Voicing: Mixed Voices

SATB divisi choir a cappella or accompanied (by optional Tubular bell & String Orchestra). Originally part of a 30 minutes work Childers Shining which helped bring healing to a community after a fire tragedy caused the loss of 15 lives, this work was written to bring healing, transformation and upliftment.

The second of Joseph Twist’s “Victoria Triptych” this piece quotes from Victoria’s Lamentation, adding new modern elements clothed in a rich, plaintive harmonic language. Suitable for concert and liturgical use, and making musical references to Victoria’s Lamentations throughout.

Available in the set of Three Motets after Victoria, linked here – not available singly.

To listen to Lamentation of Jeremiah on SoundCloud, click here.

New Release – One of John Rotar’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Lent Prose is a sacred piece, suitable for low intermediate choirs and is arranged for SATB voices and organ; duration 6 mins.

This piece was written for and performed by Holy Trinity Fortitude Valley at their Lenten Concert in April 2025.

This piece is based on the text of award-winning American poet Jane Kenyon’s poem by the same name, which contemplates the end of the day, and alludes to the parallels in life and death. With a quiet, reflective beginning, listeners are transported to the peaceful countryside in the late afternoon. Voice parts in turn bathe the listener in rays of light as they “shine through the chinks in the barn”. The piece culminates in an affirming declaration – “let evening come, as it will, and don’t be afraid. God does not leave us comfortless.”

The recording above is performed by the Brisbane Chamber Choir (2011), directed by Graeme Morton.

New Release – One of Stephen Leek’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Look, There are Dark Hands is an exciting work for medium to advanced high school aged SATB a cappella choirs. From the set of works called “Once on a Mountain”, this award-winning piece was composed for the infamous St Peters Lutheran College Chorale for their first tour of Tasmania, Australia’s most southern state. Here, spectacularly beautiful landscapes are paired with the markings of the original owners of the land through paintings that have survived in hidden caves. This work features some of the first ever inclusions of harmonic-overtone singing in Australian compositions and rapid and complex time signature changes.

New to Morton Music – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details or from RSCM Music Direct (UK) via the Other Countries link.

This gentle piece expresses the the feelings of Mary as she reflects on the child she has borne. She feels affection for the sweet young babe she holds in her arms. Yet there is also wonderment and awe, as she understands his true nature and grapples with what the future holds for him. These are feelings similar to what any mother would have for her child. A mothers love is a universal theme. It can be understood by people of all faiths and creeds. Therefore, this piece, while sacred, can be sung in secular contexts as well as in services.

Though written in an advanced idiom, this work was commissioned and first performed by Graeme Morton’s St Peters Chorale, a leading high school choir in Australia. The composer writes, “musically, this work has been much influenced by Renaissance choral music…my aim above all things was to draw upon a tradition of writing that is solemn, richly spiritual but ultimately life-affirming”.

Listen to Lux Aeterna here!

New to Morton Music – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details or from RSCM Music Direct (UK) via the Other Countries link.

Magnificat (Opus 79) was composed over the summer of 2008-2009.  The work is an a cappella setting of the Latin Vulgate text and was written in response to a commission from the Sydney Chamber Choir. Marked ‘Calm and gentle – with flow’ the score carries an inscription from Emily Bronte’s poem of creativity, Last Lines, “No coward soul is mine.” The first performance of Magnificat, was given by the Sydney Chamber Choir conducted by Graham Abbott at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney, 6 September 2009.

Listen now

Duration: approximately 8 minutes

Nunc Dimittis (Opus 89) is sold separately and was written in 2011 in response to a commission from the Brisbane Chamber Choir who had already performed Andrew Schultz’s Magnificat and wanted to have Nunc Dimittis to perform with the earlier work. The setting of the text parallels the dramatic flow of the original text, The Song of Simeon. The work moves from a world of clouded uncertainty through exultation and revelation to a final passage of transcendent simplicity and tranquillity. Marked ‘Flowing’ the Nunc Dimittis is similar to Magnificat in the tempo and meter (3/2) and in the ebb and flow between four and eight part vocal writing.

