Kirby Shaw's influence on choral music spans across continents and decades. A DMA graduate in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington with formal training in Music Education and Choral Composition, Shaw has worked with legendary vocalists including Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, and Jon Hendricks. He has founded and directed highly respected vocal jazz ensembles at multiple universities and currently leads the Jefferson State Choral Coalition at Southern Oregon University.
With over 2,500 choral arrangements and compositions in print, Shaw's music reaches singers worldwide; his catalog has sold nearly 20 million copies and earned multiple ASCAP awards. His teaching is recognized for combining genuine musical expertise with infectious humor and energy. Beyond his prolific composing and conducting work, Shaw co-created the musical Scroogical, an original adaptation of A Christmas Carol with his wife Markita.
Why we love this
Shaw writes sacred music that breathes with genuine warmth rather than sentiment. The spiritual foundation here pairs with accessible SATB writing that doesn't shy away from rhythmic snap and textural variety, giving your singers something substantial to perform without requiring weeks of sectional drilling.
What to expect
Warm spirituality anchored in joy. Shaw grounds the piece in the earnest beauty of traditional spiritual idiom while letting modern harmonic sensibilities and rhythmic energy run through the whole work. It feels like singing something that matters, not just filling a December concert slot.
Who it's for
SATB choirs looking for spiritually grounded holiday music with real musical substance. This works equally well for high school and college programs that want to move past generic Christmas fare without requiring a massive ensemble or unusual instrumentation.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the solo lines with choir texture. Shaw often layers individual voices against the ensemble, so make sure your soprano and alto soloists aren't buried when the full sound enters.
Find the rhythmic pocket early in rehearsal. The spiritual groove Shaw builds depends on commitment to the pulse, not rushing through faster passages.
Shape the dynamic arc across all ten pages. This piece rewards patient, long-line conducting; resist the urge to let excitement flatten the shape in the final sections.
How to use it
Include this in a mixed-repertoire holiday concert where it can anchor the sacred portion without feeling overly reverent. Its ten pages and accessibility make it a strong second or third piece on a program, sitting well alongside both classical and contemporary seasonal works.
Skills your students will build
Balancing solo and ensemble textures within one piece
Singing spirituals with historical awareness and modern performance practice
Managing rhythmic independence in SATB writing
Sustaining emotional narrative across a longer choral work
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
