Latest Community Posts
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY with Hymn for the Earth by Matthew Sklar (music) & William Schermerhorn (lyrics)
Hymn for the Earth was created as a heartfelt tribute to our planet, with music by Matthew Sklar (Wedding Singer, Elf, Prom) and lyrics by William Schermerhorn (Macy’s Parade, Yes, Virginia The Musical). The piece was commissioned, at the suggestion of Judith Clurman, who, as an editor of a choral series for Hal Leonard, felt […]
New Choral Piece
“Even the Sparrow” is a new choral piece of mine. This piece traces a musical journey toward the heart of God, beginning with a simple tenor melody and atonal voices to evoke feeling lost, then transitioning to tonal harmonies that reflect intimacy in God’s presence. To listen, please go to www.beautifulstar.com. Go to the menu […]
Border CrosSing and Dale Warland: featured selections
Featuring the catalogs of Dale Warland & Border CrosSing new song!Cui luna, sol et omnia, by Francisco López CapillasSATB choir a cappellaDifficulty: 5 | Duration: less than 3 min.To illustrate the idea of “all time,” each voice part is written in an entirely different time signature, somehow all the parts still fitting harmoniously with each […]
NEWVoices Choir Seeking Submissions!
NEWVoices Choir announces the SwanSongS Fund and seeks submissions by September 1, 2026. https://www.newvoiceschoir.org/swansongs-fund Dr. Phillip A. Swan, has established himself as a supporter and promoter of new choral compositions. To honor his 15th anniversary season as Artistic Director of NEWVoices, we established the SwanSongS Fund. This fund will support an ongoing choral composition competition […]
Peace must be the answer – World Premiere Recording
“Peace must be the answer” is dedicated to the victims of war and armed conflict. The world premiere was sung by Kari Turunen and the Vancouver Chamber Choir in a memorial concert for my late uncle, Duncan W. Shaw, November 28, 2025. “Oh, hear our cries for an end to war!” https://youtu.be/5je0LOSWnzo
How to Give Your Choir a Meaningful State Premiere Without Commissioning From Scratch
For university and advanced community choirs How to Give Your Choir a Meaningful State Premiere Without Commissioning From Scratch Many directors want to give their singers something bigger than another correct, well-prepared concert. They want a premiere that feels important, elevates the season, and gives the ensemble a genuine artistic identity. The problem is that […]
Call For Posters
Researchers are invited to submit proposals for the TCDA 2026 Summer Convention (July 16-18, Henry B. González Convention Center , San Antonio, Texas). We welcome unpublished research in choral music education including literature reviews, action research, and works in progress. Submissions may be accepted elsewhere but not yet published, and previously presented work is allowed […]
A truly amazing performance of “I touch God in my song”
It is with great excitement that I share this link to a video featuring a truly amazing performance by the renowned BYU Singers, conducted by my dear friend, Dr.Andrew Crane. My brand new piece is titled “I TOUCH GOD IN MY SONG,” based on a text by R. Tagore. WATCH VIDEO PURCHASE SCORE […]
Do you know what you’re singing?
You’ve done the work, you have the notes, you have the pronunciation. But…what does it mean? How did this music come to be? I have over 600 articles about chorale music indexed on my site, Behind The Music. My articles give a “biography” of the music and explain the meaning of the words we sing. […]
Open Score Summer Intensive for Choral Accompanists
Walk into your next choir rehearsal feeling prepared, capable, and confident. Learn how to prioritize what to play, practice more efficiently, and support your choir behind the keyboard with this 3-day online summer intensive for choral accompanists. June 18-20, 2026 10-11am PST, LIVE on Zoom with Cori Belle, pianist During our three days together, you’ll discover […]