SKU: A0.1308788

*Purchase 10 copies to perform this piece with your ensemble of any size
*Purchase the instrumental pack (bass and drum part) here: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/beyond-the-sea-instrumental-pack-only-22605052.html

This arrangement came to me over a number of weeks in a very organic way that began with the ostinato piano figure that prevails throughout the piece. I began playing it unattached to any tune and I just liked the way the line descended in the left hand and how I had to find voicings in the right hand that made harmonic sense – like a puzzle. As I was playing around with this puzzle, thoughts of my father were swirling around in my head – I was at the end of a 4 year period of separation from my parents owing to the fact that I’m a Canadian expat living in the US and the borders were closed for a long time because of Covid, and then I had work visa issues and my parents were getting older before my eyes. They were also losing friends to cancer and other ailments and my dad, in particular, had experienced the loss of many close family members and friends during our separation and it was taking a toll.

 

One day I sat down and played the now familiar-to-me ostinato but randomly I started to sing “Beyond the Sea� over it and it fit perfectly. I thought it a happy coincidence. As the days went on I committed to putting my ostinato with Beyond the Sea and the lyrics started to seep into my brain. I have, of course, heard these lyrics many times before, (who hasn’t seen Finding Nemo?) but the lyrics didn’t mean what I thought they meant… They’re NOT about the ocean, they are about my dad!!! Well, kind of… I realized, through careful reflection and by slowing the words down, that the lyrics are talking about a person in heaven who is patiently waiting for their partner to join them.

 

Somewhere beyond the sea

She’s there watching for me

…

It’s far beyond the stars

It’s near beyond the moon

 

And the lyrics end with them meeting, “We’ll meet beyond the shore, we’ll kiss just like before,� and the song ends with: “and never again I’ll go sailing.� It’s like the big bang went off in my head about why all these thoughts of my dad, and his friends, and this arrangement, and what it all meant suddenly just MADE SENSE and I was able to start formulating a plan.

 

Performance Suggestions: 

The improvisation solo in the middle should be free of any traditional “scat syllables� and should be more of a lament. Listen to singers like Aubrey Johnson improvise on ballads for inspiration. An idea for that improv section might be to have a male singer start the improv, then a female singer joins (as if together in heaven) then they sing letter F together (warning: will cause tears…). All solo sections do not have to be sung as written – soloists can take liberties with the melody as the spirit moves.

SKU: A0.1461686

Gorgeous, sacred choral anthem with music composed by Kevin G. Pace and text by Kathryn W. Hales.

Text:
How Can I Serve Thee Lord? (based on Mosiah 2:17)

How can I serve Thee, Lord,
When Thou art so far away?
I can only hope You hear,
When I kneel each day to pray,
To give thanks for thy gifts
Of bounteous gracious love,
Bestowed by thy gentle hands,
From Thy dwelling place above.

How can I serve Thee, Lord,
When Thou art so far away?
I can only trust Thy word,
And Thy precepts all obey,
Going through my daily life
As if Thou were by my side,
To feel Thy nearness, joy,
Oh, Lord, with me abide!

How can I serve Thee, Lord,
When Thou art so far away?
I can be Thy hands on earth,
To help others on their way,
To lend an ear, to lift a load,
To share a friendly smile,
To walk with others who are in need,
Down their road of trial.

Chorus:
I can serve Thee, Lord, with trust and with faith,
I can all Thy commandments keep,
I can help my fellow beings along,
For serving them is like serving Thee.

SKU: A0.1439299

A beautiful, sacred hymn with music by Kevin G. Pace and text by Kathryn W. Hales.

Text:
How Can I Serve Thee Lord? (based on Mosiah 2:17)

How can I serve Thee, Lord,
When Thou art so far away?
I can only hope You hear,
When I kneel each day to pray,
To give thanks for thy gifts
Of bounteous gracious love,
Bestowed by thy gentle hands,
From Thy dwelling place above.

How can I serve Thee, Lord,
When Thou art so far away?
I can only trust Thy word,
And Thy precepts all obey,
Going through my daily life
As if Thou were by my side,
To feel Thy nearness, joy,
Oh, Lord, with me abide!

How can I serve Thee, Lord,
When Thou art so far away?
I can be Thy hands on earth,
To help others on their way,
To lend an ear, to lift a load,
To share a friendly smile,
To walk with others who are in need,
Down their road of trial.

