This is a substantial setting of the canticles of Mary and Simeon, suitable for performance in both concert and liturgical settings. The choral writing features fugal counterpoint and a chromatic soundworld rooted around the octatonic scale. The text is in English throughout, with occasional Latin interjections in the Magnificat. Notably, the choir is accompanied by both piano and organ, a combination that reflects the tradition of the Black American church in which the composer grew up, where both instruments were used simultaneously for almost all service music. The resulting timbral effect is quite unique, with the more percussive piano sound twinkling over the sustained organ writing. Bringing a fresh voice to an established genre, this setting presents a rewarding challenge for singers and the opportunity for congregations or audiences to appreciate familiar words in a new way.

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Programme Notes:
My Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis were originally scored for SATB choir with both piano and organ accompaniment, as presented here. The piano and organ combination is a nod to the Black American church in which I grew up, where both instruments were used simultaneously for almost all music during church services (typically gospel music). All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, for which my Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis were composed, also had a tradition of using both piano and organ with various styles for special occasions. Because of my study and work in the Episcopal church, my Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis are firmly rooted in the Western classical music tradition, heavily influenced by the works of Howells, Vaughan Williams, and Holst. The harmony, form, and melodic elements in both pieces employ heavy usage of the octatonic scale: an 8-note scale constructed by alternating semitones/half steps and tones/whole steps.