my name, or you can send me an email if you’re interested in purchasing this piece of music, hiring me as a clinician, or hiring me to compose a work for you. 

Email: clinton.barrineau@live.com 

I am a composer, arranger, and pianist currently based in Chicago, Illinois. When I sit down to write, I usually begin at the piano. I’ll improvise, record voice memos, sing, dance in my room alone, and slowly put the pieces together. I also love having large staff paper to make colorful graphs and timelines to help me visualize the larger architecture. I like to separate my creative time and my engraving time, having found over the years that my process is smoother that way. 

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is a work written by my father-in-law, Tim Cahalan. I had the privilege of composing a piano part to his beautiful setting. I tried to highlight the chilling and enchanting feeling evoked in both Frost’s text and Tim’s melodic writing. 

My multi-movement work Sacred Place, commissioned and recorded by Conspirare on their Grammy-nominated album House of Belonging is published by E.C. Schirmer. You can visit my website to learn more about upcoming projects and concerts. 

Website: www.alexberko.com
Instagram: @alex_berko3
Facebook: Alex Berko – Musician 

I am a Nashville-based composer, arranger, and orchestrator who enjoys the challenge of picking songs apart and rebuilding them in new and interesting ways. I’ve been a freelancer for my entire career, with one foot in the world of music education (primarily show choir) and the other in the professional music industry working on projects for film and television. I am very grateful to have three new pieces included in Editors’ Choice this year:

Aloha! is an a cappella arrangement of the theme from HBO’s “The White Lotus.” The original recording uses a lot of production techniques that are hard to notate, so I had to get creative with the textures and vocal effects that I used. The end result is upbeat and joyful, and I think your choir will have a lot of fun singing it. 

Call of a Warrior is unique because it’s an original song written for show choir, a medium that almost exclusively performs arrangements of music by popular artists. My goal was to write something that made the choir feel confident on stage, and I think the way the lyrics and the accompaniment build and develop achieves that in a meaningful way. 

Tiny Voice is an arrangement of a song by YouTube star Lexi Walker. The central message of the song – that everyone’s voice matters – is so important right now, especially for our students. The gorgeous piano part makes it feel right at home in the concert hall, and the optional band accompaniment lets show choirs take it up a notch and use it as their ballad. 

I’m very easy to find online because I don’t have to share my name with anyone! My primary website is breezetunes.com, and my social handles are @breezetunes. One more thing, if you are interested in the music publishing industry, please check out the podcast that I host at sellingsheetmusic.com. We’ve had a ton of fantastic guests, including many associated with J.W. Pepper! 

Tim Cahalan (b. 1956) recently retired as choir director at Logansport High School, Logansport Junior High School, and Logansport Intermediate School in Logansport, Indiana. He was also founder and co-director, with his wife and accompanist, Susan, of the Logansport Children’s Choir from 1988 to 2023. In 2009, he was selected as the Outstanding High School Music Educator for the State of Indiana. 

After having his treble and SATB arrangements of Indiana’s state song On the Banks of the Wabash published by Colla Voce, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is his first newly composed work. With Robert Frost’s poetry recently entering the public domain, and with this poem being one of his favorites, choosing this text to set was an easy choice. In fact, he often read it to his daughters when they were young from a nicely illustrated version as a bedtime story. He also wishes to thank his son-in-law and outstanding young composer, Alex Berko, for his excellent piano accompaniment on this piece.

As a new (though not young!) composer, in addition to Stopping by Woods he now has composed a second piece, The Lesson, SATB, with text by Paul Laurence Dunbar, to be released by E.C. Schirmer in November 2024. He also has written an a cappella treble setting of Back Home Again in Indiana, recently released by the Indianapolis Children’s Choir Publishing House through Beckenhorst as well a fun unison piece for children entitled It Couldn’t Be Done, also to be published this fall by ICC and Beckenhorst. 

Email: timwcahalan@gmail.com

I’m passionate about writing engaging, thoughtful, and accessible music for choirs of all sizes. Currently a doctoral student in choral conducting at the University of North Texas, I previously taught choral music in Pennsylvania for eleven years. Whether selecting repertoire for my advanced high school community choir or introducing my fourth graders to choral singing for the first time, I sought pieces with meaningful texts and interesting musical symbolism to enrich their journey.

I write with my students in mind. As I work on a piece, I consider, “Would I program this with my choirs? What would I look for when perusing this score on J.W. Pepper?” Each piece I write aims to resonate with the choir, regardless of their previous experience, and inspire them to continue singing for years to come.

Three Balinese Songs, a collaboration with my undergraduate mentor Dr. Brent C. Talbot, features choral arrangements of children’s songs and games from his research in Bali. What I love most about these pieces is how they vividly convey Balinese culture. They teach the value of putting positive energy into the world, respect for elders as we transition through life’s cycles, and fulfilling our obligations to our families. Such cultural engagement fosters empathy and compassion among singers. Kids love singing these songs from the playgrounds and backyards of Bali, and I’m thrilled that Alfred and J.W. Pepper have helped us to bring Balinese music to choirs everywhere! 

I’m published through Santa Barbara, Walton, and Alfred. For more of my music, check out my website. I love commission projects, too! My school teaching experiences allow me to custom-fit new works to allow your choir to shine their brightest. I’m also passionate about involving students in the composition process. Get in touch and let’s collaborate! 

Website: mattcarlson.co 

Mom says that she used to put a transistor radio in my crib when I was a baby to soothe and comfort me as I fell asleep. As a toddler, she says I would sit in front of the television set imitating the conducting gestures of Mitch Miller in ”Sing Along with Mitch”! These scenarios and many more set in motion what would eventually become my passion for music, songwriting, composition, and arranging. 