Chorus:
I can serve Thee, Lord, with trust and with faith,
I can all Thy commandments keep,
I can help my fellow beings along,
For serving them is like serving Thee.

SKU: A0.1080353

A bold, dramatic, sacred hymn. Music composed by Kevin G. Pace. Text written in the 1500s by Martin Luther. Text: 1 Now praise we Christ, the Holy One, The blessed virgin Mary's Son. From east to west, from shore to shore Let earth its Lord and King adore. 2 He who himself all things did make A servant's form agreed to take, That he as man mankind might win And save his creatures from their sin. 3 The grace and pow'r of God the Lord Upon the mother was outpoured; A virgin pure and undefiled In wondrous way conceived a child. 4 The noble mother bore a Son -- For so did Gabriel's promise run -- Whom John confessed and leaped with joy Before the mother knew her boy. 5 Upon a manger filled with hay In poverty content he lay; With milk was fed the Lord of all, Who feeds the ravens when they call. 6 The heav'nly choirs rejoice and raise Their voice to God in songs of praise. To humble shepherds is proclaimed The Shepherd who the world has framed. 7 All honor unto Christ the Lord, Eternal and incarnate Word, With Father and with Holy Ghost, Till time in endless time be lost.

SKU: A0.1095125

This is a challenging SSAATTBB setting of Otto Leland Bohanan's Harlem Renaissance poem of the same name. My musical adolescence was spent singing music of the African and African American traditions with Essence of Joy. This piece, written for them in 2015, was inspired by those experiences and integrates spirituals that had special significance to me during my time in EOJ. There are quotations from Over My Head; Bye and Bye; My Lord, What a Morning; Great Day; and Oh, Freedom. During the climax of the piece, these spirituals combine into a moving tapestry of half-forgotten songs. As with most of my music, there is a numerological Easter Egg, a hidden message in the structure of the piece itself, for those music theorists who like deep diving into pieces they are singing. My Lord, what a morning...

SKU: A0.747204

About the song: Satan has been decisively defeated. In every battle with the devil, 1 John 4:4 assures us that God is greater. When we feel trapped in sin, God is greater. When we are tempted to doubt, God is greater. When we face trials, God is greater. When we experience great loss or disappointment, God is greater still. He is able to strengthen, help, comfort, and uphold our souls by His power and might regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. This is reason for hope, joy, and praise even in the darkest valley.

Can be performed with piano accompaniment only, OR with additional band members, OR with full orchestra*.

Please Note:
You can purchase individual copies of the vocal part separately on Sheet Music Plus. Performance of this piece requires the purchase of one vocal score per singer.

*Full orchestration and parts also available on Sheet Music Plus.

Included in your Purchase:
Piano Accompaniment

Lyrics:

Verse 1

When it seems there’s no way out,

He can make a way.

In the darkness of my doubt,

He’s the light of day.

Ev’ry trial that I face,

Comes with His mercy and His grace.

Pre-Chorus 1

Greater is He Who lives in me.

Stronger than the plans of ev’ry enemy.

From sin and death I’ve been set free.

He set me free!

Chorus 1

This is my hope when I’m walking through the valley of the shadow.

This is my joy in the sorrow and the pain.

This is the Truth when I’m caught up in the middle of the battle.

Greater is He that is in me.

Verse 2

When my world begins to shake,

He’s unshakable.

When my circumstances change,

He’s unchangeable.

In ev’ry storm and crashing wave,

My God is powerful to save.

Pre-Chorus 2

Greater is He Who lives in me.

Stronger than the plans of ev’ry enemy.

From sin and death I’ve been set free.

He set me free!

Chorus 2

This is my hope when I’m walking through the valley of the shadow.

This is my joy in the sorrow and the pain.

This is the Truth when I’m caught up in the middle of the battle.

Greater is He that is in me.

Bridge 1

There isn’t any other,

Who has the power, power.

The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,

We lift Him higher, higher.

Bridge 2

We raise our voices louder,

Our God is stronger, stronger.

The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,

We lift Him higher, higher.

Chorus 3

This is my hope when I’m walking through the valley of the shadow.

This is my joy in the sorrow and the pain.

This is the Truth when I’m caught up in the middle of the battle.

Greater is He,

Greater is He,

Greater is He that is in me.