I spent the last 2 days in the Hellenic Community Centre in Vancouver for Long & McQuade’s concert band reading clinics. It woke up my muse, dormant for a few months now, and she was ready to go. It didn’t matter how late into the night she kept me up, apparently I really needed to arrange my own melody with God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen for beginning band.
Beautiful skies on the way back to B.C. in 2013
In the downtime between Christmas and New Years this past winter, I found myself thinking of Mary. Specifically about her journey to Bethlehem, and the fear she must have been facing. It is hard enough to be an unwed mother today, much less an unwed mother two thousand years ago. While Joseph had stood beside her, she still could not have had an easy time of it.
I reflected on her journey, and the courage she must have had. But the more I thought about travelling down dark roads, the more I thought about the path of life and how we all face difficult journeys. I realized that the poem I was crafting didn’t reference Mary or any religious iconography. It was about battling loss and hardship. It was about how you need to keep going even if every bone in your body screams to give up. It was about leaning on your friends (or God, if you’re so inclined), and having the courage to allow them to help. Continue reading
Atop Whistlers Mountain in Jasper National Park
This is a re-imagined a cappella version of Go Tell It On The Mountain, with more modern lyrics and a melody that gets blues-ier the further you travel. It’s a relaxed swing, with solo opportunities in the third verse.
The melody came to me as I was waking up, and I went straight to the piano to plunk it out. I was partly inspired by an old favourite beginning band tune that I had just handed out called ‘Bag O’ Blues’, where students get their first taste of b7. And I was partly inspired by my partner’s complaints about how basses never get to sing melody. Well Michael, this one’s for you.
PDF: Go Tell It (On The Mountain) SATB
If you perform any of my works, please email me at heather (dot) k (dot) graves (at) gmail (dot) com, as I would love to hear others’ versions of my compositions. Thanks! Please also contact me if you would like the MuseScore file.
I’ve wanted to write a fun and groovy composition for Christmas for a little while, and when inspiration struck, I giggled and went with the flow. I woke up one morning in late November, humming an Afro-Cuban bass line. I got into the shower, and somehow the clave pattern of that bass line had morphed into a rhythmic O Holy Night. I went to write it down, and other Christmas carols yammered to be included. I obliged.
This piece combines O Holy Night, Angels We Have Heard On High, Deck The Halls, and even a line of Oh Christmas Tree (feel free to use the German words, if you prefer.) The original conception is for 2-voices and upright bass, but substitute with piano as necessary. Maybe even throw in a shaker.
Midi: Christmas Clave SA midi file
(I have also started working on an a cappella SATB version, but the school year has begun once again and I make no promises. If you are interested and I still haven’t posted it by the time Christmas music comes around again, send me an email.)
If you perform any of my works, please email me at heather (dot) k (dot) graves (at) gmail (dot) com, as I would love to hear others’ versions of my compositions. Thanks! Please also contact me if you would like the MuseScore file.
While working on Vancouver Island last year, I was very privileged to be welcomed into Comox United Church. There were several other brass players in the choir, and we colluded on a quartet performance one Sunday morning. I transposed my TTBB arrangement of Shall We Gather for the occasion. I was very pleased with the final product, aside from a coughing attack midway through the performance (yikes!)
Music below for Shall We Gather At The River? for trumpet, horn, trombone, and euphonium.
PDF: Shall We Gather At The River? (brass quartet)
If you perform any of my works, please email me at heather (dot) k (dot) graves (at) gmail (dot) com, as I would love to hear others’ versions of my compositions. Thanks! Please also contact me if you would like the MuseScore file.
I’ve always wanted to try my hand at composing for the classic Kyrie Eleison text. Hope you enjoy!
PDF: Kyrie Eleison (SATB)
Midi: Kyrie Eleison midi file
If you perform any of my works, please email me at heather (dot) k (dot) graves (at) gmail (dot) com, as I would love to hear performances of my compositions. Thanks! Please also contact me if you would like the MuseScore file.
Recharged from the summer, I delved into the carol book and discovered an Old French gem. Not having grown up with this carol made it easy to re-harmonize the melody for a cappella treble choir. I also reworked some of the lyrics to focus on the joy I feel every holiday season. Merry Christmas!
PDF: Bring A Torch SSA
Midi: Bring A Torch midi
Stream off of the Baden Powell Trail.
An a cappella arrangement of the traditional hymn, Shall We Gather At The River by Robert Lowry (1826–1899). I arranged this for the Eight Deadly Sins, based in Highlands United Church in North Vancouver, Canada. I used some of Lowry’s lyrics, as well as borrowing from the imagery of the Swedish version of the song, O, hur saligt att få vandra.
PDF: Shall We Gather At The River TTBB
Recording:
Heather Graves Soderling 