Psalm 139 (A Promise of God's Faithfulness): Choral Instrumental Pak
By Heather Sorenson
Item: 35-PK00469489
$75.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Each measure of this inspiring psalm setting is filled with intention and nuance. A new addition to the composer's series featuring anthems inspired by the Psalter, this is a piece of inspired writing. The abundant melodic material closely follows the spiritual context of the message, reaching out with the assurance of God's presence in every aspect of our lives. Many occasions are worthy of this affirmation and the lofty musical elements are concert worthy for choirs of distinction. Moving! Score and Parts (fl, ob, cl, bn, tpt 1-3, hn, tbn 1-2, tba, timp, chm, perc, pno, vn 1-2, va, vc, db) available as a digital download.
Psalm 139 (A Promise of God's Faithfulness): Choral Instrumental Pak isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00469489
More about this title
About the Composer: Heather Sorenson
Heather Sorenson brings a distinctive voice to contemporary sacred music through her work as a composer, arranger, and orchestrator based in Dallas. Her compositions span churches, universities, concert halls, and competitions globally, grounded in her dual fluency with both traditional and modern Christian idioms. She refuses the genre silos that typically define composers; instead, she synthesizes classical rigor with contemporary expression into work that feels entirely her own.
Beyond the score, Sorenson shapes music education across multiple settings. She has taught elementary music, served as adjunct faculty at Baylor University, and regularly leads master classes and seminars on piano and songwriting at institutions nationwide. Her recent commissions include works for Texas A&M University, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation, and Carnegie Hall's premiere of her oratorio EXODUS. When not composing or traveling as a guest conductor and lecturer, she channels her artistic energy into benefit concerts supporting causes she champions.
Why we love this
Sorenson's psalm settings earn their place in the concert repertoire through careful attention to text and musical substance. Rather than treating the psalm as mere scaffolding for sentiment, she lets the spiritual message shape each phrase, creating a piece that feels both musically assured and deeply purposeful. The orchestration opens doors for choirs at strong programs while remaining accessible enough that directors don't need a major orchestra to realize her vision.
What to expect
This setting radiates quiet confidence rather than bombast. The music unfolds with deliberation, each phrase weighted with the affirmation of God's presence; there's a sense of being held and known. The orchestration deepens the message without overwhelming it, wrapping the choir in instrumental texture that feels both contemporary and timeless.
Who it's for
Choirs with capable singers and access to a capable instrumentalist community will find this setting especially rewarding. The piece demands maturity of interpretation and ensemble blend, making it ideal for church choirs of distinction, university ensembles, and community choruses with solid fundamentals.
How to get the most out of it
- Honor the phrasing implicit in the text; let the spiritual arc guide tempo and dynamics rather than imposing external shapes onto the music.
- Balance the instrumental color: this orchestration can easily overshadow the choir if winds and brass don't sit back in their full ensemble passages, so chamber balance during rehearsals reveals what the score actually contains.
- Shape the melodic material with care; Sorenson's abundant lines will sing themselves if the choir commits to legit legato and resists the urge to accent every significant note.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece for services or concerts centered on assurance, faithfulness, and presence. It pairs naturally with other contemporary sacred works while holding its own in a program that includes traditional hymns and classical fare. The piece carries enough musical substance and spiritual weight to anchor an entire worship service or concert set.
Skills your students will build
- Sustained legit legato singing with intentional phrase shape
- Balancing blend when singing against independent instrumental lines
- Interpreting text through musical nuance rather than straightforward declamation
- Secure ensemble rhythm within complex orchestral textures