This recording was created at a reading session held by the Pittsburgh Creators' Project Choir.  My thanks to conductor Garrett Hoffman and the members of the choir, as well as engineers Jack Guzowski and Ryan Dean.

Sara Teasdale's poem "Alchemy" captures the essence of resilience—
transforming suffering into something luminous and lasting. In setting this
text, I aimed to reflect its alchemical journey , mirroring Teasdale's ability to
distill complex human experiences into beautifully simple language.
The concise, unrhymed lines create a sense of immediacy , stripping away
ornamentation to reveal a quiet strength. Sara's work carries an increasingly
rare sincerity. I see what some might call sentimental as essential—an
unapologetic embrace of the human need to find beauty in struggle.
I want to express my gratitude to the members of Voces8 for their role in
bringing this work to life. Without their feedback and reading, the work truly
would not exist.

Learn More

To Living Gold for SSAATTBB Choir

This is a four-part choral composed in 2025 (Soprano, Alto. Tenor, Bass). The lyrics come from a poem, "Do Not ask Me to Remember", by Owen Darnell < https://www.alzheimers.net/do-not-ask-me-to-remember-poem>. The poem is about Alzheimers/dementia. The poem resonated with me because I watched my mother slowly lose herself to the void. Again, no singers, just woodwinds representing the four voices.

Do Not Ask Me to Remember

Skyfall

I will speak O Israel.
I will testify against you.
I am God your God.
Not for your sacrifices I rebuke you.

                Your burnt offerings continue
                Though I have no need for bulls and goats.
                The cattle on a thousand hills
                Is mine and all that moves within.

Make sacrifices of thanksgiving!
Perform your vows to the Most High God.
Call upon me in the day of trouble.
I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.

                But to the wicked God now says:
                What right have you to speak my words?
                You speak against your brother’s name
                And think that I approve of you.

Mark this then you who forget God,
Lest there be none to deliver you.
Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
order your way rightly,
and I will show you my salvation!


Psalm 50 - I Will Speak O Israel

Greetings to the SoundCloud community! Gratitude to you all for your artistry and culture of kindness. 💕 

Due to life circumstances, I've had to step back from singing, but have decided to pull this song from the vault. 

I've been sitting on this one for more than a year, held back by the usual crippling perfectionism. I've decided life's too short to waste time hiding art, when it might possibly bring joy to someone else, so here it is in its imperfect glory. All vocals sung by myself - but I take no credit for the wonderful writing and arranging - please see credits below:

This is an amazing SATB choral arrangement of "I Love You" by Billie Eilish. Credit is due to both Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell for the words and music, as well as Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh for the choral arrangement. I came across it years ago, while working with a (fabulous) high school jazz choir. I fell in love with the crunchy harmonies, but had trouble deciding what colours I wanted for the instrumental part, which is part of the reason why it's sat in the vault for so long. 

In this particular choral arrangement, the instrumentation calls for piano, but here, I split it into a digital electric bass line, and electric piano. I kind of liked the funky, ethereal sound of it, but I wasn't sure if there was something else that might sit better against the SATB vocals. I'm curious, and open to hearing suggestions for other instrumentation options. Folks who know me know that I've got some experience with singing, but I am out of my league when it comes to arranging and recording, so I know there's always room for improvement.  

In this era of auto-tune, I would encourage listeners (and myself!) to embrace the imperfection of real, un-corrected vocals. Art doesn't have to be perfect to have value... right? I hope to convince myself...  🙃

Lyrics: 

It's not true
Tell me I’ve been lied to
Crying isn't like you, ooh
What the hell did I do?
Never been the type to
Let someone see right through, ooh

Baby, won't you take it back?
Say you were trying to make me laugh
And nothing has to change today
You didn’t mean to say "I love you"
I love you and I don't want to, ooh

Up all night, on another red-eye
I wish we never learned to fly
Maybe we should just try
To tell ourselves a good lie
Didn't mean to make you cry, ooh

Baby won't you take it back?
Say you were trying to make me laugh
And nothing has to change today
You didn't mean to say "I love you"
I love you and I don't want to, ooh

The smile that you gave me
Even when you felt like dying

We fall apart as it gets dark
I'm in your arms in Central Park
There's nothing you could do or say
I can't escape the way I love you

I don't want to, but I love you
Ooh

I Love You (Billie Eilish cover - SATB choral arrangement)

(Der junge Schiffer)
Melodie: 19. Jahrhundert
Text: Christian Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863)
Arrangement: Ernest Heyman
für Gemischten Chor SATB
© 2025 by j.b.music Musikverlag, Hilchenbach
Shop: www.jbmusic-musikverlag.de

Dort bläht ein Schiff die Segel (Gemischter Chor SATB)

(Volkslied aus dem Elsass)
Arrangement: Ernest Heyman
für Gemischten Chor SATB
© 2025 by j.b.music Musikverlag, Hilchenbach
Shop: www.jbmusic-musikverlag.de

Die Schäferin (Gemischter Chor SATB)

Quiet Night Thoughts (2024) or 靜夜思 is a famous poem written by Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. Many Chinese-Americans like myself grew up reciting it as part of our language education, and has since become part of our  identity.

In my interpretation of the poem, the music attempts to evoke both the beautiful and intimidating nature of the moon - a feeling similar to approaching one’s heritage, having been raised in a different country.

