David Lantz III teaches vocal music in Pennsylvania's public school system while maintaining an extraordinary output as a composer and arranger. His catalog of roughly 500 published works spans sacred and secular choral idioms, orchestral and band music, jazz ensembles, and chamber combinations. He brings practical classroom experience directly into his compositions, understanding what singers need and what directors can realistically teach.
Beyond composition, Lantz works as a music editor and engraver, directs church choirs, and performs regularly as a bassist and vocalist in pop and jazz settings. He shares his musical life with his wife, composer Marti Lunn Lantz, and their five musically active children.
Why we love this
Lantz brings a church musician's sensibility to this piece, creating something genuinely devotional rather than performative. The text and musical language work together to communicate real prayer, not sentiment, which gives singers something meaningful to inhabit rather than just sing through.
What to expect
The music unfolds with quiet conviction, intimate rather than grand. There's a transparency to the writing that invites listeners into a moment of genuine devotion, built on clear harmonic progressions and clean voice leading.
Who it's for
This piece works for choirs comfortable with four-part harmony and basic harmonic literacy. It sits well for singers ranging from strong high school programs to collegiate and church ensembles seeking repertoire that respects both musical craft and spiritual sincerity.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the parts by favoring the alto line early in rehearsal; it often carries harmonic and emotional weight that gets buried when sopranos oversing.
Shape phrases around the text's natural breathing points rather than bar lines. This requires singers to listen across measures and commit to collective phrasing.
Record a rough run-through in the middle of your rehearsal process to identify where blend breaks down or rhythmic unison falters.
How to use it
Program this during a service or concert that emphasizes sacred music, or pair it with other contemporary spirituals and hymn settings to show your choir's versatility with devotional texts. A 10-page piece like this serves well as a centerpiece for a chamber choir concert or as part of a larger sacred choral suite.
Skills your students will build
Four-part SATB voice independence and blend
Phrasing across bar lines and following text inflection
Reading and singing diatonic harmony with clear voice leading
Sustaining lyrical lines with consistent tone and breath management
Interpreting sacred text with musical authenticity
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