My first instruments included the guitar and ukulele while still in elementary school. I’ve been blessed to enjoy a 50+ year career as a music minister. My compositions and arrangements include psalms, anthems, Mass settings, and praise songs. My joy of music eventually led me to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Texas at San Antonio. I enjoyed a 33-year career teaching elementary music. I found myself writing unison/two-part treble pieces for my choirs – not necessarily because it was needed, but rather because I enjoyed the writing process. I am so honored and excited to be chosen by J.W. Pepper to receive the ”First-Time Editors’ Choice Composer” designation! God Rest Ye is an upbeat mixed-meter arrangement of the familiar Christmas carol. It is arranged for SATB choir, piano, and percussion. The mixed-meter refrain expresses the exuberant ”tidings of joy” at the birth of the Christ child.

I currently have two pieces published by Alfred Music and one by the Indianapolis Children’s Choir Publishing House that are set to be released in spring 2025! My best advice to aspiring composers and songwriters is to never give up! Continue writing and continue pitching your music! You just need to find the publisher that is the right fit for your music.

Website: www.cavazosmusic.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cavazosmusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cavazosmusic

I am a choral composer living in South Korea. My career as a choral composer began in 2009 when I was commissioned by the National Chorus of Korea. I was composer-in-residence for Ansan City Choir and the National Chorus of Korea. Currently, I am a resident composer for the Incheon City Chorale, which is one the foremost professional choirs of the 60-plus such government-sponsored professional choirs in South Korea.

My music always begins with an interpretation of poetry. I believe that by writing music on old poetry such as Sijo and Goryeo-Gayo into music will naturally portray the emotion of Korea. I want to write choral music, accessible to all levels of singers, based on Korean folk songs and lyrics juxtaposed with Western musical language.

The poet of Evocation (Mon-Nee-Joh) is Sowol Kim (1902-1934), one of Korea’s most beloved poets. The poem addresses a person who has lost a loved one and recalls the memory of this individual. As the years pass a person may forget things, but the person cannot, and will not, forget the loved one. The music is accessible to all levels of singers.

The people who influence me the most are people who sing. I believe that music can reach the audience if the singer is moved by the poem and the music. Evocation is the first piece I wrote after having realized that singers are the most important elements when it comes to making music. Sometimes it may limit writing in new compositional styles, but I always try to write music from a singer’s point of view. It is a great joy for me as a composer to be sung in the United States and around the world with Korean lyrics. 

Currently, I am working on choral pieces incorporating Korean traditional singing style and traditional instruments with Western music. Since Korean traditional music has a very different and unique tuning system than in Western music, maintaining the authentic Korean traditional singing style and instrumentation is a challenge.

Email: chy1005@gmail.com
Facebook: Hyeyoung Cho 

I was born and raised in Louisiana, surrounded by blues and jazz. As a child, I found comfort in the extended tertian harmonies of those styles, which have now become a trademark of my choral music. My career as a composer began to flourish when Dr. Tim Seelig appointed me as composer-in-residence of the Turtle Creek Chorale. This led to a 20-year journey as Tim’s resident composer, culminating in the premiere of my composition twitterlieder: 15 tweets in 3 acts. It was the subject of a nationally aired PBS documentary and was awarded the American Prize in Composition in 2022. 

Regarding my creative process, the melody comes first. There is a purity beginning a piece this way, something primal. A good melody can stand on its own, devoid of harmony, and still tell its story.

My composition Calling from Afar, a J.W. Pepper Editors’ Choice, was inspired by the James Webb Space Telescope launch. I have been fascinated by space and our place in the universe for as long as I can remember. The JWST has already altered our understanding of the cosmos and continues to send back glorious images from the farthest reaches of space. I couldn’t contain my excitement and felt compelled to compose a piece in its honor!

Website: www.jameseakin.com to learn more about me and listen to additional examples of my music.
Facebook: James Eakin 

John Florio lives in South Florida and comes from a very musical family. He started playing trumpet in the eighth grade and soon began creating arrangements for his junior high jazz band. Since then, he learned to play additional instruments and has become a prolific and published songwriter specializing in original choral compositions that can be easily taught and performed by children of all ages. 

All of John’s songs contain memorable melodies that are easy to learn and sing coupled with well-crafted lyrics that are either endearing, fun, joyful, inspiring, or motivational. 

This lively song We Believe is ideal for concerts and suitable for students of all ages. Its empowering message, centered around the notion that success begins with a dream, is beautifully conveyed through a dynamic beat, simple unison vocals, driving piano accompaniment, and inspiring lyrics emphasizing the importance of daring to dream and working hard to transform those dreams into reality. 

John’s published choral compositions include: 

2021 – I’ll Remember You (Alfred Music)
2022 – Hello, Mister Sunshine (Excelcia Music)
2023 – If I Climb a Mountain (Excelcia Music)
2024 – We Are the Dreamers (Alfred Music)
2024 – We Believe (Excelcia Music) and J.W. Pepper Editors’ Choice
2024 – Teach Me (Excelcia Music)

Additional compositions scheduled for publication in 2025: 

2025 – Living with Honor (Excelcia Music)
2025 – Share It with You (Excelcia Music)
2025 – All My Life (Excelcia Music)
2025 – With Our Friends (Excelcia Music)

Website: jflorio45@yahoo.com

My name is Dr. Tiffany Renée Jackson, and I am a professor of music at Hampton University. I earned a BM from the University of Michigan, an MM and Artist Diploma from Yale University School of Music, a Professional Studies certificate from the Manhattan School of Music, and a DMA from the University of Connecticut. My areas of expertise are solo performance, applied voice, diction, languages, and vocal pedagogy.

I did not set out to be a composer. Naturally, my creative process comprises all the things I am as a multihyphenated artist. It was through teaching and directing a group of commercial singers that I happened upon my first musical authorship, Elijah Rock. It occurred to me that my students were not connecting to their gut. It was paramount that I nurture an environment to encourage soulful singing, which motivated me to teach them a song aurally.

