Category: Commissions

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Choir Church Commissions Congregational Songs Demos

Our Souls Will Magnify the Lord (O Antiphons)

I forgot to post this to my blog when I completed it in December!

My alma mater congregation, Church of the Servant, reached out to me last year about their O Antiphon service.* They had been using various musical resources and wanted to commission a brand new setting of all seven “O” texts. I set to work writing new texts based on the original Latin verses and composing an original melody.

Since the O Antiphons are traditionally associated with the Magnificat, I decided to tie all seven verses together with Mary’s song of praise, turning her words into a group response: “Our Souls will Magnify the Lord.” It is a pentatonic (five-note) melody that never seems to come to rest because it begins on the second scale degree and ends on the third. Let me put that in normal person language: the melody has a mystical, elusive quality that reflects the tone of the text and worship service.

This should have been a simple one-and-done seven-verse hymn, but as I continued to work on it, I imagined more sonic textures. By the time I was done I had written a 60 page score for choir, flute, alto recorder, violin, viola, bass, and piano. Feel free to follow along in the scrolling-score video above.

*If you’re not familiar with this Advent tradition, the O Antiphons are seven songs, each beginning with “O” and then addressing the coming Savior with a title like “O Wisdom” or “O Root of Jesse.” You may know them in one of their most popular forms, the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

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Art Music Commissions Live

Cannon

I was commissioned to compose a new piece for The Northwest Iowa Christian Schools String Orchestra Festival. The result is Cannon, which premiered on October 31, 2024.

It was a lovely performance featuring over 100 student string players. Here are the notes about the piece that appeared in the program:

I’ve always joked that I continue composing because I want to have my Pachelbel’s “Canon.” Though Pachelbel wrote hundreds of pieces, most of us only know his ubiquitous “Canon in D.” Not bad for a “one hit wonder”! As an homage to Pachelbel, I named my piece “Cannon in D Minor” and began composing. However, I soon ran into a problem: the orchestra would sound a lot better in a key like G or D. I transposed my draft to G and shortened the title to “Cannon” (this music is explosive in any key!) and got back to work. 

What emerged is a composition that is full of rhythmic energy and surprises. The piece begins with a bang, a fanfare that sets the tone for what is to come. Suddenly, the bombast stops and a stately canon begins. (You’ll remember that a canon is another word for round, where a musical theme is repeated in each section. Think “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”) After a brief reappearance of the fanfare, we enter an extended rhythmic section that has hints of Irish Jigs, African rhythms, and Rock and Roll. Once again, we hit the brakes for a canon, but this time it is a quote of Pachelbel’s “Canon”—with a twist. The orchestra has barely finished the first eight measures of Pachelbel’s theme when a solo violin interjects a theme of its own—a double-canon mash up of Pachelbel and Scheer that takes us to the final fanfare. 

Astute music connoisseurs will notice a unique feature of the “Cannon” orchestra: the addition of Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Percussion, and Drum Set. The idea of adding a rhythm section was suggested after the conductors heard some songs I had written for the St. Sinner Orchestra, a symphonic rock group I lead. I quickly agreed, being a composer who loves combining styles and timbres in fresh ways. 

Who knows? Maybe “Cannon” will be my Pachelbel’s “Canon”!

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Arrangement Church Commissions Congregational Songs Demos Global

與主合 / One with the Lord

A friend sent me this lovely Chinese communion song and a literal translation by a missionary/translator. There is no better way to procrastinate than to translate, arrange, and record a new global hymn, so I set to work!

The key to translating a song is to get the spirit of the song, rather than just the words. Is the song highbrow or heartfelt? What is the rhyme scheme in the original language–or is there one? Is the music simple or complicated? All these questions come into play when “transplanting” a song from one culture to another.

“One with the Lord” is a simple chorus with no surprises or sophisticated nuances. And yet, in its simplicity it is lovely and immensely singable. You’ll notice that the lyrics are all in first person. I’m not always a fan of “Jesus and me” communion songs, but I’ll make an exception for this authentic expression of personal prayer. One of the difficulties was that meter is 6.6.6.4. With lines that short–and distinct breaks between each line–it’s hard to fit all of the Chinese lyric’s meaning into so few English syllables. In cases like this, I always choose singability over correct grammar.

