Don Besig spent 31 years directing public school music programs across western New York, building award-winning concert choirs and show choirs that performed consistently at festivals, competitions, and community venues. His work encompassed all age levels and educational settings, giving him direct insight into what singers at every stage actually need. He now serves as director of music at Perinton Presbyterian Church in Fairport, New York.
After recognizing the shortage of accessible choral literature written for student ensembles and volunteer church singers, Besig began composing and arranging for his own groups. His catalog now exceeds 350 published works through major school and church music publishers, with worldwide sales surpassing 15 million copies. He has received multiple ASCAP Special Awards for standard music, conducted clinics and festivals in 40 states and Canada, and holds memberships in Phi Mu Alpha, ACDA, MENC, NYSSMA, and ASCAP.
Why we love this
Besig and Price have crafted something genuinely useful here: a unison-based SATB treatment that lets your ensemble sing with confidence without sacrificing the warmth of four-part harmony. The text carries real weight as both a fellowship anthem and a faith statement, so it lands authentically in worship settings and concert contexts alike.
What to expect
The music unfolds with straightforward warmth and honest sentiment. There's no pretension here, only the clear intention of singers gathering in faith and common purpose, supported by writing that feels natural to perform.
Who it's for
This piece serves church choirs seeking accessible sacred repertoire that respects volunteer singers' time constraints while still offering genuine musical substance. It also works for middle and high school choirs building their sacred concert programming without excessive technical demands.
How to get the most out of it
Let the opening phrase breathe naturally; resist over-conducting the rhythm and allow the singers' natural phrasing to shape the line.
Balance the verse sections so that the text remains clear above all else, since clarity of message defines this piece's power.
Use the harmonic shifts in later sections to deepen ensemble unity; have singers feel the shift in sonority rather than just executing new notes.
How to use it
Place this as a centerpiece in a sacred or interfaith concert, where its accessibility opens doors for broader audience connection. It also serves well in worship services where congregational participation or recognition matters, and pairs naturally alongside both contemporary and traditional hymn-based programs.
Skills your students will build
Singing secure part lines in unison-based SATB texture
Maintaining textual clarity and emotional delivery in sacred music
Finding intonation stability in simple but genuine four-part harmony
Understanding how congregational or participatory impulses shape sacred choral writing
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