Anthology of Sacred Music by Women Composers  Volume 1

Copies now available from Stainer and Bell

We are thrilled with the response to the publication of this first volume! 

The first page of each work in this volume can be viewed on the pdf at the top of the page.

Volume 1, SATB Anthems, Sacred music by women composers.

• 22 accessible anthems - scored for SATB, some with divisi, some with solo lines
• Exciting repertoire from the Renaissance to the present day - familiar styles from all periods
• Half of the pieces by living composers
• Some better-known and some newly-discovered composers
• Every season of the Church's year covered
• Some flexible settings with optional accompaniment

Read this Church Times article to read about the launch event.

Church Times, November 2019

Read the Church Times article to discover more about our efforts to address the underrepresentation of women's sacred music:

Church Times, May 2018

Launch event led by Sarah MacDonald and the Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge 17.11.2019 with some of the composers from all three volumes of our Anthology. 

Front row: Olivia Sparkhall (editor and composer), Sarah MacDonald (Director of Music and composer), Louise Stewart, (Director, Multitude of Voyces). Second row, composers Gemma McGregor, Carol Jones, Kerensa Briggs, Janet Wheeler, Alison Willis, Helen Williams, Gail Randall. 

The Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, (Dean of Chapel and Chaplain, Revd Canon Hugh Shilson-Thomas).

Volume 2 - Upper Voices Anthems - will be launched in March 2020. this volume is being published in association with the National Youth Choir of Scotland and volume contains 23 works by diverse women composers including Hilary Campbell, Joanna Forbes L'Estrange, Roxanna Panufnik, and historical composers including Elizabeth Poston (unpublished work), Grace Williams (unpublished work), Morfydd Owen (unpublished work). All of the pieces are suitable for regular worship and for concert use. Choirs and individuals are encouraged to show their support of this project by sponsoring the volume - a donation of £100 will see your name or your organisation's name listed within this and further volumes. Email louisestewart@multitudeofvoyces.co.uk for further details. 

Volume 3 - Liturgical Works - will be launched in the late Summer of 2020. This volume includes major works for liturgical use throughout the week for Matins, Eucharist and Evensong, and additional works for particular days within the Church year. Composers in this volume include Cecilia McDowall, Isabella Leonarda, Maria Cozzolani, June Nixon, Eleanor Daley, Sarah MacDonald, Elizabeth Poston (major, unpublished work).

We are seeking further sponsors for this volume. 

Stop press!! 

Due to the wonderful response to our first volume we are now working on a fourth volume, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany music, and we invite composers and music editors not already included within our Anthology series, to put forward recommendations and compositions for consideration. Music must be either for Upper Voices, SATB (or SSAATTBB, or SA+unison lower voices) or Lower Voices (eg. ATB, or TTBB). Submissions and recommendations can be sent to louisestewart@multitudeofvoyces.co.uk. Works can be in any language and musical style but must be either unaccompanied or accompanied by an instrument in the keyboard family as appropriate.