This is a new carol with words and music by Karen McAulay. It is a joyous celebration of Christ’s birth with a human touch, considering likely responses of those involved in the first Christmas. It is performed by the composer at the piano and sung by Ruth Carlyle.

Singing “Glory” - Karen McAulay, 2021

Coventry Carol demo 13th Dec

Auld Lang Shite

Hear Me - Radio Edit

Hear Me (Radio Edit)

For Ella Jarman-Pinto
Matthew Lee Knowles 
March 2022

SCORE: https://www.scribd.com/document/564683224/For-Ella-Jarman-Pinto

For Ella Jarman-Pinto

A new piece by Chris Hutchings, written to explain why we think singing can change the world. The third verse can be rewritten to suit whatever cause you are singing about; in this version, it is to be sung as part of a concert campaigning to make ecocide (ecological destruction) a crime. It’s for 2-part choir with piano (can be mixed voices, upper voices only or lower voices only: brief optional 4-part split), and is hopefully easy enough to be sung by most children’s choirs. Download a copy for your choir at https://choirsforclimate.com/2022/04/14/why-we-sing/

#ChoirsForEcocideLaw

Why We Sing - Ecocide Law

The idea for this piece came from a conversation/argument with a friend about which hymn tunes are 'bangers' (yes I'm aware how nerdy this is). I loved that we had very different but equally passionate opinions and so I decided to compose something which used two of our favourite tunes as the source material. 

The result was a light-hearted and exciting piece, radically different in tone from the original melodies, and as occasionally ludicrous as the conversation that inspired it.

For the purists, there is also a version for Organ.

Two-Tune Toccata

Three songs inspired in different ways by thinking about the environment. 

I wrote Beauty as a teenager; this is somewhat rewritten but the main tunes are the same, as are about 50% of the words. The other two songs were written after it was pointed out to me by Hazel Watson of Watson and Lockett commented on the dearth of folk music engaging with the ecological crisis. I set myself the challenge of writing a song that plays on folk tropes but accidentally wrote two. 

Recording and mixing aren't my fortes. I could spend ages trying to get these better, without achieving much, so I've posted them in rough and ready form as demos, because it's the songwriting I really want to share.

Carbon Kings demo

A Radio Borders recording of Health in Harmony in their  2019 Christmas is Coming concert. From Melrose Parish Church.

Health in Harmony 2019 Christmas is Coming concert

Summer will come again (20th Dec. 2020)

Chris Hutchings is a Scottish composer based in Edinburgh, specialising in works for choir. His works have been performed by the National Youth Choir of Scotland, New London Singers, Cappella Nova, Scottish Voices, the Edinburgh Quartet, Daniel's Beard, Pure Brass, and a wide variety of professional and amateur groups around the world. He has received commissions from several groups in the UK and USA. Recent prizes include the Murau Music Festival Composition prize in 2019 and Kantos Choir's composition prize in 2021. 

For more details, see http://www.hutchingsmusic.co.uk for details of upcoming performances, score samples, free arrangements, and more recordings.

Videos, many with scores, at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx7ao4fKMuVXVz0la0r0VrQ/

Why We Sing - Ecocide Law

hutchingsmusic

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