Some Holiday Updates
Happy Holidays from Hedgerow! Today is December 3, and like everyone else who works at a church, my life is busy. Tomorrow evening marks the first of five performances of our annual Christmas concert at Christ Church, and we will be performing my setting of Love Came Down at Christmas among other pieces. If you like your holidays replete with choral anthems, handbells, and orchestral music, I invite you to livestream the performance or check it out on YouTube. You can learn more at www.ccum.net. Planning and implementing these concerts is one of the great personal joys of my life. I'd be honored for you to share in the experience with me.
As for Hedgerow Music Publishing, the first five months of my new adventure have been encouraging. I've sold some music (and not just to my friends :)) and I've accepted my first commission. I've also taken the Facebook plunge, albeit trepidatiously. A kind friend of mine, who is a successful self-publisher, encouraged me to try it. As of this writing, there is nothing there but my uber-plain logo. However, I'll do my best to get it up and running in a useful way. Click here to follow.
Some upcoming activity:
After the new year, I will be releasing my arrangement of Great Is Thy Faithfulness for mixed chorus and piano with optional string quartet and organ. This piece is near and dear to me; I composed it two years ago during the pandemic after two beloved choir members passed away. Included with the anthem is a gorgeous piece of cover art specifically painted in response to this piece. I'm very excited for you to see it.
In February, the youth choirs at Christ Church will be premiering my setting of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. I wrote this piece with developing voices in mind. It can be performed in three or four parts, and ranges are suitable for adolescent voices in various stages of change. The piece is in 10/8, but I hope that won't scare away other directors. My kids picked up on it very quickly.
I have also started work on a large-scale project that I am calling Festival Hymn Settings for Worship. I am compiling all the hymn accompaniments that I have arranged and scored for brass, organ, orchestra, etc. over my years of serving in churches with the intent to release them in collections according to liturgical function. I am starting with Easter hymns (since I plan on using them this April anyway) and will follow with collections for Advent, Christmas, and general usage. Perhaps other directors will find them useful.
I appreciate so much all the kind words and encouragement I've received since I started this journey. Many thanks to all of you. I hope your holidays are filled with love and laughter!
Blessings,
Dan