HolySheetMusic proudly announces a collaboration with Lorenz Publishing, a division of Lorenz Corporation.

The Lorenz Corporation  

Founded in 1890, The Lorenz Corporation has a vibrancy that belies its age.  During its 123 year history, Lorenz has survived two major crises. The first was World War I. At that time Lorenz was publishing mostly in the German language. There was such hatred for the German people and customs that all of the anthems had to be translated into English and re-engraved, and new copies were printed. This process almost bankrupted the company. The second crisis was the Great Depression. The only thing that saved the company was that church attendance grew, and church choirs needed more copies of the music that was already in their libraries due to much larger choirs.

The Lorenz Corporation has three active music-publishing imprints—Heritage Music Press, Lorenz, and SoundForth. Lorenz Corporation is the world’s largest source of music for handbells and are one of the leading publishers of choral music.

HolySheetMusic and Lorenz Publishing are releasing J. Chris Moore’s beautiful Christmas Choral piece “Four Canticles for the Christmas Season.”  David Zabriskie, President and Owner of HolySheetMusic, sang this wonderful piece as an undergraduate under the direction of Dr. Ronald Staheli.  Dr. Zabriskie is honored for this opportunity to sell Chris’ music on HolySheetMusic in collaboration with Lorenz Publishing.

Chris writes this about his piece:  “While an undergraduate voice and choral education major at CCM (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music) I set about working the thematic ideas for the text.  At the time, I was singing tenor as part of the CCM Chamber Singers under the direction of Elmer Thomas, a protege of Robert Shaw.  The style is clearly influenced by the acappella work that we were doing at CCM at that time, along with some recording that I did with the Whikehart Chorale, under the direction of Lewis Whikehart.

J. Chris Moore, a 1971 graduate of CCM with a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance and choral education, taught public school music for two years before being named the Executive Director of the Springfield Arts Council, a position from which he will retire this coming August after 39 years of dedicated service.  His High Street United Methodist Chancel Choir has toured Germany and currently sponsors a monthly Sanctuary Series of visiting artists.  Chris has performed as soloist with the Springfield Symphony and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestras, has performed and served as assistant music conductor of the Stephen Foster Story in Bardstown, Kentucky, and has years of experience both accompanying, directing and conducting music theater productions throughout the Miami Valley.  Chris regularly consults with not for profit arts organizations in the areas of board and program development, and fundraising, and has 20 pieces of choral music published by Lorenz Publishing and Beckenhorst Press.

Please take a few minutes to see and hear “Four Canticles for the Christmas Season”.