Prepared For Worship: 2-Part Choral Octavo

This collection draws from Hillsong Worship and Phil Wickham's catalog of songs that choirs actually want to sing. The arrangements by four skilled educators (Martin, Hogan, Sorenson, and Angerman) make contemporary worship music feel natural for 2-part voicing without sacrificing the harmonic richness of the originals.

These arrangements capture the reflective intimacy and building joy of contemporary worship without requiring massive vocal forces. The 2-part writing creates space for blending and transparency while still delivering the emotional arc that makes these songs meaningful.

Church choirs and sacred music programs looking to expand beyond traditional hymn and anthem repertoire into contemporary worship. This collection works equally well for volunteer singers building confidence and high school or college choirs seeking accessible yet musically substantive modern material.

• Lean into the contemporary harmonic language. These arrangements use extended chords and unexpected resolutions that will feel different from traditional hymns; let your singers hear and feel those color shifts rather than pushing through them.
• Balance your dynamic control carefully. Worship music often builds gradually, so mark your crescendos in rehearsal and practice the restraint needed in softer sections before the big moments hit.
• Work the text intentionally. Contemporary worship lyrics carry weight; have singers understand what they're singing about so the theology comes through the music rather than just the notes.

Use selections throughout the church year, with the Epiphany options providing fresh material for winter services. Individual pieces also work as interludes in longer services or as opening numbers before a sermon or prayer time.

• Singing contemporary harmonic language with extended chords and modal inflections
• Balancing part singing in 2-part voicing without doubling or covering
• Connecting text to emotional delivery in worship contexts
• Navigating the rhythmic flexibility and rubato common in contemporary music