F. Havergal

• Premiere: February 17, 2012 / Grace Episcopal Church / Newton, MA / Dr. Linda LCark 

• Instrumentation: SATB and Organ 

• Duration: 3:00'

• Text: Francis Havergal (1836-1879)

• Suitable for choirs of all levels 

Program Note

My last premiere at Grace Episcopal Church in Newton, Massachusetts - a choral program that nurtured more than a dozen pieces over four years.  This piece was commissioned by Carol McNally through the NEW CHORAL MUSIC! initiative, a Kickstarter project that funded my 2011 CD, Motets.  It is dedicated to Dr. Linda Clark, and was premiered at the final service of her tenure as Director of Music at Grace.

Dr. Clark was an early, and influential champion of my choral writing.  During my tenure as staff singer and Director of the Junior Choir at Grace, Dr. Clark oversaw the commissioning and premiere of a dozen works, and it was here that I truly learned to write for the choir.  In gratitude, I set familiar hymn "Take my life and let it be..." by Francis Havergal to a new tune, entitled CLARK.