John Purifoy is a composer and arranger whose sacred choral works are performed regularly in churches and concert halls across North America. His compositions demonstrate a gift for balancing accessibility with musical substance, creating pieces that engage singers and audiences alike while remaining achievable for volunteer and student choirs.
Why we love this
Purifoy's setting captures the exuberance and brightness of Pentecost without resorting to cheap effects or overstuffed orchestration. The writing sits naturally for all four parts, making this a rare fanfare that doesn't exhaust your singers while still delivering genuine impact in worship or concert settings.
What to expect
Bright and energized, with the forward momentum of a processional. The harmonic language is accessible but never predictable, giving singers satisfying material to lock into while maintaining the festive character from top to bottom.
Who it's for
Any choir seeking a genuine fanfare for a Pentecost service or secular celebration of fire, movement, and transformation. Directors of volunteer choirs and school ensembles will appreciate that the piece demands musicianship without requiring exceptional technical facility.
How to get the most out of it
Set a tempo that allows the fanfare gestures to breathe without dragging. Rushing through the piece undermines its celebratory character.
Shape the dynamic arch across the full piece rather than treating each phrase in isolation. This forward momentum creates the sense of proclamation the text demands.
Balance the inner voices carefully during moments where they sustain beneath soprano or alto text. Clarity matters more than volume.
How to use it
Slot this as a processional entrance during Pentecost services or as the opening piece on a concert program featuring liturgical or spiritual themes. Its brief length (two pages) also makes it ideal as a curtain raiser before a longer choral work.
Skills your students will build
Balancing sustained inner voices while projecting soprano and alto lines
Maintaining forward harmonic momentum across short fanfare gestures
Coordinating dynamic shaping across all four parts
Singing in a bright, focused tone appropriate to celebratory sacred music
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