New to Morton Music – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details.

The original SATB version of Mater Dolorosa was composed for conductor Jillian McGregor and the Corinthian Singers of Adelaide for a Good Friday concert in the Art Gallery of South Australia’s Radford Auditorium in April, 2011. The work was subsequently revised and expanded (SSATBarB) in 2013, and was premiered by Adelaide Chamber Singers – conducted by Carl Crossin – at the Musica Sacra a Roma in Rome, Italy in July 2013. Mater Dolorosa is a setting of the first four stanzas of the 13th century Marian hymn Stabat Mater Dolorosa, a much longer poem which expresses Mary’s sorrow as she stood at the foot of the cross witnessing her son’s death by crucifixion.

The recording above features the St Peter’s Chorale, directed by Kathryn Morton.

New Release – One of John Rotar’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Missa di Angelis is suitable for low intermediate choirs and is arranged for SATB a cappella voicing; duration 7 mins.

This piece was arranged in 2024 for Holy Trinity Fortitude Valley and was the Winner of the Choral Composition Competition in Celebration of the Sesquicentennial of St. Thomas’ Anglican Church, Toronto (Canada) in November 2024. It has also been performed as part of Masses at Holy Trinity Fortitude Valley in March 2025.

New Release – One of John Rotar’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Missa di Cantibus et Choreis is a sacred piece, suitable for intermediate choirs and is voiced for  ATBarB, ATB, SATB, SSATB, and TTBarB; duration is 10 mins.

This piece was written in 2022 and performed numerous times as part of Mass at All Saints Wickham Terrace.

New Release – One of John Rotar’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Missa Mariae is a sacred piece, suitable for professional or high intermediate choirs and is voiced for SSAATB and organ; duration is 18 mins.

This piece was written in 2022 for All Saints Wickham Terrace and performed as part of Mass at All Saints Wickham Terrace in September 2022 and November 2024.

New Release – One of John Rotar’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Missa Scriptum Cito is a sacred piece, suitble for intermediate choirs and is voiced for SATB a cappella; duration is 8 mins.

This piece was written in 2022 for All Saints Wickham Terrace and performed numerous times by the St Stephen’s Cathedral Choir in 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025.

New Release – One of John Rotar’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Missa Simplex is a sacred piece, suitable for intermediate choirs and is voiced for SATB a cappella; duration is 8 mins.

This piece was written for All Saints Wickham Terrace and performed as part of Masses at All Saints in September 2024.

Ngana (from Songs of Passage) by Australian composer Stephen Leek strikingly captures the driving energies, rhythms and vivid colours of the island seascape that is to be found around the north-eastern tip of Australia. Constructed of simple canonic figurations and ostinatos, Ngana uses as its source an indigenous Australian text which calls to the shark (ngana) and the fish (mangana) and welcomes (yah) them to the translucent blue waters (lina) around the reef. Ngana is the first of five Songs of Passage, each named after a traditional Australian place. These pieces project the choral colours and texture for which Leek has become renowned. Songs of Passage was commissioned in 1994 by the St. Peters Chorale, Brisbane, Australia and its Director, Graeme Morton. Ngana is part of The Australian Voices Series published by Morton Music.

New Release – One of Stephen Leek’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

**This piece is currently in preparation. For more information, or to purchase a PDF version, please email admin@mortonmusic.com.**

Voted the most unforgettable Australian TV moment, Julia Gillard’s 2012 “misogyny speech” presented in parliament is well-known to all Australians. In this powerful setting, Davidson syncs recorded clips of the work with choral imitation, accompaniment and even commentary (“hear, hear!”).

Typical of his style, Davidson’s text-setting is exceptionally innovative and text is without doubt the structural core of the work. For another example of this style see Davidson’s Finest Hour (setting of a speech by Winston Churchill).

