Our family recently decided to move (thus my temporary hiatus from the site!) and we ended up, surprisingly, in Cache Valley, Utah.  This isn’t where we intended to move when we started looking, but through powerful personal experiences with the spirit and answers to prayers, we know it’s where we are supposed to be - and it’s beautiful.

Earlier this week, on a drive to work, I listened to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s recent CD, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (is it any surprise they hit #1 on Billboard with this one?).  With that marvelous music in the background, and the early morning sunrise over the scenic valley, I felt truly overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, thankfulness for this earth, this life, my family, God’s plan for us, and, of course, the majesty of music. Music truly helps me feel the spirit and understand the gospel; I feel blessed to participate in all of it in my small way.  How kind Heavenly Father is to give us talents and encourage us to use them to bless one another!

Thanks to all of you who patiently awaited responses to your comments.  I think I can start to pay attention to the site again; with “The Move” behind us, I can finally get back to work.

It was truly a joy to participate in this February’s Stake Conference; the choir performed superbly, the speakers delivered powerful messages, and the Spirit enlightened our minds and inspired our souls.

For my part, I was pleased with the arrangements overall; though I always find room for revision, these pieces seem solid; Come, Follow Me felt especially right.  Interestingly, we were not able to perform the piano-violin version I had originally arranged. Our violinist was not able to make the meeting and we needed some last minute adjustments; we decided to re-arrange for choir and organ (three-hands) and it worked well.  I’ve had many opportunities to work with choirs and this piece represents one of my favorite moments as an arranger and conductor.

Like so many other disciplines (speaking, writing, teaching) playing or arranging music requires more or less constant hard-work and practice.  Every once in a while amongst all the routine labor and sometimes difficult mechanics of arranging, it all just fits.  These are the moments when hard-work, consistent effort, and the grace and guidance of the Spirit unite for just a moment, allowing us to feel (and remember) celestial light.  One of the speakers at our conference noted that each of us are given divine attributes to help us along our journey in mortality. When we use those talents in reverence and humility, doing our best to build up the kingdom of God and just become an instrument - a part of the whole work - that’s when we can feel at one with the Lord.  This year, this conference, was such a moment for me; a moment of majesty in service and spirit.  How grateful I am for a loving Father that endows us with talents and encourages us to use them for our good and his glory.

For SATB Chorus and Organ, Three-Hands
I-Need-Thee-Every-Hour.pdf
I-Need-Thee-Every-Hour-CHORAL.pdf

Through this piece I find one of the best expressions of how I feel about the Atonement of Christ.  As I grow older and, hopefully, more humble I realize how much I need the power of the Atonement every hour, every moment of mortality.  How grateful I am for Christ’s atoning sacrifice and the opportunity it affords me to not only be forgiven, but to confidently forgive; how it fills me at once with both humility and compassion.  The harmony is meant to represent our ‘wandering’ through mortality with a bright and profound conclusion that we truly do need the Savior “every hour.”

For SATB Chorus and Piano
Jesus-the-Very-Thought-of-Thee.pdf
Jesus-the-Very-Thought-of-Thee-CHORAL.pdf

This is one of my earliest “published” arrangements; somewhat revised and updated for this year’s stake conference.  The accompaniment is light and gentle, providing some forward motion for the piece.  The choral parts are not too difficult, but I’ve learned to be careful with the last verse: the key change and forward motions have a tendency to push the volume of the choir, but the sound is much better when restrained (strong, but not loud).

For SATB Chorus, Piano and Violin
Love-at-Home.pdf
Love-at-Home-CHORAL.pdf
Love-atHome-VIOLIN.pdf

As a husband and father of four, I’ve really come to appreciate the powerful message of Love at Home.  Consider one of my favorite lines: Sweeter sings the brooklet by / Brighter beams the azure sky / Oh, there’s One who smiles on high When there’s love at home.  Truly, when we feel peace in our hearts and love in our family relationships (the most important relationships we have on earth), the world seems a better place.  The hymn text uses lots of garden imagery and in the accompaniment I reference flowing water, blooming roses and bright, sparkling moments that suggest peace, tranquility and joy.  The choral parts are simply and straight forward, with a little complexity at the climactic “Love at Home” near the end of the last verse.

