On Saturday 22nd March the choir gave a concert at Westbury on Trym Baptist Church. A select audience were given a well thought out programme including this piece, the Sound of Silence.

the community choir I direct recently performed at an assisted living facility in San Diego.   After the performance, one of the choir members asked me how I thought we’d done.  I went over in my mind the usual choir stuff:  We c...

there might be readers of this blog who want to mount a really big work with a relatively small choir. In which case I thought I’d share some thoughts on our current project to perform Verdi’s Messa di Requiem in Guildford on November 24th 201...

the 50s song Mister Sandman by Pat Ballard, which I arranged, on request, for our local choir. After a few concerts, I thought it would also be fun to sing it all myself (multitracking), so here it is. I have now published the score; see below

"the Tyger" is dedicated to my daughter, Salima Rain, who asked me if I might try setting this remarkable William Blake poem to music, a daunting thought, to say the least. But I took on the challenge and here is the result. As always, comments are ...  more"the Tyger" is dedicated to my daughter, Salima Rain, who asked me if I might try setting this remarkable William Blake poem to music, a daunting thought, to say the least. But I took on the challenge and here is the result. As always, comments are most welcomed. Email me at rain@magma.ca, if you'd like more info. I would like to acknowledge the a cappella choir that I sing in, the Stairwell Carollers, and our director Pierre Massie, for their musical inspiration these past 26 years. And with deepest appreciation to my brother Adam Rain and my friend Geneviève Lajoie for their invaluable support throughout my composing journey.  less

Discovered this song by the Ink Spots and we thought we just had to record it! Recording produced by CG Fraser Filmed and Edited by CG Fraser Assisted by Samantha Hay

About Kent Tritle   When Jason Asbury asked if I would like to contribute to this blog about unique community choruses, I enthusiastically said YES and my very first thought was of the Lighthouse Guild Vocal Ensemble. I had just completed a ma...

This is a setting of a poem by the Reverend Doctor Malcolm Guite, Chaplain of Girton College Cambridge,with his permission. the poem is a response to the 8th "O Antiphon" for Advent O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee was an...  moreThis is a setting of a poem by the Reverend Doctor Malcolm Guite, Chaplain of Girton College Cambridge,with his permission. the poem is a response to the 8th "O Antiphon" for Advent O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee was any like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? the thing which ye behold is a divine mystery. Who are the daughters of Jerusalem, Who glimpse you still as you transform their seeing? Whom have you called to this mysterium, And bathed in the blithe fountain of your being? Daughters of sorrow, daughters of despair, the cast-aside, the overlooked, the spurned the broken girls who scarcely breathe a prayer the ones whose love has never been returned. O Maid amongst the maidens, turn your face, For when we glimpse you we are not alone, O look us out of grief and into grace, Lift us in love made stronger than our own, Summon the spring in our worst wilderness, And make us fruitful in your fruitfulness.  less

From our concert ("Our God Is God") on March 23, 2013. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, Be all else but naught to me, save that thou art; Be thou my best thought in the day and the night, Both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light. Be ...  moreFrom our concert ("Our God Is God") on March 23, 2013. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, Be all else but naught to me, save that thou art; Be thou my best thought in the day and the night, Both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light. Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word, Be thou ever with me, and I with thee, Lord; Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son; Be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one. Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight; Be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might; Be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower; O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power. Riches I heed not, not man's empty praise, Be thou my inheritance now and always; Be thou and thou only the first in my heart: O Sov'reign of heaven, my treasure thou art. High King of heaven, thou heaven's bright Son, O grant me its joys after victr'y is won; Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.  less

Motet by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad Te, Deus. Like as the hart desireth the waterbrook So longeth my soul after thee o God