Secular Choral Concert Music

Each of the brief pieces in this clever quartet is built on sage advice from Benjamin Franklin. Exploring themes of wellness, doing what's right, self-awareness, and houseguest etiquette, each mini-movement

This canon on the famous text from Ecclesiastes ("Vanity, vanity, all is vanity") was published by the Dutch composer in 1619, originally a part of his larger work Cantiones sacrae. This

How many ways can you say "friend"? This sweetly singable canon uses the word "friend" in 16 different languages, spanning cultures from six continents. Presented in unison, two- and three-part canon, this

Introduce Saint-Saen's beloved instrumental chamber work in a highly creative way! Playful original lyrics accompany strong two-part writing and an enchanting accompaniment. To get the full effect, consider

An emblem that transcends culture, religion, and era, the flickering candle offers a message of joy, hope, and peace that can reach every human heart. Start with the spark of a single voice on the opening

With unyielding imagery William Orpen, by vocation a painter not a poet, portrays a muddy morass in  "The Church, Zillebeke, October 1918.” Mud clings and hinders, mires and confuses. Here

Highlighting the actions of Rosa Parks and suffragist Alice Paul, She Stood for Freedom was inspired by everyday people who have employed nonviolent means to stand up for equality and the rights of others.

This is a beautiful, heartfelt setting of Naomi Shihab Nye's poem, Kindness, which nudges us to put ourselves in another's shoes, for it is only then that we will know the "... tender gravity of

Here's a creative a cappella set of secular blessings that is ideal as a concert finale, encore, benediction, or for graduation. Whether performed individually or in tandem, each of these brief selections

Robert Frost's much-quoted poem presents a memorable metaphor about life choices. This setting explores subtle nuances of the text through the thoughtful use of melodic line, harmonic color, musical

The author of this sensitive, warmhearted text was one of the first African-American playwrights ever to be published. This tender musical setting incorporates subtle shifts of tempo and dynamics to paint a

A garden serves as a metaphor for nurturing a meaningful life in this tender choral. Lyrical lines, warm harmonies, and sensitive phrasing garner a beautiful bouquet of musical moments. "Grow your garden.

This ebullient setting, using the text from a Wendell Berry poem which reads like a psalm of praise, is strongly influenced by Appalachian folk music, even incorporating an original fiddle tune sung on

This piece is an exploration of sounds with the human voice in a language created by the composer. Inspired by his own poem, the setting captures the magical moments of a day's beginning and end through a

Names comes from a cycle of 11 a cappella choral pieces derived from “Early Moon,” a collection of poetry by Carl Sandberg. The images in these simple, direct lyrics have a depth and

Evening Waterfall comes from a cycle of eleven a cappella choral pieces derived from “Early Moon,” a collection of poetry by Carl Sandburg. The images in these simple, direct lyrics

This is the eleventh movement of "The Sacred Veil", a twelve-movement work written with poet Charles Anthony Silvestri that chronicles the rich life of Tony and his late wife Julie and their journey through

"You feel like home." A beautiful glimpse into the moment that poet Charles Anthony Silvestri knew that he fell in love with his wife, Julie, this plaintive piece expresses joy tinged with sadness. This is

The final movement of "The Sacred Veil", a twelve-movement work written with poet Charles Anthony Silvestri that chronicles the rich life of Tony and his late wife Julie, this plaintive piece serves as a

Generations of solo singers have cherished this classic German art song, and now your choir can sing it, too! Schubert's original piano part provides the rich chromatic language from which the voice parts

The youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history, Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist for female education. Malala has encountered many serious challenges but continues to find ways to make a significant

Often considered to be one of the first great American female composers, Amy Beach's art songs are stylistically similar to those of other late-Romantic European composers. Here we have two solo art songs

The Gate is Open offers contemplative listeners a gentle unfolding, trembling with stillness and mystery. Its three central symbols - the gate, the woods, and the Star - are observed but not

A soulful rendering of Rabindranath Tagore's poetic aphorism on faith, featuring blues-inflected solos, varied choral textures, and a dazzling final chord. A favorite of high school and college choirs, and