Sanakam (Let's Gather): Choral Works (inc. Oratorios)

Ešenvalds writes choral music that feels singable from the first rehearsal yet rewards deeper musical investment. His harmonies sit naturally in the voice while creating moments of genuine harmonic color and emotional resonance. This is the kind of contemporary piece that builds a choir's confidence and loyalty to new music.

The music unfolds with a contemplative quality, drawing listeners into intimate harmonic spaces before opening into fuller sonorities. There is a sense of gathering and connection woven throughout, matching the text's invitation to come together, with warmth and spiritual sincerity at its core.

This octavo works well for intermediate to advanced choirs seeking contemporary repertoire that is musically substantive without extreme technical demands. Both community and university choirs will find material that challenges musicianship while remaining within reasonable preparation time.

• Pay attention to vowel consistency across the choir when voicing changes occur; Ešenvalds often uses subtle shifts in harmonic density that depend on clean articulation.
• Balance the parts carefully in sections where upper and lower voices move independently; these moments define the piece's texture and emotional shape.
• Shape phrases according to the text rather than musical bar lines; let the language and meaning guide your phrasing choices.

Sanakam works beautifully as an opening piece for a choral concert, setting a welcoming and introspective tone for the program. It also pairs naturally with other Baltic or Scandinavian contemporary choral works for a thematic concert exploring Northern European musical traditions.

• Singing contemporary harmonic language with confidence and intonation
• Balancing independent voice parts in polyphonic textures
• Interpreting text-driven phrasing in non-English languages
• Blending vocal color across choir while maintaining part clarity