Bob Burroughs brings decades of church music leadership to his arrangements and compositions. Trained at Mars Hill College and Oklahoma Baptist University, he earned his Master of Church Music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with dual focuses in theory and composition. His career spans roles as a minister of music, university instructor across three institutions, and director of the Church Music Department for the Florida Baptist Convention. The Hines Sims Award from the Baptist Church Music Conference recognized his significant contributions to sacred music.
With over 1,300 published works across multiple publishers, Burroughs continues to shape choral music through clinics, workshops, and composer residencies. Now based in Greenville, South Carolina, he draws on a lifetime of understanding what works in the church and concert choir contexts, creating arrangements that honor both the text and the singers who perform them.
Why we love this
Burroughs knows how to serve both the hymn text and your singers in equal measure. This arrangement respects the devotional weight of the original while offering the kind of accessible voicing that allows church and school choirs to sing with confidence and expressiveness.
What to expect
A moment of sincere devotion and quiet introspection. The harmonic language is warm and direct, inviting singers and listeners into contemplation rather than spectacle. There's an unhurried quality that honors the gravity of the text.
Who it's for
Church choirs seeking reflective sacred repertoire for worship services or special services, and school choirs building a concert program with spiritual depth. The straightforward SATB voicing makes it accessible to intermediate ensembles without compromising musical substance.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the soprano line through phrases where it carries the primary melody; the other voices gain prominence only when the texture thickens
Shape each stanza with subtle dynamic changes rather than uniform volume; this keeps the narrative arc of the text audible across all six pages
Take time with longer note values to allow the harmonic progressions to register fully without dragging
How to use it
This works especially well in a Lenten or Easter service, or as part of a concert that explores themes of faith and redemption. Its six pages suggest a centerpiece role, something substantial enough to stand on its own yet brief enough not to overwhelm a varied program.
Skills your students will build
Balancing accompanied SATB voicing with clear soprano/alto independence
Shaping longer phrases with harmonic awareness
Text declamation within a hymnic context
Sustaining emotional continuity across multiple stanzas
You May Also Like
Scan to Complete Your Purchase
Use your phone's camera to scan the code below
You'll log in on your phone and the order will be added to your account
