[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I teach a Song in the morning and it’s Sounding pretty good.   photo by kalavinka   then after lunch I get the group to stand f...

Sa božićnog koncerta održanog 22.12.2012. u koncertnoj dvorani "Rondo" u Puli.

Sunday morning mass in local church in Montecatini, request of the local priest.

A-Capella performance on Dallas Fox 4's "Good Day" morning show.

It's never too Early to get organised and, if you are in the same camp as Tim Knight, who likes to be way ahead with music lists and is already preparing for next Spring, then you will already be thinking about your choices for Christmas. So, we are deli...

Lyric came from a Chinese poem written by famous Poet, Bai Ju Yi. "in bloom, she's not a flower; Hazy, she's not a haze. She comes at midnight hour; She goes with starry rays. She comes like vernal dreams that cannot stay; She goes like morning c...  ink" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">moreLyric came from a Chinese poem written by famous Poet, Bai Ju Yi. "in bloom, she's not a flower; Hazy, she's not a haze. She comes at midnight hour; She goes with starry rays. She comes like vernal dreams that cannot stay; She goes like morning clouds that melt away."  

On Christmas Eve morning 2017, I was approached by a member of our congregation who said he had been inspired by the Holy Ghost to write Some words and that he would like me to set them to music. To begin with I wasn't sure, since they seemed Somewhat re...  ink" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">moreOn Christmas Eve morning 2017, I was approached by a member of our congregation who said he had been inspired by the Holy Ghost to write Some words and that he would like me to set them to music. To begin with I wasn't sure, since they seemed Somewhat repetitive, but as the day progressed to the Early afternoon I found that I was alSo inspired (I even missed lunch!). the piece varies in mode from D Dorian to A Aeolian. the performance is by me (multi-tracking).  

"Stella" is dedicated to my friend Kristina, who introduced me to this remarkable French poem by Victor Hugo written while in exile on the Isle of Jersey. It is a complex layered poem exploring a multitude of interactions with the morning star - in na...  ink" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">more"Stella" is dedicated to my friend Kristina, who introduced me to this remarkable French poem by Victor Hugo written while in exile on the Isle of Jersey. It is a complex layered poem exploring a multitude of interactions with the morning star - in naturalistic, religious, spiritual and seemingly political terms. Sincere thanks to Matthew Curtis (choraltracks.com) for recording "Stella." To purchase the sheet music for this Song, please contact: 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 26 years. I would alSo like to thank my friends in our "Ad hoc Chorale" for testing out this piece in one of our informal workshops and offering valuable comments. And with deepest appreciation to my brother Adam Rain and my friend Geneviève Lajoie for their invaluable support throughout my composing journey.  ink" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="$(this).getParent().getPrevious().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">less

It all began with the idea one morning that the "other tune" for Nahum Tate's carol "While shepherds watched" is, of course, the Yorkshire ditty "On Ilkley moor bar t'hat". Well, as the day progressed to afternoon, other tunes got added, resulting in ...  ink" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="$(this).getParent().getNext().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">moreIt all began with the idea one morning that the "other tune" for Nahum Tate's carol "While shepherds watched" is, of course, the Yorkshire ditty "On Ilkley moor bar t'hat". Well, as the day progressed to afternoon, other tunes got added, resulting in a curious potpourri for choir and piano. the choir gets to sing "On Ilkla Moor", the Este psalter tune known to all, and alSo Auld Lang Syne. the second voice, in its madrigalian way, gets a sly English cadence!. Meanwhile, the piano alSo gets Some sly references to "Sing a Song of sixpence" and "Scotland the brave". I sang it in G (ATBB) on this video, to fit my multitrack range, but mixed choir versions are alSo available on musicaneo: in C (SATB) (fairly high for the Sopranos) http://www.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-196257_while_shepherds_watched_-_in_various_melodies.html#196258 and in Bflat (SATB) (fairly low for the basses) http://www.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-196257_while_shepherds_watched_-_in_various_melodies.html#196257  ink" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="$(this).getParent().getPrevious().style.display='';$(this).getParent().style.display='none';">less

Happy New Year to one and all... just think.... This time next year you could be a millionaire .... you could alSo be reminiscing about your wonderful Singing Holiday to Launde Abbey and patting yourself on the back for booking Early and banking the sa...