Dedicated to Awegechew Teshome, Melaku Worede and John Martin -- my three biodiversIty mentors -- who introduced me to the "radical" idea that farmers, seed-saving farmers, have been humanIty's ingenious plant breeders and nurturers of biodiversIty from t...  moreDedicated to Awegechew Teshome, Melaku Worede and John Martin -- my three biodiversIty mentors -- who introduced me to the "radical" idea that farmers, seed-saving farmers, have been humanIty's ingenious plant breeders and nurturers of biodiversIty from time immemorial. I would like to thank my Ottawa singing friends in the "Ad hoc Chorale" for testing out this piece in one of our informal workshops and offering valuable comments. I would also like to acknowledge the a capella choir that I sing in, The Stairwell Carollers, and our director Pierre Massie, for their musical inspiration these past 27 years. And I would like to acknowledge the Boston-based Blue Heron Ensemble for introducing me to the haunting music of Guillaume Dufay, which served as a major inspiration for this piece. And wIth deepest appreciation to my brother Adam Rain and my friend Geneviève Lajoie for their invaluable support throughout my composing journey. NB: choirs interested in obtaining copies of the score can contact me ...    less

An SATB arrangement of Victor Hugo's remarkable poem "La coccinelle" -- the narrator looks back on a moment in time when, as a teenager, he was preparing to kiss a girl. Unfortunately, a ladybug lands on her neck, however, which distracts him. He then rem...  moreAn SATB arrangement of Victor Hugo's remarkable poem "La coccinelle" -- the narrator looks back on a moment in time when, as a teenager, he was preparing to kiss a girl. Unfortunately, a ladybug lands on her neck, however, which distracts him. He then removes the ladybug, but sadly the kiss flies off forever! If you enjoy this musical trip down memory lane, then I invIte you to consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada or an Alzheimer's support group in the area where you live. Thank you! https://alzheimer.ca/ Sincere thanks to Matthew Curtis (choraltracks.com) for recording "La coccinelle", which is dedicated to Emma. NB: choirs interested in obtaining copies of the score can contact me at Rain@magma.ca. 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 inval...    less

Dedicated to my dear cousins Gigi and Raven. Since first singing the medieval song "All and Some" in the mid 1990s, I fell in love wIth the Middle English and Latin lyrics, and one day I got inspired to create my own setting of this poetic gem. NB: ...  moreDedicated to my dear cousins Gigi and Raven. Since first singing the medieval song "All and Some" in the mid 1990s, I fell in love wIth the Middle English and Latin lyrics, and one day I got inspired to create my own setting of this poetic gem. NB: choirs interested in obtaining copies of the score can contact The Leading Note at info@leadingnote.com. 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 25 years. And wIth deepest appreciation to my brother Adam Rain and my friend Geneviève Lajoie for their invaluable support throughout my composing journey.  less

"There Will Come Soft Rain" by Jonathan Adams for SSAATTBB Chorus. Performed by Matthew Curtis.

“Heiliger Dankgesang,” is my choral adaptation of the 3rd movement of Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 132. Dedicated to Nicol Matt and the World Choir for Peace. I invIte you to join me in supporting their fundraising campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/w...  more“Heiliger Dankgesang,” is my choral adaptation of the 3rd movement of Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 132. Dedicated to Nicol Matt and the World Choir for Peace. I invIte you to join me in supporting their fundraising campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/world-choir-for-peace-singing-unItes? Lyrics (adapted from Psalm 116): German: “Liebe erfüllt mich, weil mein Gott die Stimme meines Flehens erhört hat. Kehre zurück, meine Seele, in deine Ruh: denn mein Gott hat dir wohlgethan. Liebe erfüllt mich. O Freude, O Wonne, Die Sonne! O Freude, das ich am Leben bin. Liebe erfüllt mich.” English translation: “I am filled wIth love, for my God has heard the voice of my supplication. Return, my soul, to your rest: for my God has made you well. I am filled wIth love. O Joy, O Bliss, the Sun! O Joy that I am alive. I am filled wIth love.” Background: In July 2019, I went to one of Julian Armour’s Music and Beyond concerts in Ottawa, where I first heard the BennewItz Quartet play Beethoven’s stunningly beautif...    less

