Mary Donnelly grew up in Reno, Nevada, and studied English and French at the University of Nevada, Reno. During her undergraduate years, she discovered a passion for music education by organizing children's choruses, which inspired her to pursue formal training. She earned a Master's Degree in Education from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she focused on integrating the arts across the curriculum.
Donnelly spent thirty years teaching general music and choir in the Washoe County School District, retiring after a deeply rewarding career in elementary and middle school classrooms. In 1985, she began collaborating with George Strid when their principal challenged them to write a musical for Reading Week. That first project launched a prolific partnership that has produced over two hundred songs and twenty-five musicals. A member of ACDA, NEA, and ASCAP, Donnelly continues to live in Reno with her husband Rich.
Why we love this
Donnelly and Strid understand what middle school singers need: a piece that sounds genuinely beautiful without requiring vocal gymnastics or excessive range. The straightforward SSA scoring paired with a familiar seasonal theme makes this accessible for groups still building their sight-reading confidence, yet the writing maintains enough musicality to feel substantial in a concert.
What to expect
Warm and reverent without heaviness, this piece captures the quiet dignity of a sacred Christmas moment. The SSA voicing creates an open, luminous texture that lets each voice line breathe and shine.
Who it's for
Middle school and developing high school choirs seeking accessible yet musically satisfying Christmas repertoire. Works equally well for school concerts and community singing ensembles where sight-reading ability varies.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the upper voices carefully in the opening phrases so the melody projects clearly without the altos getting buried.
Work the text underlay precisely since Christmas pieces often blur rhythmic clarity when singers aren't anchored to specific syllables.
Consider where breath marks naturally fall within phrases rather than forcing uniform breathing patterns.
How to use it
Pair this with a contrasting secular Christmas selection to create variety in a holiday concert. Single-page length makes it manageable to learn alongside longer repertoire during the busy fall rehearsal schedule.
Skills your students will build
Independent part-singing in three-part harmony
Clarity and precision with text underlay
Sustaining pure vowels across the SSA range
Building confidence in parts while balancing the ensemble sound
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