Spindrift Commissioning Guild
American Christmas Songs for Halalisa Singers
About the Music
I've been intrigued with less familiar American carols for a long time. After discovering Ruth Crawford Seeger's American Folk Songs for Christmas when I was just out of college, I've treasured those melodies and arranged them into horn duets and solo songs for performing in the Boston subway, created an orchestral set called Three Appalachian Carols, and also did variations on Star in the East for 8 horns.
Shepherds and Angels
Prelude and 9 old American Christmas songs
For
SATB chorus, violin, harp, tamborine
Duration
25 minutes
First performance
TBA
More information
Sources for tunes include Southern Harmony, William Billings, and Ruth Crawford Seeger's collection of American Christmas songs
Tunes and lyrics PDF download
Project details PDF download
To get the music and find upcoming performances, see below
More recently, I recorded a chorus singing Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols alongside Conrad Susa's "Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest", both with harp in the accompaniment. Choral directors are often interested in pieces that include harp at Christmastime!
I got a hankering to work with my favorite Appalachian carols again. My friend Mary Neumann, director of the Halalisa Singers, was immediately interested. I was familiar with several old tunes, she suggested a few, and I found more as I looked at old sources like William Billings and Southern Harmony.
Rejoice My Friends the Lord is King (tune: Knoxville)
by William Walker
from the shape-note song book
Southern Harmony, published 1854
The result is Shepherds and Angels, approximately 25 minutes long, with a prelude and 9 songs. The instrumentation is SATB chorus, harp, and violin. The music has a strong traditional feeling, with some spicy harmonies and instrumental interludes.
Get the music
Printed music
Contact me for a demo CD and printed perusal score
Keep in touch
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Audio
Listen to a computer-generated audio demo (no words), hosted at SoundClick
3 Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow
4 Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head
7 Mary and the Baby, Sweet Lamb
Join the project
The project is completed.
Performances
The Master Singers of Lexington
Sunday, December 11, 2011
4pm
First Parish Unitarian, Harrington Road, Lexington, MA
Masssachusetts premiere of Shepherds and Angels, American Christmas songs for chorus, violin, harp, tamborine, directed by Adam Grossman
Almost perfect performance
Geneva College
December 2 & 3, 2011
Pennsylvania premiere of Shepherds and Angels
The Genevans, directed by Dr. Robert Copeland, at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Falls, PA
Great choir and a moving evening, as everyone celebrated Dr. Copeland's last Christmas concert before retirement
Read about the Guild.
Guild members
The following friends and supporters have contributed to support the composing of Shepherds and Angels for chorus:
Nancy Burdine
Carson Cooman
My thanks to you both!
About the Guild Project Expand Text
Guild Overview
Read more about the
Guild and how it works
Target completion date: June 30, 2010
Target amount: Up to $1500 for commission fee
Download the fundraising letter
Benefits for Guild sponsors
Program listing All sponsors will be listed in the concert program of the premiere, in the printed score, and on this web site, with my great thanks.
Recording of the premiere and printed score For sponsors who donate $75 or more, please request these if you would like either one
Fiscal Sponsorship by Fractured Atlas Expand Text
In 2005, I organized Spindrift Commissioning Guild to accept monetary support for specific projects. Now Spindrift Commissioning Guild can accept tax-deductible charitable donations under the fiscal sponsorship of Fractured Atlas.
Spindrift Commissioning Guild is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of Spindrift Commissioning Guild may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
It would be really helpful if you can give at least $25, but please consider any gift you can afford. Thank you!
How to Donate Expand Text
You can make a donation online or with a check. Fractured Atlas receives the money and disburses it to Spindrift as the project progresses.
You can support the project in any amount. A donation of at least $25 will be really helpful. All donors will be listed in the music score and on my web site. You can be anonymous, if you want. And always, thank you for your interest and support!
Online
Use the Fractured Atlas web site to donate by credit card
After you donate, send me an email indicating what project you want to support and whether you want to receive the finished music as a PDF file. If you want to my work generally without choosing a specific project, that's greatly appreciated too. You can use the Spindrift contact form if you want.
Get updates Make sure you sign up for my Spindrift Commissioning Guild email list to get project updates
By check
Send a check, made payable to Fractured Atlas to Spindrift Commissioning Guild, Pamela Marshall, 38 Dexter Road, Lexington, MA 02420. Include a note with your check to tell me what project you want to support. Include your email address, so that I can send you project updates. If you don't use email, I can send updates via USPS mail.
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Please keep in touch Send me your comments about the project. For Commission projects, performers, let me know your concert schedule. I like deadlines. Knowing there’s a performance coming up helps the music flow!
The project is completed.
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You don’t have to be a donor to get project updates. I always appreciate your interest in my music. Maybe the updates will entice you to support the project with money too!
Resources Expand Text
Fractured Atlas Learn more about their support for artists, including fiscal sponsorship for hundreds of artists’ projects
Halalisa Singers Check out the concerts of this fabulous world-music chorus
Southern Harmony You can see scans of all the pages online
Thank you for your interest and support!
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