The conductor listens to a click track through earphones (it’s preferable that these are worn discreetly, and should be either in-ear earbuds or, ideally, bone conduction headphones where available, as these leave the ear free to listen). The work may be performed with video or audio; in both cases, the audio track contains the click track on the left channel and the speech on the right channel. The left channel should be sent only to the conductor’s headphones, and the right channel to front-of-house loudspeakers. It’s possible to perform the piece with a very simple speaker setup, such as using a single speaker placed amongst the singers.

Click here to watch the Australian Voices, for whom the work was composed, perform “Not Now, Not Ever!”.

New to Morton Music – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details or from RSCM Music Direct (UK) via the Other Countries link.

Nunc Dimittis (Opus 89) was written in 2011 in response to a commission from the Brisbane Chamber Choir who had already performed Andrew Schultz’s Magnificat and wanted to have Nunc Dimittis to perform with the earlier work. The setting of the text parallels the dramatic flow of the original text, The Song of Simeon. The work moves from a world of clouded uncertainty through exultation and revelation to a final passage of transcendent simplicity and tranquillity.  Marked ‘Flowing’ the Nunc Dimittis is similar to Magnificat in the tempo and meter (3/2) and in the ebb and flow between four and eight part vocal writing. The first performance of Nunc Dimittis was given by the Brisbane Chamber Choir conducted by Graeme Morton at St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane, in August 2012.

Listen now

Duration: approximately 5 minutes

Magnificat (Opus 79) sold separately was composed over the summer of 2008-2009. The work is an a cappella setting of the Latin Vulgate text and was written in response to a commission from the Sydney Chamber Choir.  Marked ‘Calm and gentle – with flow’ the score carries an inscription from Emily Bronte’s poem of creativity, Last Lines, “No coward soul is mine.”

New Digital Release – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details or from RSCM Music Direct (UK) via the Other Countries link.

Suitable for college or church choir. A strophic setting that builds to an exciting climax. Appropriate for Advent or Christmas use.

This setting captures the sense of longing that can be found in the text.

Composer Joe Twist writes,

On The Night Train sets the scene of a train dashing through the Australian bush at dusk, as described by Henry Lawson’s graceful poetry. The emptiness of the Australian outback is represented by long, sustained pitches in the opening and closing sections of the work, above which a simple, folk-like melody is sung. This melody is also used throughout a rhythmic contrasting section where the singers create the impression of a moving train with ‘scat-like’ nonsense syllables and whispered vocal effects.

New Digital Release – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details.

Part Needle, Part Thread was composed in 2020 for the Adelaide Chamber Singers, though due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was unable to be performed at the World Choir Games in Belgium as intended. It was later video recorded by the Adelaide Chamber Choir for online release.

The text by Ann Nadge explores the delicate connection between love and time, describing that connection as an entity, a process and a protection against emotional darkness. Carl Crossin, effortlessly weaves the voices between each other, painting the metaphor of needle and thread before time seemingly stops in the dramatic B section. Listen below.

New Digital Release – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details.

Australia’s most iconic choral work to date, and featured on the Hollywood film Boychoir. This version is for SATB divisi choir a cappella. MM2003 is a treble version and MM2004 uses the treble voice version of the score for choir and an accompaniment for celli only.

The work distinctively features Harmonic Overtone Singing. A rehearsal guide to Past Life Melodies, also available through Morton Music, shows you how to teach this technique to your choir.

Commissioned by Graeme Morton’s high school choir, the work can be performed by choirs of modest training, and yet has made it all the way to Chanticleer, and other professional groups, such is its broad appeal.

Accompaniment available for Full Orchestra or Concert Band, String Orchestra or Cello Ensemble.

New Digital Release – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details or from RSCM Music Direct (UK) via the Other Countries link.

This well-loved text, often referred to as the “Shepherd’s Psalm” offers the promise of comfort and solace in times of turmoil and distress. It is often paraphrased and sung as a hymn or sung in chant.

Here Australian composer John Nickson’s setting is more in the form of an unaccompanied motet, suitable for choral performance within liturgical or concert settings.

