Each of Us Has a Light: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

This piece walks the line between celebratory and introspective in a way that feels genuinely earned rather than forced. The gospel-swing idiom gives your choir permission to really groove without losing the spiritual warmth that comes from anchoring the arrangement in "This Little Light of Mine," and the uplifting text lands differently when paired with that kind of musical confidence.

Sunlight through a stained glass window translated into sound. There's brightness and movement in the gospel-swing rhythm, but the familiar spiritual at its core gives the whole piece a quiet dignity that keeps it from feeling lightweight or trendy.

Choirs at the intermediate to advanced level who have some comfort with contemporary idioms and rhythmic precision will engage most fully with this piece. It works equally well for high school, college, community, and church ensembles looking to program something that feels current without abandoning warmth.

• Lean into the swing feel by working the subdivision in rehearsal; even a quarter note in this style needs lift and space. Have singers tap the backbeat to find where the pocket lives.
• Balance the homophonic moments with the more intricate rhythmic sections by keeping vowel shapes consistent across the ensemble. A wandering vowel in a swing piece reads as loose rather than relaxed.
• Use the recorded accompaniment early in rehearsal to establish the groove and tempo. Many directors find their singers lock in faster when they hear the full harmonic context and the rhythm section's actual feel.

Program this as a strategic change-of-pace moment in a concert of larger or more classical works. Its accessible joy makes it ideal for opening a second half or creating a gentle transition in a mixed-repertoire program. The year-round text and optional ceremonial context also make it valuable for non-concert settings like candle-lighting moments during a winter concert or spring celebration.

• Swing rhythmic feel and subdivision (understanding the triplet-based pocket beneath eighth notes)
• Blend and balance in gospel-influenced harmony
• Flexibility between homophonic and more intricate rhythmic textures
• Connection between text and musical style in contemporary arrangements