Elijah Rock is the result of aural transmission. I first heard it in a Black Pentecostal church setting as a young girl. It occurred to me that if I challenged my students to absorb a song absent sheet music and any preconceived ideas, that they would be inclined to sing with feeling. Prior to feeding them their parts, the process involved transcribing a baseline for the pianist to generate a repeated groove. I then taught the opening staggered sequence, the refrain, verses, and ad libs. The arrangement itself emerged organically.

Elijah Rock became a living, breathing composition, and its existence encapsulates a childhood memory that I passed along to my students. Recently, the piece had its European debut in France, at the American Church in Paris.

Website: necessarydiva.net
Facebook: Doc Tiffany Renée Jackson
Instagram: necessarydiva
LinkedIn: Dr. Tiffany Renée Jackson 

A composer, conductor, and active pianist, Andrew Jacobson is currently Director of Choirs at Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Washington. 

As a composer, his works have gained popularity across the country and internationally. He has had works premiered by Choral Arts Northwest, the University of Puget Sound, the Wellspring Ensemble, the Oregon Chorale, Northern Arizona State University, and several high schools around the country. His pieces La Mort ses Amants and What Melodious Sounds were both finalists for the American Prize in Choral Composition. 

The Editors’ Choice selection Aki to Fuyu was written for an honor choir in Oregon directed by my good friend Victor C. Johnson. He wanted something in a foreign language, and I suggested Japanese since it’s not done too often. After researching, I found the poems by Secretary Shotetsu, and I loved their simplicity and beauty. 

Website: andrewjacobsonmusic.com 

After about 25 years of choral conducting and decades of playing and teaching piano and trumpet, I decided to explore the adventure of writing my own music. A Respectable Bird is the result of that experiment, and I have been composing and arranging two to four songs every year since. I’ve written about 50% heartfelt/serious and 50% fun/clever choral songs covering a wide variety of topics. Arrangements include SA, SSA, 2/3-part, and SAB. I also enjoy writing instrumental music and love to add instruments to my choral songs. 

If you are thinking, “This woman is unknown,” you are absolutely correct. I have only sent this one song to a publisher. After receiving this Editors’ Choice honor for my first submission and enjoying the boost of confidence, I will definitely be catching up by submitting more songs in the coming months! Watch for future works.

I am very interested in being contacted about commissions! As a lifelong word game addict, I love writing my own lyrics and have collaborated with people to create songs that touch and inspire them as well as the audience. I also enjoy arranging music of all types. I have worked with children (grades 3–12) and adults and love creating for all ages and abilities. I am currently the artistic director of a dementia chorus for individuals with memory loss and their care partners along with volunteer support singers. I feel privileged to work with these singers. They are truly courageous and amazing humans. Making music in a group is such a gift! 

Email: suzyj999@gmail.com 

Ben Kapilow works as Assistant Professor and Music Director for the BFA program in musical theatre at SUNY Cortland. Before that, he spent seven years working as Resident Music Director of Media Theatre for the Performing Arts in the Philadelphia area. He has also worked as a music director and pianist at Walnut Street Theatre, Candlelight Theatre, and Fulton Theatre. As a composer, his works have been published by Choristers Guild, Alfred Music, and Heritage Press. Active in education, he has presented at the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association Conference, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, and the Expand Online Summit, and he has published articles in Piano Magazine and the Colourful Keys blog. He received an MM in music composition from the Peabody Institute and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College with a BA in music and psychology.

As I kept rereading Edgar Allen Poe’s poem The Bells, three elements began to stick out to me which ultimately became the center of the compositional process. First, the literal sound of wedding bells, which Poe describes with fun phrases such as “rhyming and chiming” and “gush of euphony.” This desire to emulate the sound of bells informed the high, percussive, chime-like figures in the accompaniment. Second, Poe does a fantastic job describing the almost manic excitement at weddings. I love when he refers to weddings as a “rapture that impels.” Descriptions such as these inspired all the mixed meter throughout as well as the playful echo section at the end. The final element that informed the compositional process is the quirkiness of Poe’s writing, both in general and in this poem specifically, especially in the parts of the poem that I didn’t set – which are quite dark! Poe’s quirkiness inspired the chromaticism and extended harmonies throughout. It took a lot of effort when composing the middle section, which is more lyrical and “pretty” than the sections that surround it, to create something that effectively set the romantic and sweet nature of the text without becoming overly sentimental in a way that would take it outside of the Edgar Allen Poe aesthetic. 

Website: www.benkapilow.com
Facebook: Benjamin Kapilow
Instagram: @bkapilow

Mokale Koapeng holds a master’s degree in music composition and a higher diploma in education from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Mokale has taught at Dorkay House, FUBA, Alexandra Arts Centre, Manu Technical College, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of South Africa, and Rusangu University (Zambia). 

Mokale was the music director of SDASA Chorale, a gospel group that released an internationally acclaimed CD Simunye with a British vocal group I Fagiolini. The two groups toured Europe in May and July 1999. In February 2001, the groups performed at the Bermuda Festival. They participated in the 2006 Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music.

