Repertoire and Commissions

As a non-professional, non-audition music ensemble, the New York City Community Chorus has commissioned an extraordinary number of new pieces. Sixteen commissions in 20 years! We do this for several reasons: 1) we want to support the work of professional composers/arrangers; 2) we want our members to have the stimulating experience of creating new music; and 3) from time to time we need special music in support of our eclectic, theme-driven programs.

Ok Kyun Kang

• Ain’t I A Woman

David Brunetti, Arranger

• Varsity Drag, arrangement of the song by Ray Henderson, Lew Brown, and Buddy DeSylva

Philip Corner

• Counterpoints: Winter Holiday 
• Organ Om
• Well, Come Well!

Thomas Garber

• The Divine Teachings of St. Francis of Assisi
• Adoshem Roi, arrangement of The Lord Is My Shepherd by Antonin Dvoràk 
• Blessing for the Kindling of the Chanukah Lights, arrangement of the traditional liturgy 
• Chanukah, arrangement of the song by Sholom Secunda 
• Fond Memories of Ivye: Three Chassidic Tunes
• How Ya’ Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm, arrangement of the song by Walter Donaldson

Daniel Goode

• Again and again, based on Noch Amol Un Take Noch Amol, traditional Yiddish children’s song 
• Say Your Piece

John McDowell

• Woods Suite (commissioned for our tenth anniversary)

Marcel van Rootselaar

• Song of Praise

Michael Wimberly

• Kosayambey