Gloria: SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

Leavitt's setting of Gloria strikes a balance between liturgical tradition and contemporary choral writing. The piece works equally well in a worship setting or on a concert program, and the recorded accompaniment lets singers focus entirely on their parts without depending on an accompanist.

Gloria radiates reverence and brightness. The piece balances moments of hushed devotion with exuberant, full-voiced sections that celebrate the text's joyful affirmation. Leavitt's harmonies feel modern yet rooted in hymnic tradition, creating a sense of timeless worship.

Church choirs, community choral ensembles, and high school show choirs looking for a sacred work that challenges musicianship without requiring advanced vocal technique. This piece suits ensembles with mixed ability levels and limited rehearsal time, since the recorded accompaniment does the harmonic heavy lifting.

• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish tempo and harmonic foundation during rehearsals, then gradually reduce reliance on it as the choir gains confidence with intonation and phrasing.
• Pay attention to text clarity in passages where the accompaniment is dense; mark any spots where enunciation might blur and rehearse those sections a cappella.
• Shape phrases according to the text's liturgical weight rather than harmonic cadences alone; this draws out the spiritual intent of the Gloria text.
• Balance the soprano and alto lines in homophonic sections to ensure neither obscures the other, even when the accompaniment is full.

Pair this with other Leavitt sacred works for a cohesive concert section, or use it as the centerpiece of a spring sacred concert alongside anthems from different periods and styles. It also serves beautifully as a processional or recessional in worship contexts where a recorded accompaniment is preferable to live accompaniment.

• Singing with a recorded accompaniment while maintaining independence from it
• Text declamation in liturgical music
• Balancing homophonic writing across voice parts
• Sustaining tone quality and intonation in full, four-part harmony