Commissions: 

Classical Movements (Letlang Bana, On the Wings of Peace and Love, SATB; Alkebulan, SSAA; Yixesha! Ke Nako for chamber orchestra)
Bow Project (Komeng, string quartet)
National Arts Festival (Cantus in Memoriam ’76, SATB and orchestra)
Johannesburg International Mozart Festival (Dipesalema tsa Dafita for SATB and orchestra)
National Symphony Orchestra of the SABC (Tshelo Bosha)
Mannie Manim Productions (Milestones: The Musical) SAMA Award Winner, 1999
Nation-Building Massed Choir Festival (Fatlhego Sa Gago for SATB soloists, choir and orchestra)
I Fagiolini (Utlwang Lefoko la Morena, SATB)
University of Pretoria (Sedi La Me, SATB and chamber orchestra)
South African National Youth Orchestra (Isijabane for orchestra)
UNISA Music Foundation (Malatsi a Bosha for string orchestra) 

His compositions are influenced by Western classical music, jazz, and African music. His string quartet Komeng has been recorded by the Nightingale, Odeion, and Signum String Quartets. His piano piece Prelude in D Flat is recorded by Rebeca Ormodia. His choral pieces have been performed by I Fagiolini, SDASA Chorale, the Oregon Adventist Men’s Chorus, the University of Pretoria Camerata, the William and Mary College, and the San Francisco Girl’s Chorus. The New Orchestra of Washington performed the premiere of Yixesha! Ke Nako at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 

I can’t imagine my life without music, but there was a time not long ago when I had completely given up on it. I studied composition and choral education in my undergrad, but self-doubt and family responsibilities led me to drop out and pursue a more “responsible” career. Fifteen years, five kids, and two business degrees later, a music career just seemed like a long-lost dream. 

However, in 2022 I was invited to join a local choir, and during a trip with them to Hungary that summer, I felt inspired to start composing again. My first choral piece in over 20 years, a setting of a traditional Swedish psalm, I denna ljuva sommartid,” quickly garnered thousands of views on YouTube and has become my best-seller, with worldwide performances on four continents. Since then, I’ve written over a dozen more pieces and won several competitions. 

My creative process is straightforward. Though I should perhaps spend more time selecting and analyzing a text before composing, I usually start writing music within an hour of picking a text. For me the music is paramount, and the most important aspect of a poem is that it sings! I aim to write music that creates deep emotional experiences or is simply a lot of fun. 

My Editors’ Choice piece Haunted Houses fits into the latter category. After watching a university choir’s Halloween concert last year, I was inspired to write my own Halloween piece. I found Longfellow’s excellent poem Haunted Houses and was surprised that no choral settings of it existed. In fact, I found a general shortage of quality Halloween choral music and figured I could help fill that niche. So, I set to work, and the rest is history. 

Website: https://www.clarkwilliamlawlor.com
YouTube: @clarkwilliamlawlor

Is there anything more beautiful than children singing? Making music with kids and watching them grow as musicians is my greatest professional joy. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, in 2003 I began my music teaching career in Schenectady, New York. I’ve also been a church musician since I was in high school. Years of being the behind-the-scenes person at the piano bench have led to the development of my superpower: accompanying. When I write choral music, I spend a lot of time crafting an accompaniment that is beautiful, supportive of the melodic and harmonic lines, and technically accessible for teachers who aren’t comfortable with their piano skills. 

On the evening of April 3, 2019 I sat at my piano just to play for the joy of it – and I “accidentally wrote a song,” Cast Away. I played a B-flat chord (because hey, I teach beginning band and there is no other key, right?) and knew there was a song right at my fingertips, just waiting to come forth. I know this sounds super cheesy, but it felt magical, even mystical, as I followed the melody and the words to where they seemed to already exist. Composing was, and still is, very much a process of discovery for me. I started writing church music and have since expanded to instrumental and choral. Being vulnerable in sharing my music was incredibly difficult at first, but I’m so glad I did! 

My love of children’s voices, accompanying chorus, and my new-found delight in composing naturally led to writing for my students. Bloom is the first song I wrote for children’s chorus. I write the melody, lyrics, and accompaniment all at the same time and edit as needed afterwards. Music is incredibly powerful. I want my songs to fill my students’ hearts and minds with good, beautiful things. Next year I have two new pieces coming out: Journey the Night (SA/SAB) and Little River (SA/SAB). 

As a composer I am inspired by my students. It brings me so much joy to see their successes and I want to write music that they will love singing, that will push and challenge them, and music that will help them shine. 

My piece Becoming You was inspired by the Youth Chorus of Kansas City singers I get to direct. It is about the journey we each go on toward becoming the best version of ourselves. As directors, we get to be part of that journey in the lives of so many young people – what a gift! This piece celebrates the joy of that growth, exploration, and adventure. 

I am thrilled to be releasing my first children’s book, Our First Day of Music, which is a singable story for welcoming students to the music room! 

Website: mrsmainsmusicians.com
Instagram: @mrsmainsmusicians

Throughout my childhood, I enjoyed a wide array of musical experiences, including singing, piano, trombone, electric bass, and acoustic guitar. Throughout most of my youth, I was focused on being a professional orchestral trombonist. Though I always adored choral music, it wasn’t until midway through my time at the Eastman School of Music that I decided I wanted to become a choral music educator. I am currently in my twelfth year as a high school choral music educator and have been writing choral music professionally for about five years now. 

When I’m composing, I begin with the text, and I speak it out loud expressively, paying attention to where my natural speaking voice goes up or down, loud or soft, stretches or compresses, on each syllable. I then surround that with harmony and texture that helps to bring intensity and clarity to the message of the text, often employing text painting to help accomplish this. When I’m arranging, the piece of music itself is already artistic and effective, so my job is to make the arrangement fit the specific intended musical context as well as it can. In the case of Bye Bye Blackbird, I could not find an SATB a cappella arrangement of the tune that had an authentic jazz harmonic landscape, so I decided to create one myself! I love the optimistic message of Mort Dixon’s clever lyrics and added my own vocalese section in the middle of the piece, inspired greatly by the master jazz vocalist Kurt Elling. 

I’m very excited about my new piece Lighted Ever Onward coming out with Galaxy Music Corporation later this year. You can learn more about my musical journey on my website, and feel free to contact me using the Composer Connection feature of Excelcia Music Publishing’s website. 

