Secular A Cappella Choral Concert Music

Margaret Walker's text leaps off the musical page as words crying to be sung. "My grandmothers were strong. They followed plows and bent to toil." This was not frailty - this was determined womanhood

This choral classic sings vibrantly through rapid meter changes with a romantic text celebrating the joys of young love. It continues to be a favorite with contest and festival choirs.

Emily Dickinson's poem on the fragility of nature, as well as our own hand in its destruction, finds an elegiac tone in this deeply melodic original work commissioned by Palo Alto High School.

Already chosen for several all-state choral festivals, this exciting a cappella choral fanfare is the perfect concert opener. The text, in Italian and based on lines from Dante's The Divine Comedy,

Setting a prose text penned by Helen Keller, composer and conductor Andrea Ramsey has created a sensitive yet powerful a cappella work that explores the theme, "All that we love deeply becomes part of

From the Grammy-nominated work The Lost Birds, this selection is a setting of Emily Dickinson's poem "The Saddest Noise, the Sweetest Noise". It begins the story of The Lost Birds in spring:

This piece is a section from The Games: A Science Fiction Opera by Meredith Monk and Ping Chong. Set on an imaginary planet, The Games takes place in a post-nuclear future where survivors and their

With modern dissonance and free tonality, this entire piece drives toward the last line of the Stacy Gnall poem: "big brother, I am catching up to you." One long, rhythmic race, this selection will be a

From the Grammy-nominated work The Lost Birds, this setting of a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay ends the first half of The Lost Birds. Told from the point of view of the poet, it starts with the

This beautiful text by Metaphysical poet John Donne brings a poignant message that as long as you keep what is most loved in your heart, you are never truly parted. This lovely idea is held together by a

From the Grammy-nominated work The Lost Birds, this simple melody inspired by children's songs is a setting of Sara Teasdale's poem "In the End." Showcasing her signature pairing of nihilism

New Beginnings was inspired by an exciting yet bittersweet time for students - the closing of one chapter in life and beginning another. Although many of us look forward to a next chapter in life

Setting the imagery of the Sarah Hudlow poem, this rich and emotional poem inspires image rich musical textures. Written for SATB Divisi choir and soloist, a cappella, advanced singers will love the

This unique work blends the Scandinavian hymn Mitt huerte alltid vanker (My heart always lingers) with elements from the Sami yoik tradition - both syllables and melodies. This arrangement is

With a text centered around divine love, and the depths of that love, the music is characterized by slow-moving cluster chords, soaring voice leading, and first inversion chords that give a feeling of

Here is a work about light, which brings peace, hope, awareness, wholeness. The a cappella writing is descriptive and transparent with the independent lines, modern harmonies, clusters, dissonances and

"If we can be happy and live well without causing unnecessary harm, why wouldn't we?" This simple and yet profound question is an invitation for choir, listener, and all of us in this beautiful new work.