Quiet Night Thoughts

A mixture of Anglican Chant, Indian chant, contemporary harmonies. The vocal playback is simulated by 2 oboes and 2 bassoons.  Text of Psalm 93:

1. The Lord is King; he has put on splendid apparel; *
	the Lord has put on his apparel and girded himself with strength.
2. He has made the whole world so sure *
	that it cannot be moved;
3. Ever since the world began, your throne has been established; *
	you are from everlasting.
4. The waters have lifted up, O Lord, the waters have lifted up their voice; *
	the waters have lifted up their pounding waves.
5. Mightier than the sound of many waters, mightier than the breakers 
		of the sea, * 
	mightier is the Lord who dwells on high.
6. Your testimonies are very sure, *
	and holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever and for evermore.

Psalm 93 The Lord is King

Written for Devin Bureau for his Master of Music Conducting Recital in 2023, "Dirge for Two Veterans" was premiered again in LSU's Really Really New Music Marathon in Spring 2024. The piece is conducted again by Devin Bureau and features singers from LSU's Chamber Choir. 

Dirge for Two Veterans

(Ein schlichter Sang)
Musik: Rudolf Werner (1876 - 1951)
Text: Friedrich Kauermann (1864 - 1945)
Bearb.: Ernest Heyman
für Gemischten Chor SATB und SAM
© 2025 by j.b.music Musikverlag, Hilchenbach
Shop: www.jbmusic-musikverlag.de

Westfälischer Sängergruß (Gemischter Chor SATB und SAM)

Gaia
Phoebe Thompson, composer and lyricist
University of Connecticut Chamber Singers
Dr. Jamie Spillane, conductor
Akshi Viswanathan, soloist

Available for purchase at www.phoebethompsonmusic.com
https://www.youtube.com/@phoebethompson16

gaia
mother of all
i pray to you
hear me
guide me through

gaia
bright and beautiful
i trust you and the stars 
please take me
softly, gently

i understand what it’s like to carry on 
despite the neglect
and without your rest
i see you
and i ask you

when i decay
let me rise
let me see light again 
through the eyes of the giver
the rush of the river
let me  fly
glide through the wind
lead me back to home

gaia
hear me
comfort me
let me be free
and guide me through the dark

amen


Gaia

SATB Setting of Psalm 98 Anglican Chant with an antiphon.  The antiphon, verses 1 and 2,  is the rhythmic section. The other verses are set to the tune and harmonies of the slow part. The playback uses reeds for the vocal parts.


Antiphon:
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.

2 With his right hand and his holy arm *
has he won for himself the victory.

Anglican Chant:
3 The Lord has made known his victory; *
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.

4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; *
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

6 Sing to the Lord with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song.

7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.

8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein.

9 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
	when he comes to judge the earth.

10 In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity.

PSALM 98 Anglican Chant plus antiphon

Written as part of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival's Composer Academy.

Performed by the Carice Singers, conducted by George Parris.

Text by Walt Whitman, music by George W. Parris.

The Voice of the Rain

OAK for SATB [2025]

Premiered at the Cheltenham Music Festival as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival Composer Academy 2025

Performed by The Carice Singers, directed by George Parris


Text: 

Men came to use the varied
sounds of speech
By taking up the names of things, when talking each to each,
And in what way that awe of the gods slipped into the heart
Which on the globe of earth keeps some things sacred and apart:
The altars, shrines, lakes, groves, gods' graven images in art.

quove modo genus humanum variante loquella coeperit inter se vesci per nomina rerum;
et quibus ille modis divom metus insinuarit pectora, terrarum qui in orbi sancta tuetur fana lacus lucos aras simulacraque divom.

From Lucretius De Rerum Natura / On the Nature of Things
English translation by A. E. Stallings


Quercus robur | English Oak

Oak (SATB)

Trinkspruch "In vino veritas".
Musik und Text: Anonym,
Spez.-Text: J.B. Bruché,
Bearb.: Ernest Heyman.

Trinkspruch "Ein Prosit".
Musik und Text: Bernhard Dietrich (1840 - 1902),
Bearb.: Ernest Heyman.

© 2025 by j.b.music Musikverlag, Hilchenbach
Shop: www.jbmusic-musikverlag.de

Trinkspruch "In vino veritas" und "Ein Prosit" (Gemischter Chor SATB)

Classically trained soprano Merina Dobson-Perry is a working artist and the owner of South Winnipeg Studio, a private voice instruction studio.

20 yr old composer - find my sheet music on

Jacob Fontenot is a composer and vocalist born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He currently attends Louisiana State University, where he is pursuing his Bachelor of Music with Mara Gibson and Brian Nabors. As a composer, his choral music has been performed by the LSU Chamber Singers as well as LSU’s Bella Voce treble group, the latter of which he continues to compose for. In Summer of 2024, Jacob will be attending The Walden School’s Creative Musicians Retreat, where he will be debuting a piece for Soprano Duet and Piano. Although having primarily written for voice, Jacob has composed several instrumental works while at LSU and will be premiering his piece for two flutes, Cupid and Psyche, in Fall of 2024. Jacob’s compositions are heavily inspired by religion and mythology, incorporating several of their themes and components into his music in order to blur the lines between story-telling and music making.

I write choral and solo settings of psalm texts, church service music, descants and hymn reharmonizations.  Background in classical choral music, Episcopal (Anglican) tradition, and South Indian classical music. St. Albans School, Wesleyan University. Psalms posted here include: 4, 6, 15, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 34, 36, 39, 47, 48, 49, 51, 54, 66, 72, 91, 100, 115, 130, 146, 148. Some were commissioned. At least half have been performed. Most of the uploaded compositions are Finale audio simulations but some are recordings of performances. Contact me for more information. I'm happy to share the sheet music with choir directors.

Singer-Songwriter - Home recordings - vocal coach - popchoir conductor - mantra singing - music therapy 

New tracks tagged #SATB