Website: brandonmartell.com
Facebook: Brandon Martell
Instagram: @iam_misterm

Born near Stuttgart, I began my musical journey at the age of eight, starting with the drums. Later, I taught myself to play the piano and eventually took formal piano lessons. In 2020, I embarked on my studies at Ludwigsburg University of Education, focusing on music and English education. This period provided an opportunity to compose choral pieces, igniting a deep passion for composition. 

To compose, I need a clear mind. Creativity doesn’t find me at my desk. Instead, it flourishes when I stroll through nature, or during the simple acts of daily life, such as cleaning, doing laundry, or cooking. My piece Shine, Little Light was composed in the summer of 2022. Influenced by the isolation and loneliness of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to create a piece that brings hope and spreads joy. The inspiration for this work came from my niece, my personal “little light,” who has been a source of joy and hope for me during the pandemic and continues to be so today. 

Instagram: @david.massong

Writing music has been a passion of mine for the majority of my life. I’ve been interested in combining my classical music training in school, Indian music from my home life, and popular genres from my social life. As a vocalist and pianist, I am particularly drawn to evocative poetry which allows for expressivity in melody and imagery in accompanimental figures. My work with community choirs and in public education drives me to look for ways to expand musical motifs in ways that support pedagogical goals for music education, such as imitation through canon, accessible tessitura, and supportive accompaniments.

Who I Want to Be is a perfect combination of all of my musical interests, from classical to musical theater. My best friend, Coty Raven Morris, created this poem and melody while working with students through the pandemic. Late one night, she sent me a voice memo with her singing the tune and sketches of some harmonies. Immediately, I was inspired and sent a full choral arrangement back that night. Coty suggested the meaning of the poem to be a mantra – which comes from my religious culture – as something to repeat until the speaker believes the words. As such, I looked for hooks within the melody to repeat throughout the song. The resulting piece is a heartfelt collaboration between two friends and their students, all trying to keep a positive outlook during trying times. 

While I build my website, you can reach me on any social media platform: @saleelmenon. Coty and I are excited to release a new song together in January, called Red Velvet, which is a cute and uplifting choral work by Coty which I edited and premiered at the 2024 All-Virginia 6th–7th Grade Treble Choir! The song speaks to themes of self-actualization through a metaphor of cake. 

Although I grew up in a supportive and musical family, it was not until I was 17 that I decided to make music my passion after joining my high school choir! Having recently graduated from the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory, I will begin my first year teaching at Raytown Central Middle School this upcoming school year. In the evenings, I also work as a rehearsal manager with the Youth Chorus of Kansas City and as the assistant music director at Connection Point Church in Raytown, Missouri. 

My creative process varies depending on what idea or concept develops first. Sometimes I find an amazing text to which I naturally hear music, or I have a melody in my mind that needs to be explored! Because I always feel like there’s a new idea to expand, I tend to be working on multiple projects at the same time. I may spend an hour or so working on one piece getting an idea completed, and other times just a few minutes on several ideas and projects. I enjoy different styles of music, but my favorite genre of music is EDM, and artists like Avicii, Kygo, and Martin Garrix strongly influence my sound! 

Green Grow the Laurels was an unexpected project from this past year. For my choral arranging class at UMKC, I wanted to create a piece that was folksy and energetic, and after finding the text I knew it would be perfect for a fast-paced, engaging piece. After presenting my piece, my professor, Ryan Main, suggested I think about publishing it. After several months of edits and adding additional instruments, we were able to debut at YCKC’s last concert of the year! 

Website: meyerjason55@gmail.com
Instagram: @jasonmeyer1313
Facebook: facebook.com/61556984714985 

Music – in all forms – has always been a central part of my life. Now, I wear many hats: performer, voice teacher, music director, accompanist, composer, and arranger. I’ve been tremendously blessed to have wonderful teachers and mentors throughout my musical journey, from elementary school music up to today.

I began arranging a few songs for my personal enjoyment when I was a senior in high school. While earning my undergraduate degree in vocal performance from Samford University, I enrolled in a composition elective and discovered a deep love for creating new music. I continued my compositional studies while recently completing my master’s in vocal pedagogy at Shenandoah Conservatory. 

My creative process begins with spending time with the text. Often, the text will “tell” me how it can best be set. I’ve also adopted my own guidelines for any work I produce. Each work should be rewarding for three audiences: singers, listeners, and the conductor. The closer I get to effectively writing for all three, the better. 

My primary musical influences, choral and beyond, include Will Todd, Derric Johnson, Jamey Ray, Paul Langford, Jake Runestad, Jacob Collier, George Gershwin, and, of course, Irving Berlin. 

Music of the Great American Songbook holds a special place in my heart, especially Always, a true gem by the legendary Irving Berlin. For Always, I aimed to capture the timeless nostalgia of its melody and lyrics while creating vocal lines that feel natural to the singers. Being a love song in 3/4, I thought it fitting to include a heartfelt waltz midway through the song until the featured solo leads us to the final refrain. 

Website: blakermitchellmusic.com
Instagram: @brmitchellmusic
Facebook: facebook.com/brmitchellmusic 

I am a singer and pianist born into a musical family, where my love for harmony began at a very young age while touring with my dad. This early exposure to music deeply influenced my passion and creativity. Currently, my creative process often involves improvising into Logic and then analyzing the results later. Sometimes I start by sitting down at the piano, working with the harmony, and then improvising lines into Logic. Whether I’m aiming for a homophonic song or a polyphonic piece with multiple layers and rhythmic textures, my approach varies. When I strive to create singable lines, I find that improvising until I land on something I love is the most effective method. Each composition is a journey of discovery, blending my deep-rooted love of music with innovative techniques to craft unique and emotional music. 

My selection was originally a commission by a dear friend, Kate Crellin, director for the Grammy Award-winning program at Mira Costa High School. Her request was to capture the winter spirit without being tied to any specific religion. I believe the holidays have many universal themes that bring us together. In this piece, I wanted to emphasize unity, nostalgia, and the reflection that comes with the year’s end. Additionally, the close harmonies often found in holiday music deeply inspired me, evoking a sense of warmth and togetherness. 

