Let’s Do Something Different and Adventurous This Christmas: New Igbo Anthem, Free Coaching Offered!

Dear Colleagues,

Would you like to do something different and adventurous with your choir this Christmas?

My new choral anthem, Amuru Anyi Otu Nwa (Unto Us a Child Is Born), sets the Christmas message in Igbo, one of Nigeria’s major languages. It is written in a joyful, danceable waltz style, driven by syncopated African rhythms and colored by the African pot drum, woodblock, and maracas. It’s warm and rhythmic, the kind of piece that can pleasantly surprise your choristers and your audience alike and pique their musical imagination at Christmas. It’s also built to be learnable, with a clear melodic line and a groove singers pick up quickly once they feel the pulse.

A quick pronunciation guide to get you started:
“Amuru Anyi Otu Nwa” is pronounced roughly ah-MOO-roo AH-nyee OH-too NWAH.

The piece is brand new, composed in August 2025, and has had just one performance so far, with my choral group in Nigeria. I’d love for it to find its way into more voices this season, and I’d love for some of you to be among the first.

Voicing: SATB + Solo + Percussion

To make this as easy as possible for you:

• I’m offering free Igbo pronunciation coaching to any director who wants to program it. Just send me a note, and I’ll set up a session or send recorded guides.
• I can send an inspection score and an audio clip so you can hear the rhythm and character before committing.

Full sheet music is available now on:

J.W. Pepper: https://www.jwpepper.com/amuru-anyi-otu-nwa-unto-us-a-child-is-born-igbo-sat-11638612/p

Sheet Music Plus: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/amuru-anyi-otu-nwa-unto-us-a-child-is-born-igbo-satb-solo-christmas-choral-anthem-percussion-23151317.html?srsltid=AfmBOopEiaiewYZEgYMBZqdHaBqpu0-30XHYSf5p2bOxyWM83jZNYKW

If you’re looking for something joyful, danceable, and rooted in a Christmas tradition that will delight your singers and audience alike, I’d be honored to have you try it.

Please reach out anytime.

Happy to answer questions about the percussion setup, voicing, or the text itself.

Warmly,

Allwell Nwankwo