We invited a few composers to share one of their favorite Christmas pieces they’ve written or arranged. Their reflections are always fun to read—and we think you’ll find their choices just as interesting.
Heather Sorenson Advent of My Heart
Advent of My Heart is one of those pieces that rooted deep in my soul as I was writing it. Picking a favorite is always hard—each song means something different depending on the season of life I’m in. But this new piece stands out, because writing it helped me understand something I had long misunderstood: the season of Advent.
I didn’t grow up in a tradition that observed Advent or Lent, so the concept of waiting—for something that happened thousands of years ago—felt abstract to me. It wasn’t until adulthood that I began to see the mirror image between Lent and Advent. Both are seasons of anticipation. My understanding came when I began to recognize that we all have our own “advent” seasons—times of darkness, waiting, heartbreak… desperate for our Messiah to come and step into our situations. To redeem the brokenness.
This piece gives voice to that ache and that hope. It’s a modern Advent text, but its cry is ancient: We need a Savior. The chorus is our personal response to Advent:
If waiting brings me to my knees,
I’ll worship on the floor.
I’ll cry out for Your mercy,
I’ll surrender even more.
Then I’ll wait for Nativity to start
In the advent, the advent of my heart.
Russell Mauldin Son of God
Son of God is special to me because it combines choir with solo and optional children’s ensemble for a multigenerational Christmas celebration. It is classic and sacred in setting, but as a Michael W. Smith song, it is wonderfully current and contemporary, beautifully expressive and dramatic. It has been received quite well and remains one of my favorite songs that I’ve been asked to arrange and orchestrate.
Daniel Semsen God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen is a fun and powerful arrangement of this classic Christmas song. Starting out with two short solos on the first verse gives you a chance to highlight a couple of people in your choir during your Christmas program. I am using a couple of students for my concert. This arrangement is based on the Phil Wickham version of the song, except I added a couple of modulations and another twist or turn for a jolly good time with your choir. This arrangement also contains four complete verses from the original carol—as opposed to the standard two verses you find in a lot of versions of this song. It’s a blast to sing, and a crowd pleaser, too!
