Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord: SATB Choral Octavo

Baity understands what makes a psalm sing in the modern choir room. She avoids generic reverence in favor of genuine excitement: the mixed meters keep singers engaged and listeners on their toes, while the gospel-influenced accompaniment anchors the piece in a style that feels alive and contemporary. The layered vocal writing and divisi passages create the effect of a larger choir without requiring one, and the dynamic range gives you room to shape the arc from intimate to triumphant.

Exultant and modern. The piece captures the joy in Psalm 100 without a trace of stiffness; instead, it pulses with a gospel heartbeat and soars through moments of lush harmonic layering. The dynamic swells and rhythmic drive create an atmosphere of genuine celebration rather than formal praise.

This octavo suits choirs with secure rhythm readers and a willingness to embrace energetic, contemporary sacred music. Directors working with advanced high school choirs, college ensembles, or experienced church choirs will find the mixed meters and gospel groove rewarding rather than overwhelming.

• Anchor the rhythm section to the piano's driving gospel feel. Lock in early on the rhythmic precision; the mixed meters will read clearly only if the accompaniment is rock-solid underneath.
• Shape the dynamic contrasts deliberately. Map out your pp and ff moments before rehearsal so singers understand the emotional trajectory rather than treating dynamics as arbitrary markings.
• Manage the divisi passages carefully by having singers mark which part they sing clearly in their scores. In mixed-meter sections, indicate beat counts or subdivision to prevent the sopranos or altos from drifting when they divide.

Open a spring or fall concert with this piece to set an uplifting, energetic tone from the start. It also works powerfully in sacred music programs or ecumenical services where contemporary gospel influences fit your liturgical context. The piece has enough musical substance and modern sensibility to stand alongside other contemporary choral settings without feeling out of place.

• Reading and executing mixed meters (transitions between different time signatures within a single piece)
• Navigating vocal divisi passages independently while maintaining blend with other sections
• Responding to and shaping wide dynamic contrasts (pp through ff)
• Singing with rhythmic precision in a gospel-influenced style, including syncopation and rhythmic layering
• Coordinating vocal entries and releases across multiple independently moving parts