'for the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain'for junior-upper voice SSSA Choir and Double SATB Choir a cappella (Score)Commissioned by the National Youth Choirs of Great BritainText is by Arthur W. E. O'Shaughnessy, adapted by Jessica Duchen.Composer's NoteWhen the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain requested a short piece for their gala concert at Birmingham's Symphony Hall, I was particularly excited about the prospect of writing for 300 singers. A recent research trip to Estonia resulted in somewhat of a revelation: having heard and seen their world-renowned choirs in action (literally!) has resulted in We are the Music-Makers having the less mainstream 'surround-sound' of upper voices/junior choir at the back and sides of the audience and a further stereophonic double-choir on stage.This poem was sent to me by Tim Williams (my ex Head of English at school), and immediately seemed to fit this occasion. This text has already been set magnificently by Elgar, so partly to avoid any kind of comparison and also to bring its timeless message up to date, I asked my poet friend Jessica Duchen to give it a sligtly more contemporary feel.A poem about global music-making (which ties in with the NYCGB's recent World-Music CD), it speaks about humankind, nation to nation, and the mention of Babel inspiring a 'speakng of tongues' effect by using as many different international words for 'music' as possible as an accompaniment (not an easy task, as many of them are similar to our own word!). These are: French (Musique), Romanian (Muzica), Swahili (Mahewa), Polish (Muzka), Estonian (Muusika), German (Muzik), Japanese (Ongaku), and Spanish (Música). / Choeur Mixte (SSAATTBB) A Cappella

Par ALBERGA ELEANOR. My Heart Danceth by Eleanor Alberga, written for SSAATTBB unaccompanied voices. Commissioned by the Birmingham Bach Choir with financial assistance from West Midlands Arts, and first performed on 15th December 2007 in the CBSO Centre, Birmingham, with Neil Ferris conducting as part of the concluding concert of ?Joubertaide 2007?, a nationwide series of concerts celebrating the eightieth birthday of John Joubert, composer and patron of the Choir./ Répertoire / Choeur SSAATTBB

Domine, refugium factus es nobis. Par SCHANDERL HANS. Kurt Suttner, editor of the “carus novus” series, has written as follows in the foreword to the printed edition of Schanderl’s setting of Psalm 90: The seven verses of Psalm 90 contrast the eternity of God with the transitoriness of man. This contrast is symbolized in the composition by the majestic, slow-moving basic pulse of the music, and by rhythmically taut, concise, polyphonic melodic figures. This contrast exactly matches the words which speak either of the permanence of God [“Domine – Lord”] or the transitory nature of man [“convertimini filii hominum – return ye children of man” – “mane sicut herba – like the grass”]. / Psaumes / Répertoire / Choeur SSAATTBB

Nr. 5 aus The Same Flame-Commissioned by the Somerset England based charity Churchill Music! The Same Flame was inspired by Pierre de Coubertin’s ideals of Olympism which gave rise to the modern Olympic and Paralympic values: Respect Excellence Friendship Courage Equality Determination and Inspiration. These seven values are celebrated in five movements so four of them had to double up – Friendship with Equality and Courage with Determination. Each movement is scored for slightly different choral forces so the work is varied. Also individual movements may suit different choirs giving the opportunity for individual performance or collaboration between choirs. All fivemovements of The Same Flame are published as individual octavos. A complete vocal score is available on request from the publishers.“Excellence” makes the not always popular point that excellence is not achieved overnight nor by accident. While spelling out the ‘doggedness diligence discipline [and] drudgery’ that go into achieving ‘poetry in motion’ the song also celebrates the attainment of those who achieve excellence and comes to the inescapable conclusion that the ‘unbegrudged drudgery’ is worth it! The (sometime tongue-twisting) language is very colourful and engaging and as the final movement of “The Same Flame” the music is equally exciting and explosive.