New Release – One of Stephen Leek’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Red Earth is a popular piece commissioned by St Peters Choral and suitable for SATB a cappella voicing at a medium to moderate level of difficulty.

New Digital Release – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details.

A  short song by Sarah Hopkins in a vibrant, joyful style. This is a combined score that can be used by either treble or mixed voices. The work divides into seven parts but many parts use sustained single tones so a choir of reasonable ability can perform the work. SA or SATB a cappella (or accompanied by any treble ensemble).

New Digital Release – digital copies are now available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Carl Crossin writes that the brief given to him in the commission of this work was that the song be “uplifting and life affirming” – and that it certainly is. A wonderful piece for secondary choir.

“Rise” is also available for SSAA voicing.

“Did you hear the children singing as our troops went marching past?

In the sunshine and the rain as they’ll never sing again.”

The piece opens with a whispered “Boom ratatata”, which continues in the bass part, an instantly recognisable military motif. Contrasting “sobs” and “cheers”; “singing” with “orphan children”, this piece is a poignant reminder of the cost of war.

Recently published by Morton Music for SATB a cappella choir.

This new piece, using text from Henry Lawson and Stephen Cronin, is also available as Double Choir.

This new piece, using text from Herry Lawson and Stephen Cronin, is also available as SATB

New Release – One of Stephen Leek’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Sanctus is for SATB a cappella and SSAA a cappella, and can be paired with Leek’s “Agnus Dei” or sung as a stand-alone work. This highly energetic offering is suitable for community and adult choir and pairs the traditional ideas of the Sanctus with more holistic ideas of the sentiments through texts by Australian write, Michael Doneman.

A four-part arrangement for treble voices of the traditional American folk song that concludes with the most magical and ethereal sounds!

Also available in SSAA voicing

New Release – One of Stephen Leek’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Simple Gifts is a four-part arrangement for treble voices of the traditional American folk song that concludes with the most magical and ethereal sounds!   Leek takes this very well known melody and weaves his own unique magic around it. Suitable for choirs of any age and level and is arranged for SATB and piano, SSAA and piano and SSATB a cappella.

New Release – One of Stephen Leek’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

Simple Gifts is a four-part arrangement for treble voices of the traditional American folk song that concludes with the most magical and ethereal sounds!   Leek takes this very well known melody and weaves his own unique magic around it. Suitable for choirs of any age and level and is arranged for SATB and piano, SSAA and piano and SSATB a cappella.

Sing Out! was commissioned for Australian Society of Music Education Conference 2005 as the opening massed work. It is a short, fun, rhythmic piece to be sung ‘with joy’.

NOW AVAILABLE

Written after Perth’s first lockdown due to Covid-19, this simple yet lush setting of Coleridge’s poetry expresses a first glimpse of hope and return to normality. Both an expressive longing and a gentle dreaming to be with someone far away resonates through the harmony and melodic gestures.

A robust arrangement which includes two versions of an Australian sea shanty. The composer also sanctions a cappella performances.

New Release – One of Stephen Leek’s exclusive digital releases directly through Morton Music – email admin@mortonmusic.com for details.

A robust arrangement which includes two versions of an Australian sea shanty. The composer also sanctions a cappella performances.

COMING SOON to Morton Music – digital copies will be available from Morton Music, just email admin@mortonmusic.com for more details or from RSCM Music Direct (UK) via the Other Countries link.

St James’ Service – Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

Dedicated to Warren Trevelyan-Jones and the Choir of St James’, King Street, Sydney. This piece was commissioned by a Benefactor of St James’ Church, to celebrate the Bicentenary of St James’, the inauguration of the new Dobson pipe organ in St James’ Church and performed on the 24th July, 2024 to mark the Benefactor’s 75th birthday.

Another in the Songs of Passage set, “tabulam” means “my home”. This song captures the energy and life of music-making from the north of Australia where part-singing is joyous, spontaneous and often improvised. The writing is lush, rich and repetitive. Commissioned by Graeme Morton’s St Peters Chorale.