You can find all of my compositions, both published and self-published, on my website. I also have an Instagram page where I post score videos of all my recent projects. My YouTube page also features full videos of my compositions, allowing you to listen to and follow along to scores before purchasing. I have so many future projects I am excited about! My passion for creating original music has grown stronger. This new direction allows me to explore and express my unique musical voice more fully. I am thrilled to share these fresh, original compositions with you, including a newly published piece titled Common Ground with Anchor Music. Thank you for this feature and am looking forward to hearing all of your lovely interpretations of this piece. 

Website: www.maryannemuglia.com
Instagram: @maryanne.muglia
YouTube: @maryannemuglia 

Growing up, I always wrote music, but as I started gaining a reputation as a conductor, I basically gave up writing. Only during the pandemic did I start writing again – nowadays, it’s a regular part of my routine. I try to write every morning, although during the school year it isn’t always possible; at the very least, I write three or four mornings each week, for two- to three-hour sessions. Often I have a specific piece I’m working on, but sometimes I’ll just sit down and allow ideas to flow, with no agenda or expectations. Some of my best work has come this way! 

Intro was written to be the introduction to the 2019 album Explorers by Analog Chorale, a group that I founded in Boston. It’s a piece that addresses my own struggles with anxiety and depression and tries to take an authentic and empowering stance toward those issues. After the pandemic, I noticed that a few different choral directors had gotten ahold of my unpublished score and programmed Intro on their choral concerts. So I decided to go ahead and seek publication for the piece with Endeavor Music Publishing. 

Since the pandemic, I’ve been composing under the anagrammatic stage name Renoir Kobashi.

Website: krishanoberoi.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6uE1pst7h46PbeqP5BqH7A
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/krishan-oberoi-574108840

 

I am a music teacher at Harford Christian School and the Director of Music at Reformation Bible Church. In addition to that (and writing music), I also enjoy working as a clinician and adjudicator. 

Most of the music I write comes from searching for music for the ensembles I direct. If I look through the J.W. Pepper catalog thoroughly and still cannot find what I am looking for, I figure, “Why not just write it myself?” Because I am targeting my own ensembles, accessibility remains a top priority. 

When I write, I start by outlining the work so that it has structure, direction, and cohesion. One thing I have learned over the years is that I cannot be afraid to scrap something and start over. If the initial idea is not strong enough, no amount of editing and refinement will turn it into something good. For God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, the initial idea was the rhythmic figure that alternates between 6/8 and 3/4. My background is in instrumental music, and I think rhythm is often an underutilized element in choral music.

As an undergraduate student in college, I first got the composing itch from taking a choral composition class with Dan Forrest. Additional influences include Bach, Mahler, Copland, Pärt, and Lauridsen. 

When I do my best writing, there is a good balance between self-confidence and self-doubt. Without self-confidence, I would never even put pen to paper. Without self-doubt, I would settle for the first idea to come into my head rather than critiquing my own work to find the best idea (which often is not the first idea). 

You can find my music here and on Facebook, and I can be reached with inquiries and commissions at

Website: https://bit.ly/m/Asbury-Publishing
Email: asburypublishing@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/wesley.d.peters 

When my friend introduced me to the tune of Yenyere, I loved it, and thought it was so fun! For our purposes for the performance we were preparing, we added a few percussion instruments and had a blast with it. However, I felt like it was missing a fun and strong ending, so, I made one up on the fly, and the kids caught on quickly. I later decided it was worth writing down and sharing with others. It was a special treat to be able to include my dear friend Eugenio Fabela in the project to honor his talents, percussion experience, and knowledge of this style of music. He is so smart and capable!

Rounds have always been praised as one of the easiest ways to prepare young singers’ ears for part singing. However, I always struggled with them because I like to see them written out so I can see what chords are being created and be able to pause children on those cadences to check for intonation, and help their ears acclimate. I also never cared for their abrupt endings.

Thus, the idea of setting rounds in written out format with a tidy, accessible harmonic ending was born. I am now looking to set more a cappella rounds with pretty endings and have them out by the Spring. It is my goal to produce music that is accessible, beautiful, and more satisfying than the rounds currently being used. I hope to fill that need and provide fun musical experiences in the process!

I am a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer originally from Bismarck, North Dakota, and currently based in Nashville. I have a wide palette of influences, but a consistent thread through my music is a fascination with the tradition of folk music, Americana, and related styles. I attended the University of Notre Dame where I double-majored in English and music theory and was a member of the Glee Club, the flagship men’s chorus on campus. This piece was originally created specifically for that group when I was an undergrad, and it has been in the ensemble’s repertoire ever since (I believe I also submitted it as a project in my senior composition project and got a B). The broader men’s choral repertoire is filled with excellent interpretations of folk music – sea shanties, spirituals, Celtic songs, and so on – and I was inspired in particular by the arrangement style of Robert Shaw and Alice Parker. I knew this sea shanty, Bonnie Hielan Laddie, from my dad’s folk records, and I saw the opportunity to recast it in this choral idiom. And just as importantly, I knew that it was something the group could use. The club’s director, Dan Stowe, whom I consider a mentor and great friend, was immediately supportive of the piece and continues to champion me as a musical creator to this day. He is the one who spearheaded the effort to get this piece published, and I thank him wholeheartedly for that! 

I’m available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, etc., with three albums of original music, a collection of covers and traditional tunes, and a few other odds and ends. I have a fourth original LP, Cactus Makes Perfect, currently in post-production with a planned release this fall.