A combination of Where Can I Turn for Peace? and Be Still, My Soul
For SATB Chorus and Piano
Peace.pdf
Peace-CHORAL.pdf

I first arranged this many years ago but revised it for our Stake Conference last year.  I smoothed out the harmony and added a rolling piano accompaniment to give the arrangment a sense of forward motion - moving from worry and longing to comfort and confident peace.  Another case of combining melodies (my version of a “mash-up”, I suppose; see Testimony: I am a Child of God / I Believe in Christ) this piece offers the question and anwer to recurring struggles we face in mortality.  For those of you familiar with the old arrangement:  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this new one.

For SATB Chorus and Organ, Three-Hands
Beautiful-Savior.pdf
Beautiful-Savior-CHORAL.pdf

This is a lovley tune that lends itself well to interesting harmony.  This arrangement sounds something like an anthem, with confident intensity.  The organ accompaniment steadily builds throughout with fanfare-like flourishes in the last verse.  There is an opportunity here for the bass to really shine with their moving part in the last verse, too.  It was great fun to perform!

For SATB Chorus, Piano and Violin
Come-Follow-Me.pdf
Come-Follow-Me-CHORAL.pdf
Come-Follow-Me-VIOLIN.pdf

For SATB Chorus and Organ, Three-Hands
Come-Follow-Me-ORGAN-CHORAL.pdf
Come-Follow-Me-ORGAN-PART.pdf

I really enjoyed arranging this piece.  The simple-but-inspiring text suggests a journey; musically I thought a fantasia-like arrangement supported the idea.  I imagined someone humbly, almost timidly, taking first steps in following the Savior then progressing through more complex and intricate paths to a fullness of joy.  The violin symbolizes the constant, beckoning call of the Spirit, urging us on to greater heights.  I particularly like the chromaticism of the accompaniment which presents a sense of wandering and a sense of longing at the same time.

I arranged this for an upcoming Stake Conference (February 2009).  We are performing this piece with four solo singers (sort of like an oratorio) but it would suit a small choir as well.

For SATB Chorus and Organ, Three-Hands
Press-Forward-Saints.pdf
Press-Forward-Saints-CHORAL.pdf

I’ve always enjoyed this tune from Sister Vanja Watkins (composer); particularly, I love the  surprising harmony of her very bright and hopeful “Alleluia!” section.  For this arrangement I chose to build toward an extended Alleluia chorus (though a bit shorter and certainly less dramatic than Handel’s).  The voice parts are fairly straight forward with lots of motion and embellishment.  The organ allows for a bit of  fanfare and requires a second player for the interludes and descant.  Our first rehearsal with this piece is Sunday evening; I’m excited to see how it turns out.

For SATB Chorus and Piano
Testimony.pdf (Piano-Choral)

A missionary serving in my home ward gave me the idea of combining these two hymns as representing the foundation of testimony and faith.  I first put this together while on my own mission (about a year later); handwritten on manuscript paper, it was barely legible (those poor missionaries from the Scotland Edinburgh Mission were gracious enough to take it seriously and performed it nicely).  A few years ago (well, nearly 10!) I re-worked the arrangement for Soundsmith Music.

Working with these two melodies is difficult; in some areas they neatly fit into harmonic thirds and sixths, in others they create boring unisons or rough seconds.  This arrangement provides a fairly smooth combination which I think works (mostly) in context of the accompaniment.  Since its debut, I’ve grown a bit as a composer and I’d prefer some revision; I’m still waiting for that spare time.   Meanwhile, I’ve gotten a few requests to re-post this.  Enjoy!