Ryan Nowlin has built a career bridging the worlds of composition, arrangement, and music education. His works span both band and choral settings and have been heard in concert halls worldwide. Beyond his output as a composer and arranger, Nowlin has shaped music pedagogy through co-authoring the Tradition of Excellence band method, the Teaching Band with Excellence director's resource, and the Excellence series of theory and ear training workbooks.
Since 2010, Nowlin has served as staff arranger for The President's Own United States Marine Band, and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2014. In this capacity, he regularly conducts the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at performances throughout the Washington D.C. area, at the White House, and across the nation.
Why we love this
Nowlin respects the timeless melody of this American spiritual while giving it fresh harmonic language and texturing that rewards careful listening. The arrangement sits comfortably for mixed voices without losing sophistication; your singers will feel the weight of genuine musical substance rather than oversimplification.
What to expect
There is something quietly powerful here; the familiar tune carries the listener while Nowlin's harmonies shift beneath it, creating moments of unexpected tenderness and depth. The arrangement feels both reflective and affirming, honoring the song's roots while speaking to contemporary sensibilities.
Who it's for
This arrangement works for concert choirs, festival choirs, and ensembles looking to program American repertoire with musical substance. It suits singers with fundamental SATB experience who are ready to navigate contemporary harmonic thinking while singing a familiar, emotionally grounded melody.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the inner voices carefully in the harmony passages; the arrangement's beauty depends on hearing all four parts distinctly rather than blending them into a wash.
Approach the dynamic shape with gradual shaping rather than sudden drops; this allows the folk melody to breathe naturally throughout.
Let the text inform your phrasing across phrase boundaries; Nowlin's arrangement works best when singers connect the lyrical sense rather than treating each harmonic moment as isolated.
How to use it
Pair this with other spirituals or folk arrangements to create a thematic concert section, or use it as a contrasting moment between larger works in a mixed program. Its moderate length and emotional directness make it an effective closer or a sturdy anchor piece in a festival set.
Skills your students will build
Balancing four independent vocal lines in contemporary harmonic contexts
Shaping long melodic lines with text awareness
Singing with stylistic sensitivity to folk and spiritual traditions
Responding to subtle harmonic color changes within a familiar melody
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