New Horizons

This anthem for unaccompanied choir juxtaposes the words of the Antiphon for the Washing of Feet on Maundy Thursday with 'The red rose whispers of passion' by the poet John Boyle O'Reilly. Jackson com...

This attractive motet was written for performance alongside Brahms's Requiem. The gracefully sculpted music clothes the text with touching melodies, expressive harmonies and varied sonorities.

The text for this part-song is a deftly chosen selection of lines from Keats' Ode to a Nightingale. Jackson's setting features many of his stylistic hallmarks: glissandi, melismas, aleatoric patterns,...

Like as the hart sets reflective yet fervent words from Psalm 42. The vocal writing is emotive and expressive, and the fluctuating metres perfectly complement the rhythm adopted by the psalmist when p...

Skempton's setting of the Preces and Responses is simple, well-crafted, and harmonically rewarding, and is perfect for choirs seeking new material for the liturgy.

Following Jackson's settings of the seven 'O' antiphons (Seven Advent Antiphons), this is a setting of the text recognised as the eighth 'O' antiphon and performed as such in many Christian traditions...

This anthem sets biblical words that explore love and kindness. The opening section creates a mood of hopefulness, and the central section is built around the words 'Be kind, tender-hearted, one to an...

An atmospheric setting of Caliban's dream from The Tempest, this piece transports the listener to a dream-like place. McDowall's immersive harmonies and ornamentation perfectly characterise the reveri...

Victimae paschali laudes is an atmospheric arrangement of the traditional plainsong melody for this Latin text for Easter Sunday. Changing metres enable an authentic presentation of the plainsong styl...

Lightly come or lightly go is a playful setting of James Joyce's poem of the same name for SATB double choir. The second choir carries the titular words as an arching ostinato, while choir one present...

This short sacred work for unaccompanied mixed choir is a highly atmospheric setting of the poet Henry Vaughan's mystical and enigmatic poem of the same name. Written for the choir of St Peter's Colle...

In this ethereal, atmospheric setting of Canadian poet Marjorie Pickthall's 'Stars', Oliver Tarney displays great sensitivity to the poem's vivid imagery and employs an evocative harmonic language tha...

This is an appealing setting of the popular Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem 'How do I love thee?'. Bearing all the hallmarks of Jackson's unique style, this piece is a welcome addition to the musical...

The star has come is an illustrative and imaginative setting of a poem by Robert Seatter. In response to the evocative text, Williams uses portamenti techniques to create musical imagery, and explores...

In this haunting arrangement of the well-known carol, Higgins creates a mystical soundscape by layering a single motif in a four-part soprano canon. These repetitions echo throughout and support the v...

Let all mortal flesh keep silence is a reflective, homophonic setting of text from the fourth-century Orthodox Liturgy of St James. Sheehan's setting, an original rather than the customary pairing wit...

Composed for International Women's Day, this mesmerising piece celebrates the centennary of Rosalind Franklin and sets her own words with additional text by the poet Seán Street. McDowall's tribute to...

Commissioned by Sonoro for the second instalment of their Choral Inspirations project, McDowall has composed Crucifixus Reimagined as a response to Lotti's Crucifixus from Credo in F. Use of suspensio...

One of McGlade's longer settings, As the hart begins simply, before expanding into a more complex central section with fluctuating time signatures and shifting tonalities. Ideal for advanced mixed-voi...

Inspired by Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil, Vespers is a 12-movement English-language work in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Suited to concert and liturgical settings, it draws from a variety of Orth...

This is an innovative, striking setting of the Magnificat text that is well suited to both liturgical and concert performance. The work celebrates the strength, character, and intelligence of teenage...

Characteristically sung on Christmas Day, this Catholic chant depicts mystery and wonder at the birth of Jesus, as witnessed by the animals. The second half of the text relates to words spoken by Eliz...

The O nata lux text is taken from a 10th-century anonymous hymn that uses the concept of light to symbolise hope, a particularly pertinent theme for Advent. Throughout this setting the sopranos intert...

A reflection on the plainchant antiphon 'Pulchra es et decora', this hauntingly beautiful piece was commissioned by ORA100 for Suzi Digby and ORA Singers. The original antiphon has been transcribed an...

On the Air (Dear Vaccine) discusses the optimism for a post-COVID world and, particularly, the desire to sing together again. For the text, poet Seán Street drew inspiration from 'Dear Vaccine', which...