Category: Arrangement

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Global

Oče naš /God, Our Father in Heaven (Croatian Lord’s Prayer)

Update 10/28/21: Sheet music for this song can now be purchased at gregscheer.com.

For a long time now, people* have been clamoring for the Scheer men to form a band. Indeed, we are the ultimate boy band: tall and lanky Simon–the funny one–with his hair piled high, Theo–the cute one–with his blonde mop top, and Greg–the mature older brother† with his hipster beard. Heck, we even have a diabetic member like the Jonas Brothers!

But I digress. The point is that this marks the first time that the Scheers have recorded a song together: I’m on guitar and vocals, Simon’s on bass, and Theo’s on cello.

And what a song it is! I was introduced to “Oče naš” by a woman who was taking ESL classes at Church of the Servant. She helped me find a recording of the song (below), gave me the meaning of each word of the original text, and even guided me through the Croatian pronunciation phonetically. I created a singing translation in English and arranged it for piano.

It’s a simple and haunting song that I hope will find its way into many congregations. For now, you will have to satisfy yourself with the Scheer Men’s rendition.

*By “a long time” and “people” I mean, of course, “one person” and “once.”

†By “mature older brother” I mean, of course, wishful thinking.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Demos Global

Psalm 121: Lift Your Eyes Up to the Mountains!

Update 12/11/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

As you know, my dear listeners, I scour the globe for songs that might find a home in your congregation. Sometimes they come from the globe that is my head. Other times they come from far-flung lands on the globe underneath my feet. In the case of this setting of Psalm 121, it hails from Korea.

I learned this song from two Korean friends who were studying at Calvin Seminary. This is the second in a big pile of lovely songs that we sang through a few years back. What I love about these songs is that they are simple, heartfelt, and based on scripture. It fits well with a Korean spirituality that is so full of prayer and devotion. The song is by Seong Sil Chung. (If you know him, please introduce me!) I translated the text using the videos below, notes from friends, and Psalm 121 itself. There are two arrangements: the first is a piano accompaniment with guitar chords (capo 4), the second is a simple four part arrangement like you’d find in hymnals.

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Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs Global Live

2016 Calvin Worship Symposium, final service

Only 5 months after the fact, here’s a video from the concluding worship service at the 2016 Calvin Worship Symposium. I led the service with my Church of the Servant home team, which made it really special. http://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/new-heavens-and-new-earth/

New Heavens and New Earth from Calvin Worship Institute on Vimeo.

Some of my contributions (beyond my welcoming hand gestures):

  • 5:20 Let the Spirit of the Lord Come Down (Nigeria, one that I arranged last year)
  • 8:18 Sing Praise to the Lord (SweeHong Lim, Singapore, with a new string arrangement)
  • 47:40 Canticle of the Turning with dance (I didn’t do anything, but I like what the COS dancers do with the song)
  • 1:04:40 Abana In Heaven” (my GIA anthem, led by choir and sung by the whole assembly)
  • 1:13:49 Fear Not, Rejoice and Be Glad (a new arrangement)
  • 1:23:26 May the Love of the Lord (SweeHong, string parts I’ve been using for a few years)
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Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs Global

GIA Choral Subscription Service

Abana

Kwake Yesu

5,000 people receive GIA’s Choral Subscription Service, and each one will get the chance to review my two new anthems published by GIA, Abana, and Kwake Yesu. Pretty cool. Even cooler? The sample octavos are accompanied by recordings of each piece. They did a really nice job with these. Take a listen above. Then head over to GIA and buy the anthems to sing at your church.

Thank you.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Live Psalms

Kimbrough: Oh Rejoice in All Your Works, strings

Update 12/11/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

Wendell Kimbrough won the Church of the Servant New Psalm Contest a few years ago with his setting of Psalm 104, “Oh Rejoice in All Your Works.” Since that time it has become a favorite of our congregation. Psalm 104 was the lectionary Psalm for Pentecost and I had a string ensemble available, so I took the opportunity to write a string arrangement for the service. It turned out splendidly, if I don’t say so myself.

If you want to hear the song in context (along with Pastor Jack Roeda’s exclamation at the end of the singing) visit the COS website.

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Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs Global Live

Kwake Yesu at Calvin Colloge’s LOFT

My choral arrangement of Kwake Yesu/Here on Jesus Christ I Will Stand (GIA) is beginning to make its way in the world. Here is a video from a recent LOFT service at Calvin College: http://livestream.com/calvin-college/events/4678265/videos/113157761.

Kwake Yesu begins at 22:55.

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Arrangement Choir Church Global

Guatemalan Santo, flute and choir

Update 12/11/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

I am not an abstract composer. That is, I find it difficult to compose a piece for a performer who doesn’t exist and a concert that might not happen. But give me an ensemble, an opportunity, and a deadline and I’ll whip out my pencil and get to work. Such was the case this Palm Sunday when I had a willing choir and a flutist who I knew would practice whatever I wrote. The result is an energetic prelude for choir, flute, and congas; an arrangement of the Guatemalan “Santo es el Señor/Holy Is the Lord.”

art by Matt Plescher (http://www.mattplescher.com/)
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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs

God Himself/O Rejoice

Update 12/18/21: Sheet music for this arrangement is now available at gregscheer.com.

This is not a new arrangement, per se, but it’s newly notated and recorded. Plus, it segues right into Wendell Kimbrough’s “O Rejoice in All Your Works,” so that warrants its own post.

“God Himself Is with Us” is a stately hymn that goes underused in most churches. My church sings it so confidently that I can count on them to hold their own against a tricky violin descant, so I kind of went over the top with what I gave the violin…

Appearing here for the first time is the score for the violin descant you hear above. If you use it in your church, why don’t you head over to my “orders” page and plunk down $3 to let me know you care.

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Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Live

We Sing the Mighty Power (Christ Church Davis)

While it’s fun to have your music played on your home turf, there’s something special about learning that a church far away is using one of your songs or arrangements. My friends Phil and Sarah Majorins used my string arrangement of “We Sing the Mighty Power” (KINGSFOLD) at Christ Church in Davis, CA this Fall. As you’ll hear, they did a splendid job. While you’re checking out my song, make sure to take a listen to Sarah’s “Psalm 8,” “Sanctus,” and “Mystery of Faith.” I am a thorn among roses!

Categories
Arrangement Choir Church Congregational Songs Global

Kwake Yesu, GIA recording

One of the nice things about getting a choral piece published is that the publisher often makes high quality recordings of the pieces for promotional purposes. Here’s a new recording of “Kwake Yesu/Here on Jesus Christ I Will Stand” by GIA:

What’s that? It’s so lovely you want to purchase 40 copies for you choir? Well, head on over to the GIA website and they’ll be glad to help you out!