Patti Drennan shaped choral music education across Oklahoma for nearly three decades, directing award-winning programs at West Mid-High School and Norman High School while earning the Oklahoma Choral Directors Association's Director of Distinction Award in 2004. Her composition catalog spans over 425 published octavos with major houses, and her work has reached performance stages from Carnegie Hall to churches and schools across 19 states, Canada, and beyond.
Since retiring from the classroom in 2004, Drennan has devoted herself fully to composing, arranging, and leading workshops for church and school musicians nationwide. She serves as a clinician, adjudicator, and composer weekend director while maintaining an active performing life, including collaborative recordings with her daughter, a musical theater performer in New York City. Her music reflects decades of direct experience with what choirs need: pieces that inspire singers and move audiences.
Why we love this
Drennan writes from genuine understanding of what SSA ensembles can achieve. The text and music merge with purpose, creating a moment of spiritual reflection that feels earned rather than imposed. This works beautifully as a festival closer or concert anchor because it carries weight without demanding excessive rehearsal time.
What to expect
The piece opens with quiet reverence and unfolds with gentle spiritual presence. You'll find moments of harmonic warmth alongside passages that ask singers to listen deeply to one another, creating an intimate soundscape that feels both contemporary and timeless.
Who it's for
SSA and SSAA choirs ranging from high school through adult ensembles seeking thoughtful sacred repertoire that respects singers' musicality. This works well for groups with solid pitch control and the ability to balance multiple parts without conductorial hand-holding.
How to get the most out of it
Shape the melodic line through breath placement rather than dynamic swells; let the text naturally guide where voices need air and release.
Balance the inner parts carefully during harmonic shifts so the accompaniment doesn't obscure the primary melodic statement.
Explore the emotional arc across the full 14 pages before locking tempos; this piece rewards singers who understand where they're building toward.
Consider how acoustics in your performance space affect blend; the upper voices may need slight dynamic restraint in a reverberant hall.
How to use it
Place this as a meaningful mid-program moment in a sacred concert, or use it as the reflective centerpiece flanked by contrasting repertoire. It also serves well as a festival or competition selection where artistic integrity matters more than flashy technical display.
Skills your students will build
Balancing three independent vocal lines while maintaining overall harmonic cohesion
Interpretive phrasing across longer phrases without over-relying on dynamic marking
Intonation awareness in sustained harmonic passages
Text declamation that serves emotional content rather than literal syllable stress
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
