Patti Drennan's teaching career in Norman Public Schools spanned 28 years, with two decades at West Mid-High School where she earned Teacher of the Year recognition, followed by eight years directing four choirs at Norman High School that consistently achieved superior contest ratings. Her prolific output as a composer and arranger has exceeded two million copies sold, with over 425 choral octavos published by major houses, and in 2004 she received the Director of Distinction Award from the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association.
Since retiring from the classroom in 2004, Drennan has maintained an active presence as a clinician and composer, leading workshops across 19 states, Canada, and major conventions, while also serving as adjudicator for regional choral contests. Her work has reached prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, and she continues to compose, arrange, and collaborate musically with her daughter Emily, a performer based in New York City.
Why we love this
A composer with nearly three decades of classroom experience understands exactly what directors need: music that sounds substantial without requiring impossible vocal ranges or excessive rehearsal time. Drennan's gift for writing accessible yet musically rewarding work means your singers will feel genuinely accomplished when this piece lands, and your audience will hear the craft embedded in every phrase.
What to expect
The piece embodies the quiet reverence its title suggests. Transparent textures and thoughtful harmonic movement create an atmosphere of sincerity, inviting singers and listeners into a moment of genuine reflection rather than theatrical display.
Who it's for
SSA and SSAA choirs seeking repertoire for festival or sacred concert programming. This works equally well for high school ensembles, college non-majors choirs, and church music programs looking for literature that demands musicality without extreme technical demands.
How to get the most out of it
Build the opening with singers anchored in their most comfortable range; let the vulnerability of sparse voicing create space before adding fuller harmonies.
Balance text clarity against the sacred context. These words carry weight, so prioritize diction without sacrificing the contemplative quality the piece asks for.
Attend to dynamic shaping across the form. Drennan's octavo invites subtle shifts in color; avoid treating sections as isolated blocks.
How to use it
Slot this into a sacred music concert as a centerpiece work that allows lighter or more rhythmic pieces to breathe around it. Its 11-page span makes it substantial enough to anchor a program section while remaining manageable for groups juggling multiple rehearsals.
Skills your students will build
Singing sustained passages with consistent tone and breath control
Managing exposed harmonic writing in limited voicing
Approaching sacred text with appropriate musical reverence and clarity
Blending SSA or SSAA voicings across dynamic ranges
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