Website: www.nashvilleoutsider.com
Discography: nashvilleoutsider.bandcamp.com 

A California native, Ricardo Soto (b. 1956) holds a B.A. and M.M. from California State University, Fullerton, and a DMA from USC. He retired from Orange Coast College, serving as chair of the music department, conducting the orchestra, and teaching theory and music history. In 2015, he was honored as OCC Faculty of the Year. He has also served as director of the Hispanic Music Ministry at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. His great interest lies in developing choral music that reflects his Hispanic heritage.

I am entering my sixth year of teaching and currently serve as the associate choir director at Liberty High School. I have been writing music in some form or another ever since I learned to play the piano when I was ten. One of my first instructors strongly encouraged me to play by ear and notate the music as it came to me. As I continued learning other instruments like bass guitar, and later my voice, it became clear that creating music as an interactive force was my preferred method. Of course, I later went on to learn the “rules” in college and grad school, but only as guidelines for what I felt should be a natural process of communication through sound. 

Haul Away Joe was one of the first sea shanties I remember hearing. During a choral arranging class at Missouri State, I was reading Alice Parker’s The Answering Voice and it occurred to me that the call-and-response nature of sea shanties is one of the reasons they were so popular. Combining this with my experience in camp songs and gospel-style music, arranging this piece was a fun exploration of how to develop an idea in the simplest and most natural way possible. 

I am one of the co-founders of The Shanty Choir, a community-based singing group that meets at local breweries to teach and sing sea shanties. Our purpose is to bring local people together, regardless of their singing background, and lead them in rote-style songs. We have active chapters in Springfield and Kansas City, Missouri, and you can learn more by visiting our website at TheShantyChoir.com. 

I am a Vietnamese-American composer and conductor from Allen, Texas, and I am honored to receive an Editors’ Choice designation. In 2018, I began composing music during my freshman year at Texas Christian University when my theory professor challenged me to write my first composition as an honors project. I composed a piece entitled There Be None Like Thee (now published by Alliance!), and I decided to add composition as a second degree. In 2022, I graduated with degrees in composition and education, and I recently won the ACDA Brock Prize for Students in 2023. 

My composition process begins like many other composers: I start with a text that inspires me, and I work to discover what the piece might sound, feel, and even look like from the audience’s perspective. I enjoy writing music that encourages audiences to be present and listen a little closer in performance. Music creates community, and I am passionate about writing music that connects with audiences and singers in the ensemble. 

Will There Really Be a “Morning”? is the second piece I ever wrote for choir. The summer after my freshman year, I was in Iowa singing for Simpson College’s summer master’s conducting program. I roomed with three talented musicians (Jared, Jacob, and Cameron), and we formed our own TTBB quartet! Like true music nerds, we sang tenor-bass music most nights, and I decided to write my own piece for us to sing. I have always loved Dickinson’s poem, so I worked on a new setting in my free time. Every night, we sat around the living room to sing through draft after draft until I had a completed version. I am incredibly thankful for their patience, encouragement, and friendship, and I could never have imagined this piece would be an Editors’ Choice six years later.

Future engagements include a Carnegie Hall debut in 2026 with a newly commissioned piece by National Concerts, and other pieces will be performed at conferences around the country this year. More compositions and recordings can be found on my website. Thank you for checking out my work!

Website: patrickvu.com
Instagram: @_patrickvu

I have spent most of my career as both a live and studio vocalist, but my passion for the choral arts has endured since my early childhood years in youth choirs, madrigal groups, church ensembles, and more. I’ve continued my love of ensemble singing with the Voices of Liberty at Disney, and the world-renowned a cappella group Voctave. I also find great fulfillment in studio settings where I can really mold and capture precise vocals for various projects.

Songwriting and composition have become deeply meaningful additions to my creative arsenal. I love finding thoughtful ways, both lyrically and musically, to tell a story. My intent is to approach original pieces with a heartfelt and intuitive perspective. I truly hope to create memorable hooks and meaningful lyrics that leave listeners wanting more. Music is about communicating, and I find great purpose and joy in this pursuit. 

My Pride marks my choral composition debut, and it continues to be a rewarding journey. Collaborating with Jamey Ray, my dear friend and creative partner, has been a dream come true. I believe we have created an inspiring and uplifting composition that evokes a sense of pride and unity. May we continue to seek opportunities through music to elevate and amplify self-acceptance, discovery, and to celebrate exactly who we are. 

Instagram: @sarahwhittemoremusic 

Church Choral 

On my very first day as a music student at University College Cork – in Ireland where I grew up – walking around campus with a guitar, I was randomly approached several times and asked if I’d be interested in joining the folk group’ at the college chaplaincy. I had little interest in church at that point in life, but not knowing anyone at my new school I decided to take a chance. At that first rehearsal, the director, a Dominican priest, asked if anyone had an interest in writing some music, as all we had at the time was American music. I offered, and the following week brought in a simple Alleluia which the group started using immediately. It was the first of many – and I was hooked. Growing in faith through my music ministry, I later went on to study liturgy, and shortly thereafter had the opportunity to come and work in the U.S. Thirty years later I have worked in four different Catholic communities across the United States as a church musician, choir director, liturgist, and composer. 

I wrote this Ave Maria some years ago, like many pieces, for a particular event: a choir concert. We all have those works that we have to play again and again, and I had played the Schubert or Bach/Gounod Latin Ave Maria settings at countless weddings and funerals over the years. So for our concert I wanted to do something fresh that would work for my choir as well as a talented soprano that I had at my musical disposal. It worked out beautifully. It’s a little atypical for me as I normally work in a more contemporary or more specifically liturgical vein, but I was thrilled when OCP decided to publish it and humbled at the Editors’ Choice selection from J.W. Pepper! 

Website: www.kingsongs.net
Facebook: facebook.com/kingsongs

I am a music editor at GIA Publications. I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in composition from Temple University, where I studied with Maurice Wright and Matthew Greenbaum. I am also on the music staff of St. John of the Cross in Western Springs, Illinois. I first entered the sacred publishing world in 2001 with World Library Publications. Being in this unique position of editor and working musician has given me the opportunity not only to bring the best music to my church but also to learn what assemblies and choirs need for effective worship and bring those ideas back to the publishing house.