I would love to hear from anyone who has sung the song in its original language or know where the song originated!

1. Christ gave himself for me–
body and blood for me.
The bread and cup I see
come from our Lord.

Christ broke the bread of life,
poured out salvation’s wine.
I eat and drink and I’m
one with the Lord.

2. I have been crucified.
My sin is dead in Christ.
And yet I am alive–
alive for God.

I am made new in Christ.
Darkness gives way to light.
Christ has become my life.
Glory to God!

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Commissions Demos Rock and/or Roll

Tuesday Was Behind You (w/ TL Moody)

This is the second “slice of life” song co-written with Tammy Moody. This time Tammy turned to Philippians 3:13 for her inspiration: “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on…” One of the things I especially like about the lyrics are that you wouldn’t necessarily know the song was based on a scripture–it works on its own as a song about a down-on-her-luck woman who chooses to look forward in hope rather than backward with regret.

I was really excited to write the music for this one because I got to channel my inner Los Lobos. That is not an everyday request! It felt good to plug in my Strat and get out my tambourine to create a jangly roots rock recording.

1. glancing back,
you saw tuesday standin’ there
peering out the opened red door
on the right
empty candy wrapper held
cigarette-like, tight

turned around
only reminders you got
turned around
failure is followin’ you
turned around burnt out cinders
there is nothin’ left for you

2. glancing back,
you saw tuesday standin’ there
lips pursed thin and folding
in to the slightest smirk
dancing bony fingers
tap on your new plaid skirt

turned around
only reminders you got
turned around
failure is followin’ you
turned around burnt out cinders
there is nothin’ left for you

turn it down, this noise inside my head
tell me now is any of it true?
Lord, turn it down, down,
the noise inside my head,
shoutin’ there is nothing left for you.

3. glancing up ahead
and sunday’s standin’
there you look straight at chaos
stop starin’ at the ground
tune inside is hummin’ girl,
don’t look back now

in front of you
only reminders
in front of you
mercy is waitin’ you
in front of you God’s hot embers
there’s a fire lit inside of you

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Commissions Demos

Firefly (with TL Moody)

Tammy Moody and I have been collaborating for quite some time. Much of our past work has been on hymns, but recently she has begun to stretch into new areas. Her newer texts are still inspired by scripture, but instead of paraphrasing them, she distills them into images and slice-of-life vignettes.

In this song, she turns Mark 10:14 (…“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”) into a scene in which a girl experiences the uninhibited joy of catching fireflies at night. I especially like the way here-and-now light of fireflies in her mayonnaise jar connects to the countless stars in the night sky.

When Tammy sent me the lyrics, she referenced The Wailin’ Jennys as the music style she heard in her head–simple, honest, beautiful folk music. I hope I captured a little of their inspiration like our song’s protagonist scooped up fireflies in her jar.

1. in her hand, a firefly
at her wiggly toes, a jar
mayonnaise jar that mama washed
to hold sparklers from the sky
tiny holes poked in its lid
so her treasure wouldn’t die
so her treasure wouldn’t die
firefly

2. little hands twist loose the top
sliding lightning storm inside
held it high above her head
spinning with a giggly bop
summer’s sticky night litup
face as sweet as soda pop
face as sweet as soda pop
firefly

3. skipping, rhyming free and wild
let the children come to me
wonder, joy jump double dutch
twirling, twirling all the while
every twinkling firefly
lights the stars in heaven’s smile
lights the stars in heaven’s smile
firefly

firefly lights the stars in heaven’s sky

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Commissions Quirky

Interesting Thing

I have been a member of the Rascals, Rogues, and Rapscallions since its inception in 1989, though less active in recent years. In those early years, I designed the Rascal flag, created a documentary about Burgettstown, PA, and have even been known to smoke a ceremonial Rascal cigar.

One of my other roles was that of “maestro,” leading the singing of “My Last Cigar,” assembling male quartets and brass bands for various occasions, and most notably, composing the fraternal order’s theme song.

Greg, back when he had hair and smoked cigars.

