A beautiful, lilting, and lush new arrangement of the world's most loved Christmas carol! Written for SSAA, piano and oboe, both of the melodies associated with this carol are intricately entwined together. A very dramatic and effective ending brings this stunning new arrangement to a glorious climax, followed by a gently rocking, lullaby-like coda. This arrangement of Away in a Manger is sure to be loved by your choir and audience alike.

LEVEL - intermediate 

RELEASED in 2024

Christmas Is ... takes everything you're hoping for in a new Christmas piece and wraps it up beautifully!  Sentimental but not sappy, simple but not simplistic. Two lyrical melodic sections (intro AABAB coda) are shared between the parts supported by a stunning piano accompaniment featuring bell-like echoes and rich harmonies. The message of Christmas Is...  is timeless - hope, joy, love, and peace.  On a personal note, the images evoked by the text are memories of my own childhood in wintry Canada where Christmas was made magical not by things (because no one had much) but by kind friends, seasonal sights and sounds, and simply being and sharing together.

Also available for SATB with piano and SATB with orchestra

LEVEL - upper intermediate

Inspired by the 1,116 orphaned Polish children who, as Holocaust survivors, were brought to Canada after World War II  and became known as The Redeemed Children. These tunes, and others like them, were the only possessions they had  and their only direct connection to the past.  I received a copy of a book of tunes (unarranged) while speaking at a conference; an elderly gentlemen came up to me, pressed them into my hands and asked me to help keep them alive.  The work features two tunes, both on the theme of motherhood.  The first tune describes a young mother shushing everything around her so that her little son can sleep.  The second tune rejoices when the poor are raised up and a barren woman's house is filled with the laughter of children. To honour the integrity of the tunes, this work features idiomatic writing and harmonies and captures not only the rhythm but also the intended mood and sentiment.  Brief solo opportunities feature a soprano and alto in a traditional 'cantor' style section.  Shifting from sweet and gentle to driving and energetic, this is an excellent work to build musical expression, story telling and deep empathy.

LEVEL - intermediate

My Child  is a sweet, sensitive and endearing work for SSAA women's choir, piano accompaniment and flute.  The flute part is highly featured.  I wrote the work at the request of one of my friends in the choir that I sing in (she is a flautist and her mother is our accompanist).  Searching for inspiration, I reflected on my grandmothers, whom I never knew, and my own children, now grown.  The tenderness of childhood and motherhood is so ephemeral - like the wind and the sun.

LEVEL - early intermediate

Here is a beautiful and graceful arrangement of O Canada featuring an SSAA treble choir and  either a vocal soloist or unison choir. My women's choir sang it as the invited guests at a local hockey game - such fun!

Key: F+
A cappella

LEVEL - early intermediate

A new, exciting arrangement of this much loved Scottish folk song. Stirring, powerful, harmonically rich and innovative, Skye Boat Song is perfect for advanced high school choirs, community and professional choirs. The words behind this well-known song carry significant historical significance. The piece is actually not just a "isn't that a lovely tune" folksong. The familiar main chorus "Speed bonny boat like a bird on the wing..." is repeated between the four verses which tell the story of the brutal battle of Culloden in Scotland and the end of the Highland way of life. The accompanying violin and piano are characters in their own right and use word painting to highlight the emotional text. Scottish snare adds drama! The vocal writing uses different effects to ensure each verse has its own impact and expression. Sure to be a favourite with intermediate and higher level treble choirs!

COMING SOON in 2025

Introducing a new and vibrant SSAA choral arrangement of this timeless Canadian folk classic. Inducted into the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame, Song for the Mira is universal in its longing for a return to one's most loved and familiar places. This rich arrangement features melody sharing between the voices, special word painting effects, lush harmonies, solo or small group opportunities as well as a stunning piano accompaniment. The level of difficulty is perfect for all groups at the intermediate level and up, and appropriate for young and "not so young" SSAA choirs anywhere. Song for the Mira features such a beautiful melody, and this arrangement, created by permission acquired directly from Allister McGillivray, upholds and enhances the beauty of the melody so artistically throughout.

LEVEL - upper intermediate

COMING SOON in 2025

This new setting of a Newfoundland folk song text relates the tale of a young woman, abducted by sailors, who outwits and escapes them and steals their gold. It begins and ends with bagpipe-like choral drones. Singers will enjoy the different accompaniment figures as the modal melody is passed from one part to another. Scored for SSAA a cappella, bongo drums and tambourine. 

Available at Subito Music

New Release for 2025

A sweet blending of these two iconic pop tunes from the 1950's! This piece creates a journey through time and relationships. Nostalgic for those who grew up with Harry Belafonte (who originally sang "Turn Around") and Doris Day (who sang Que Sera Sera). For younger generations, these are timeless classics with heart-felt messages that they can embrace anew.

RELEASED in 2024

Looking for that perfect Christmas concert crowd pleaser to pop in at the end of the concert? We Love Christmas (most of the time) will have both choir members and the audience chuckling and will send everyone out the door with lots of Christmas spirit!  The piece is a super fun medley containing snippets of eight well known seasonal tunes delightfully and humorously arranged with new and original words.  You'll need a couple of "ham bones" in the choir to assist in strategic spots. A fun audience participation experience is to encourage the audience to identify all eight tunes! 

COMING SOON in 2025