[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the choir]   A few years ago I was asked by BBC Radio Suffolk to create a choir from scratch to perform in a concert in aid of children in Need: The Big Night Out...

Arvo Pärt: Nunc dimittis Luke 2:29-32 Downtown Voices - http://DowntownVoices.net Stephen Sands, Conductor - http://StephenSands.net TRANSLATION Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen:...  moreArvo Pärt: Nunc dimittis Luke 2:29-32 Downtown Voices - http://DowntownVoices.net Stephen Sands, Conductor - http://StephenSands.net TRANSLATION Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer, 1662 ORIGINAL TEXT Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto: Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.  less

Downtown Voices (http://DowntownVoices.net) NOVUS New York Trinity Wall Street, New York City Full Concert Video: https://trinitywallstreet.org/videos/... Concert Program: http://shorturl.at/ouwFR Stephen Sands, conductor (http://StephenSands.net...  moreDowntown Voices (http://DowntownVoices.net) NOVUS New York Trinity Wall Street, New York City Full Concert Video: https://trinitywallstreet.org/videos/... Concert Program: http://shorturl.at/ouwFR Stephen Sands, conductor (http://StephenSands.net) Amy Schroeder, violin Jennifer Liu, violin Jessica Meyer, violin Mike Nicolas, cello Mitchell Vines, pianist Elizabeth Bates, soprano Ola Gjeilo’s Dark and Luminous Night portrays the passage of the soul from mortality to its union with God. Based on the 16th century poem by a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, St. John of the Cross, the piece depicts a soul leaving its “still house” and venturing into the night. Seemingly fearless, the soul is guided out of the darkness by the light of love; Luminous Night reveals the soul’s fulfillment. Lyrics: St. John of the Cross One dark night, fired with love’s urgent longings – ah, the sheer grace! – I went out unseen, my house being now all stilled. In darkness, and secure, by the secret l...    less

Downtown Voices (http://DowntownVoices.net) NOVUS New York Trinity Wall Street, New York City Full Concert Video: https://trinitywallstreet.org/videos/... Concert Program: http://shorturl.at/ouwFR Stephen Sands, conductor (http://StephenSands.net...  moreDowntown Voices (http://DowntownVoices.net) NOVUS New York Trinity Wall Street, New York City Full Concert Video: https://trinitywallstreet.org/videos/... Concert Program: http://shorturl.at/ouwFR Stephen Sands, conductor (http://StephenSands.net) Amy Schroeder, violin Jennifer Liu, violin Jessica Meyer, violin Mike Nicolas, cello Mitchell Vines, pianist Elizabeth Bates, soprano Ola Gjeilo’s Dark and Luminous Night portrays the passage of the soul from mortality to its union with God. Based on the 16th century poem by a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, St. John of the Cross, the piece depicts a soul leaving its “still house” and venturing into the night. Seemingly fearless, the soul is guided out of the darkness by the light of love; Luminous Night reveals the soul’s fulfillment. Lyrics: Charles Anthony Silvestri/St. John of the Cross Long before music was sung by a choir, Long before silver was shaped in the fire, Long before poets inspired the heart, You were the Spirit of...    less

    The Major Minors children’s choir in New Zealand, is celebrating 5 years of singing this month. The choir that started out as a 3 month project with no name  in 2012 is in final preparations for a special anniversary concert i...

Founded in 2006, The Sessions Voices are one of the most renowned vocal ensembles of Italy. They take their name after Bruce Springsteen’s album The Seeger Sessions, since their first concert took place at a lecture on American Folk Music when Springstee...  moreFounded in 2006, The Sessions Voices are one of the most renowned vocal ensembles of Italy. They take their name after Bruce Springsteen’s album The Seeger Sessions, since their first concert took place at a lecture on American Folk Music when Springsteen was touring Italy in 2006. In 2011 they published their first CD, Songs of Freedom, a collection of protest songs with a strong connection to the Civil Rights Movement. In 2015 TSV published their first original single, “Graces (Dropping Again)” written by ZogaroS. In 2017 TSV will release a concept album of 16 songs and vocal interludes composed and produced by all the girls. “Broken Dream”, written by Chiara Cortez and Emanuele Jorma Gasperi, is the first single published to launch the record.  less

La Folia (literally "madness") was a Portuguese dance from the renaissance, and it has been used by many composers in the ensuing centuries. This version is for voices and guitar. It introduces the theme as a repeated verse on voice 1 and then adds a co...  moreLa Folia (literally "madness") was a Portuguese dance from the renaissance, and it has been used by many composers in the ensuing centuries. This version is for voices and guitar. It introduces the theme as a repeated verse on voice 1 and then adds a couple of vocalize additions above and below it. The pdf file contains the score and a separate guitar part. The sound sample is performed by the composer. Let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia as in the Baroque time Oh let's sing la Folia Oh let's sing la Folia It spans all the centuries up to now (la la la) (cu cu cu!)  less

Written for the 2023 Ocean Grove choir Festival Robert Cohen, Composer/Ronald Cadmus, Text Recorded on the 69th Annual Ocean Grove choir Festival July, 9, 2023 The Great Auditorium (Ocean Grove, NJ Jason C. Tramm, Conductor Dr. Gordon Turk, Orga...  moreWritten for the 2023 Ocean Grove choir Festival Robert Cohen, Composer/Ronald Cadmus, Text Recorded on the 69th Annual Ocean Grove choir Festival July, 9, 2023 The Great Auditorium (Ocean Grove, NJ Jason C. Tramm, Conductor Dr. Gordon Turk, Organ The Ocean Grove Festival choir For more information on the music program of Ocean Grove, Please visit: https://www.oceangrove.org/great-auditorium-choir  

Founded in 2010, ESPRIT an SATB ensemble under the dynamic and enterprising direction of Mervin Fick. Through his diligent guidance, the group has impressed its audiences with the depth and range of its interpretive skills in performances of a capella ea...  moreFounded in 2010, ESPRIT an SATB ensemble under the dynamic and enterprising direction of Mervin Fick. Through his diligent guidance, the group has impressed its audiences with the depth and range of its interpretive skills in performances of a capella early music repertoire. ESPRIT was awarded a first prize at the Peel Music Festival in April 2012, and is the proud recipient of the Hon. Barbara A. Hagerman Award for first place at the 2012 Ontario Provincial Music Festival. In August 2012, ESPRIT was awarded second place in the Canadian Nationals of the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals (Class 100 - Honourable Barbara A. Hagerman – Best performance by a community choral group 19 and up). As part of its mission the chorus seeks out performances in historical venues; in the summer of 2011, ESPRIT toured Montreal, Québec, performing at St-Joseph Oratory, Notre-Dame Basilica, Christ Church Cathedral and Marie-Reine-du-Monde Cathedral. This summer, ESPRIT performed as the resident chorus at the New Fra...    less