“Interesting Thing” captures in song the group’s quest for knowledge, love of adventure, and fascination with the obscure, mundane, and offbeat. I was recently asked to record the song for posterity. The chorus is a rousing march that can be sung again and again with gusto. The verses…not so much. I originally envisioned writing a new verse for each meeting’s presentation. For example, one of the verses in this recording commemorates Dennis Looney’s presentation on the persistence of Dante in popular culture.

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Arrangement Church Commissions Live

Once in Royal David’s City (w/ Carlos Colón)

As the year ends, I’m going to try to catch up on blogging 2023 compositions. Posting them in 2024 will seem…stale.

This arrangement of the classic Christmas carol, “Once in Royal David’s City” is a collaboration between me and my old friend Carlos Colón. (That is not to say he’s elderly–we’ve just been friends for a long time.)

The arrangement began its life as a violin and piano duet written for Sarah York. Carlos used it in one of his Christmas services at Baylor University. Since he also had a cellist available, he had the cello double the bass line of the piano part. It worked splendidly. This Christmas he turned it into a full-fledged arrangement for strings and flute. Bravo!

Once in Royal David’s City for Strings
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Arrangement Commissions Global Live

Music Unites Us: The Making of…

We started this “Music Unites Us” series with an overview video introducing the project. We’ll end with this documentary that goes behind the scenes, interviewing the performers and me about the creative process. I usually hate watching videos of myself, but this video is interesting enough that I watched it all the way through!

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Arrangement Commissions Global Live

Music Unites Us: Dòng máu Lạc Hồng (The Children of Lac Hong):

Lương Chí Cường moved to America a few years ago after a successful singing career in his home country of Vietnam, even winning Vietnamese Idol. The song we chose for his collaboration with the Holland Symphony Orchestra was a rousing song of national pride, Dòng máu Lạc Hồng (The Children of Lac Hong).

This song has the feel of a score from a Hollywood blockbuster, with strings soaring into their upper register and brass punching through with regal fanfares. Still, the full orchestra is no match for Cuong’s powerhouse voice, spectacular wardrobe, and performance style. When he left the stage and sauntered into the crowd (3:26) I thought the crowd would lose its collective mind!

Besides the overall pedal-to-the-metal orchestration throughout, here are a few moments I particularly like:

2:31 I discovered a while back that using a clothespin as a violin mute imitated the nasal tone of the Chinese Erhu or Vietnamese Dàn Gáo. The first time the orchestra rehearsed this section, everyone looked around to see what exotic new instrument this might be.

4:01 The percussion-heavy arrangement culminates in an extended percussion section in which two sets of tom-toms spar over a foundational beat from the drum set.

4:46 At the final return of the chorus, I wanted to ramp up the energy even more, so I used an unprepared modulation to increase the intensity, switched the flutes to piccolos, and gave all the woodwinds Philip Glass-style arpeggios that really cut through the wall of sound coming from the rest of the orchestra.

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Arrangement Commissions Global Live

Music Unites Us: Babirye

Samuel Nalangira is a Ugandan songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has lived in West Michigan for several years. He is a consummate performer, an Adungu virtuoso, and a lovely human being.

He wrote a song when his twins were born called “Babirye” (the firstborn among twins). While many of his songs are energetic opportunities for Samuel to teach audiences African dance moves, “Babirye” is a mesmerizing, tender song based on a repeated Adungu* arpeggio.

The challenge with this song is that a four-chord pattern repeats over and over with vocals floating freely on top of that foundation. I decided that the best approach would be almost minimalist–some doubling of the Adungu arpeggio, a cloud of strings, and soloists and sections of the orchestra filling in the spaces between Samuel’s vocals like a conversation. This was one of my favorite arrangements; it felt like the orchestra added depth and texture, heightening Samuel’s already beautiful song.

Pay special attention to a few moments in the performance:

4:18 The song builds slowly with muted, sustained strings and light percussion doubling. More musicians are added little by little until a final build-up to the chorus at 7:30.

8:17 The oscillating marimba pattern worked beautifully in this section.

8:42 The “Babirye” theme moves through the orchestra, building lush chords.

10:30 I like how the arrangement winds down: the full orchestra finishes, and the strings take over, followed by short a woodwind coda.

*The Adungu is a harp-like Ugandan instrument.