For the past two summers, my volunteer church choir has enjoyed singing on Sundays throughout the summer. Besides singing easier anthems that they are already familiar with, I’ve been on the hunt for anthems that they can learn in a ~35 minute rehearsal before the service. Oh – and the anthems have to be musically interesting! Not an easy ask, but I’ve found several pieces that fit the bill for my choir:
Love Has Broken Down the Wall – Mark Miller
Available as Love Has Broken Down the Wall (Print / Download) and Christ Has Broken Down the Wall (Print / Download)
Easy SATB with keyboard accompaniment
Suitable for Pride Celebrations
Steal Away to Jesus – Patrick Dupré Quigley
Print / Download
Easy SATB with medium solo and keyboard accompaniment
Come Before the Table – Karen Marrolli
Print / Download
Duet or Semi-choir, SATB choir (easy/repetitive), and hand drum
Day by Day – Thomas Keesecker
Print / Download
Unison (opt. 2-part) with keyboard accompaniment
Suitable for Eucharistic/Communion services
We Walk By Faith – Karen Marrolli
Available in multiple settings with keyboard accompaniment: 2-part Print / 2-part Download; SAB Print / SAB Download; Solo medium-high Download / Solo medium-low Download
How Firm a Foundation – Paul Koch
Print / Download
2-part mixed voices with organ accompaniment
Come, Thou Fount – Craig Courtney
Print / Download
SATB with piano accompaniment. Most of the piece is easy, leaving time in rehearsal for the last few pages which depart from a hymnal-style SATB setting.
Be Thou My Vision – Alice Parker
Print
Unison with descant and variable accompaniment (harp or piano and strings or organ)
I Choose Love – Mark Miller
Available in multiple settings with keyboard accompaniment: Easy SATB Print / SATB Download; SSA Print / SSA Download
O Taste and See – Ralph Vaughan Williams
Print / Download
Easy SATB with organ intro and opt. solo (also available as SSA)
Lead Me, Lord – S. S. Wesley
Print / Download (CPDL)
Easy SATB with keyboard accompaniment
Lord of All Hopefulness – Daniel Kallman
Print
Easy SAB with flute and organ accompaniment (don’t be put off by needing to contact the composer to order – this is wonderful piece – basically my ideal very easy anthem)
We Walk in Love – Deanna Witkowski
Easy SATB – in the Justice Choir Songbook (cost is donation-based); optional piano score
Suitable for Pride Celebrations
Bonus 1: Roll Down, Justice – Mark Miller
Print / Download
SATB with keyboard accompaniment
As written, this piece isn’t easy enough for my choir to learn in a single, short rehearsal. However, I made it work for us by playing a congregational-style accompaniment (i.e. strong support for melody and rhythm) instead of the printed accompaniment.
Bonus 2: Day of Delight and Beauty Unbounded – Thomas Keesecker
Print / Download
Unison or 2-part with keyboard accompaniment and opt. tambourine and hand drum
While this could work for a summer Sunday themed around creation or new life, it’s probably best as an Easter anthem. I’m saving it for next year’s Low Sunday.
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