This setting of the 98th Psalm (Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders.) comes originally from my cantata “The Manchester Magnificat”, based on Audrey Vaughan’s Poems about the religious and social history of the city. The oratorio was...  onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">moreone;">This setting of the 98th Psalm (Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders.) comes originally from my cantata “The Manchester Magnificat”, based on Audrey Vaughan’s Poems about the religious and social history of the city. The oratorio was first performed in Manchester Cathedral in 1994. This psalm forms the climax of the whole cantata and provides an expression of optimism after the tragedies of the previous sections. In this “extracted” version, the tragic surroundings of the history remain in the background and the purebubbling joy of the psalm itself shines forth. Enjoy the complex rhythms and let your hair down! This performance by Daniel Shaw's Composer's Choir (based in Connecticut) is a brilliant rendition of the piece and will, I hope, encourage other church choirs and concert choirs to consider including it in their repertoire.  onclick="$(this).getParent().getPrevious().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">less

Anonymous catch in 4 equal voices based on peals of bells from "The Catch Club or Merry Companions", published in 1731. I have added some lower voices at the octave for better resonance.

The 2012 New Boy group performing Shake the Papaya Down during their first performance on Wednesday 15 February 2012.

Vocal Ensemble Quadrivia and friends Aleksandar Alić -flute and percussion Andrej Kukuruzar - violin Milan Blanuša - guitar

This is an a cappella arrangement of the tune Stowey, which is a traditional English folksong often paired with these words by Frances Chesterton: How far is it to Bethlehem, not very far? Shall we find the stable room lit by a star? Can we see the l...  onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">moreone;">This is an a cappella arrangement of the tune Stowey, which is a traditional English folksong often paired with these words by Frances Chesterton: How far is it to Bethlehem, not very far? Shall we find the stable room lit by a star? Can we see the little child, is He within? If we lift the wooden latch, may we go in? May we stroke the creatures there, ox, ass or sheep? May we peek like them and see Jesus asleep? If we touch His tiny hand, will He awake? Will He know we've come so far just for His sake? Great Kings have precious gifts and we have nought Little smiles and little tears are all we have brought. for all weary children Mary must weep Here, on His bed of straw, sleep, children, sleep. God in his mother's arms, babes in the byre Sleep as they sleep who find their heart's desire.  onclick="$(this).getParent().getPrevious().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">less

YANTRA (Eugenia Georgieva, Yogeswaran Manickam, Jeremy Birchall) perfroming live at St Paul's Church - Covent Garden (Actor's Church) on 1 November 2012. The concert A Journey Through Timelessness presented Songs from YANTRA's forthcoming album and wa...  onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">moreone;">YANTRA (Eugenia Georgieva, Yogeswaran Manickam, Jeremy Birchall) perfroming live at St Paul's Church - Covent Garden (Actor's Church) on 1 November 2012. The concert A Journey Through Timelessness presented Songs from YANTRA's forthcoming album and was in aid of the Musicians' Benevolent Fund. YANTRA were featured artists on Late Junction on BBC Radio 3 in May 2009 and special guests on BBC Radio 3's The Choir with Aled Jones in October 2012. More information about YANTRA can be found at: www.myspace.com/yantraresonance  onclick="$(this).getParent().getPrevious().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">less

Trois Chansons - Poems by Charles Duc D'Orléans music by Claude Debussy Performed (transposed) by the one-man multitrack choir dwsChorale

The first song of "Two Poems by Thomas Moore" with me directing the Concentus Nymphae feminine choir The score is available for free at IMSLP: http://imslp.org/wiki/Two_Poems_by_Thomas_Moore_(Camacho,_João_Carlos)

The Choir of Somerville College, Oxford David Crown (conductor) National City Christian Church, Washington, D.C. (USA) 2 July 2014 Website: http://www.somervillechoir.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/somervillechoir Twitter: http://twitter....  onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">moreone;">The Choir of Somerville College, Oxford David Crown (conductor) National City Christian Church, Washington, D.C. (USA) 2 July 2014 Website: http://www.somervillechoir.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/somervillechoir Twitter: http://twitter.com/SomervilleChoir Conductor: http://www.david-crown.com Recorded and edited by Stefan Schwarz (http://www.schwarz.org.uk)  

[The views expressed in this blog are from my personal experiences from 25 years of leading non-auditioned community choirs in the UK, as well as adult singing workshops. My focus is on teaching by ear using a repertoire of Songs from traditions across th...