Choral Works
Premiered on April 25, 2015 by the Willow Oak Center for Arts Adult Chorale, the pieces below were composed using text from various Psalms. The challenging thing about working from the Psalms is the sometimes quickly-changing mood or content of the words - one can peruse them and find a likely candidate based on the opening verse or two, only to discover than verses 3-15 find the psalmist asking God why his enemies are so multitudinous and bloodthirsty. Not exactly what most listeners expect to hear during a service or concert! I hope you enjoy listening to these compositions via the links below, presented in the order in which they were performed. Note that this is a live performance, complete with the occassional cough, program rustling, and in one case (You Are My Fortress) an organist who ended up a measure ahead leading into an oboe solo. I was very pleased with the premiere, however, and will be forever grateful to the Willow Oak Chorale for presenting them in such a beautiful manner.
Awake My Soul - Worship
Based on Psalm 57, this piece encourages us to lift our souls in worship through instruments and singing. Listen
Listen To My Words, O Lord - Petition
Psalm 5 provides the basis for this text, raising a petition to God to listen and consider the psalmist's plea for help. Listen
You Are My Fortress - Consolation
We often find the psalmist taking consolation in God's loving and protective nature. Psalm 59's words are a prime example. Listen
Shout With Joy - Praise
The final piece of the set comes from Psalms 11 & 66, wherein the writer encourages all the earth to "Shout with joy!". Listen