Singin' in the Rain by Herb Nacio Brown and Arthur Freed, arr. Ken Cormier Performed at Reeldiculous (June 18 & 25, 2012) by Chor Leoni Men's Choir, Diane Loomer, Artistic Director (1940-2012). Soloist: Russell Cripps Choreography by Kevin Fatkin. Wa...  moreSingin' in the Rain by Herb Nacio Brown and Arthur Freed, arr. Ken Cormier Performed at Reeldiculous (June 18 & 25, 2012) by Chor Leoni Men's Choir, Diane Loomer, Artistic Director (1940-2012). Soloist: Russell Cripps Choreography by Kevin Fatkin. Watch for our Best of Bard shows coming June 24 & July 1, 2013. Tickets available now at Bard on the Beach 604.739.0559 http://bIt.ly/BardBoxOffice  

Video vom AuftrItt der vocal resources am 10.05.14 in Bad Herrenalb. http://www.vocal-resources.de/

"Let's sing, It's Spring!" is dedicated to my uncle and aunt, James and Daphne Shaw, and their amazing clan, the "Bowen Island Shaws." I have given this song the sub-tItle: "A Crazy Choral Etude for Rolled Rs and Perfect 5ths." It is meant, no pun inte...  more"Let's sing, It's Spring!" is dedicated to my uncle and aunt, James and Daphne Shaw, and their amazing clan, the "Bowen Island Shaws." I have given this song the sub-tItle: "A Crazy Choral Etude for Rolled Rs and Perfect 5ths." It is meant, no pun intended, to be a musical lark, great fun for a choir to sing, rolling Rs like crazy, wIth no holding back. NB: One day I woke up to the realization that I had independently wrItten four choral works, each of which had evoked a different season, and so It seemed natural to group them together into a choral suIte that I have called "The Ottawa Four Seasons SuIte." "Let's sing, It's Spring!", wIth Its rousing coda section, works perfectly as the closing number of this suIte. Also of note, in early 2018, I applied to be a participant at one of the Vancouver Chamber Choir's Interplay workshops funded by the SOCAN Foundation and to my delight I was accepted. "Let's sing, It's Spring!" was one of the pieces that this amazing choir sight read for me on the sp...    less

This brand new version of Good King Wenceslas is dedicated to my uncle Duncan Shaw of Vancouver. His "retirement project" - developing his own theory of gravIty - has been a huge inspiration in my own composItional journey late in life. Some background...  moreThis brand new version of Good King Wenceslas is dedicated to my uncle Duncan Shaw of Vancouver. His "retirement project" - developing his own theory of gravIty - has been a huge inspiration in my own composItional journey late in life. Some background: I have sung the tradItional version of Good King Wenceslas since I was a kid. I fell in love wIth the lyrics and the story, but have always been puzzled by the way It was arranged, in particular the way that the "las" of Wenceslas lands on the downbeat. When I was young, I thought the lyrics were actually "Good King Wences last looked out!" All to say that I got inspired to create a totally different version. I used the 19th century poem by John Mason Neale, but I wanted to create a different "feel" to the story, to take It back in time to Its origins in the Middle Ages - hence the medieval feel to much of the piece. I also felt that since the Wenceslas story is all about a journey, a setting in 3/4 time would create a better sense of that feeling, ra...    less

World premiere recording, by a brand new singing group: Quartetto al Volo! If you like this song, I invIte you to donate to the work of OCISO (Ottawa CommunIty Immigrant Services Organization) and their support programs for refugees and immigrants to Cana...  moreWorld premiere recording, by a brand new singing group: Quartetto al Volo! If you like this song, I invIte you to donate to the work of OCISO (Ottawa CommunIty Immigrant Services Organization) and their support programs for refugees and immigrants to Canada: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charIties/ociso-ottawa-communIty-immigrant-services-organization/ Background. In the 1970s I visIted Poland twice and fell in love wIth Polish choral music -- and Lulajże Jezuniu became one of my favourIte Christmas carols in any language. While flying from Ottawa to Vancouver in December 2017, I felt inspired and arranged most of this piece while at 30,000 feet! I must have been quIte a sight conducting away in my aisle seat, wIth my head phones plugged into my computer. I have dedicated Lulajże Jezuniu to the late Adam and Helena Kmiotek, who showed me such generosIty of spirIt as my hosts in Szczecin during my second Polish trip. NB: choirs interested in obtaining copies of the TTBB score can contact me at Rain...    less