As a liturgical musician who spends time on the organ and piano bench, I always devote some of my practice time to improvisation. It is here where most of my compositional ideas first take root. The birth of Three Seasonal Settings of Puer Nobis was a practical one. I wanted a setting of That Easter Day that featured the vocal forces building with each successive verse. This made it practical for choirs with limited rehearsal time or skill – they only had to learn one or two verses of harmony.

The hymn tune PUER NOBIS appealed to me not only because of its joyful and animated character but also because of its ability to yield contrapuntal lines through canon and inversion. I took advantage of this in the introduction and the short organ interludes. To increase usage, the Christmas text From Heaven Above and Epiphany text What Star Is This were added. The addition of flute, violin, and cello arose from their participation in those specific liturgies. 

Many composers that I have edited have also influenced my scared compositions: Richard Proulx, Paul French, and  Chrysogonus Waddell to name a few. It is their dedication and craft that inspires my creativity. 

Website: https://giamusic.com/search?elSearchTerm=keith+kalemba 

I’m an organist, choral conductor and musicologist from Italy. As a composer, I’ve written music in many genres and forms – for solo instrument, chamber, opera, and symphonic music – though primarily sacred and liturgical choral music. Many of my compositions have been awarded in national and international competitions. 

My creative process starts mainly in response to a commission, for composition competitions, or to fill a particular need of the choir I conduct. Writing just for an inner need of the soul has become increasingly rare to me nowadays; I was quite used to doing so, but over the years this has led to a pile of hundreds if not thousands of unpublished and unperformed pieces, which is highly discouraging because my biggest and best efforts might be found among these. 

I wrote my arrangement of the Sussex Carol for SAMen and organ – 2024 Editors’ Choice at J.W. Pepper – back in 2018 for the choir I conduct, as something light and dancing but with a familiar feeling was needed for our Christmas services. I think it retains all the best features of my choral arrangements, with singable vocal lines and a colorful, wholly independent yet supportive organ part. Sometimes the shortage of male voices in amateur choirs – at least here in Europe – is dramatic, as is the shortage of practical and well-crafted sacred and liturgical repertoire for SAMen and organ aimed at the more traditional houses of worship; a lot of my writing efforts – both original pieces and arrangements – are intended to fill this huge gap. 

More choral and instrumental pieces of mine are being published: if you want to stay updated with all the new releases, do check my publishers’ websites (and J.W. Pepper’s website!). My music is published in Italy, Germany, the UK, and the US.

Facebook: facebook.com/davide.mutti
YouTube: @concertoviole

I write choral music very much from a singer’s perspective, having been a professional soprano for 30 years. I’m a great believer in the power of a good tune, so I always begin by reading the words aloud until a melody starts to emerge; everything else springs from that. I’ve made it my personal mission to create a body of tuneful, singable, well-crafted music that every choir can enjoy singing. An important part of my process is to record a demo of a new piece in my home studio; if anything doesn’t feel nice to sing, I rewrite it. 

Love Came Down was commissioned by a choir director, David Acres, and is one of the tracks on my album Winter Light, recorded by London Voices. Christina Rossetti’s poem has inspired lots of choral settings, but for me, it immediately suggested a melody in compound time, with the first three words “love came down” forming a repeating pattern in the accompanying voices. Just as love came down, so does the opening descending phrase – I enjoy subtle word-painting devices! 

I’ve recently completed my most ambitious piece to date, A Season to Sing, which is a 40-minute choral reimagining of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Since 2025 will mark 300 years since the publication of Vivaldi’s most famous work, it seemed the perfect time to create a choral version using words from the Bible and from poetry. The work is being co-commissioned by choirs across the world who will each perform the piece in the 300th anniversary year. The great thing about its seasonal theme is that it can be programmed for any time of the year. 

If your choir would like to be part of A Season to Sing, contact me.

Website: www.joannaforbeslestrange.com
Instagram: @joforbesmusician 

Although I’ve been working as a composer and conductor for more than a decade, it wasn’t until the pandemic that I fully understood the importance of choral singing as a lifeblood and lifeline. If you tried Zoom choir, you know the musical component was less than satisfactory, but the opportunity to connect, share, and yes, even cry, sustained us through that trying time! 

It was then that I started to ramp up my composing – to meet the needs and constraints of virtual production, but with an eye for future in-person performances. I’ve always composed with a specific ensemble or occasion in mind, and I typically spend a few days imagining the entire piece in my mind (think frequent voice memos and sleepless nights) before heading to the piano to work it out fully, keeping in mind these essential qualities: 

• Is it enjoyable to sing (for every part!)? 
• Is it learnable in one or two rehearsals?
• Does it enhance the text or help one to understand it in a meaningful way?
• Would I be proud to consider it part of my composing legacy?
• Is it memorable?

My Editors’ Choice setting of the medieval Christmas hymn Of the Father’s Love Begotten emerged similarly – there was a desire for an ad hoc handbell part to be played by singers in the choir, but not enough time to rehearse it separately! The piece reflects a journey – a procession from darkness to light, or, inspired by the text, the chronological thread from prophecy to heavenly glory. The bells add to the mystery and grandeur, moving from accompanying a unison chant to SATB with optional strings, and finally the full organ, random bell ringing, strings, and ecstatic descant. One notable feature is the gradual stylistic shift – it begins as plainsong, then organum-like polyphony and into a romantic idiom, and finally ends with crunchy, jazz-influenced harmonies. It’s worth a listen in consideration for your next Christmas program! 

Website: www.stevenseigart.com
Instagram: @drseigart
Facebook: facebook.com/sseigart
YouTube: @StevenSeigart