Choral Music by

PUBLISHED CHORAL WORKS: 

• Original compositions setting classic devotional poetry
• Arrangements of folksongs, spirituals, hymns, and carols
• Performing editions of secular and sacred Renaissance music

Specialties: music for church choirs, collegiate chorales, women's ensembles, Middle & High School choruses, and community groups.

100+ pieces with Carl Fischer, H. W. Gray, Mark Foster, Lawson-Gould, Music 70, CPP-Belwin, Shawnee, Abingdon, Flammer, et al, plus 40+ recent releases with St. James Music Press.

A few reviews

"Thoburn has composed anthems for a variety of voice parts published by several different companies. You should carefully consider anything you see with his name on it." Dr. Robert P. Anderson in Worship Arts.

"...a miniature gem for SAB voices and organ. Serious repertoire for small church choir is sadly limited, and Thoburn is to be commended for making a notable contribution to it." J.D. Watson, Choral Journal review of the original compostion, Spirit of God, Descend (Mark Foster).

"...a beautiful setting of [an] immortal poem... offering a refreshingly different perspective that heightens the text's meaning... a wonderful piece to add to your church, community, or college choir's repertoire." J.D. Watson, Choral Journal review of "Christ is Arisen" for SATB (Augsburg-Fortress) and SSAA (Lawson-Gould).

“Composer Thoburn has selected a 17th century text...and sensitively wedded it to music in a wonderful way."  William Lock review in the National Association of Church Musicians Journal of "The Starry Stranger" (Mark Foster).

A "lyric arrangement... well written, easily accessible,... [with] a rich texture... will appeal to a wide range of audiences [and] please both young and old." Ted Totorica, Choral Journal review of  SSA setting of Scarborough Fair (Mark Foster).

"A good example of how one should edit classical masterworks for alternative performing forces. Editorial practices are clearly described, and when re-composition occurs, it remains true to the composer's original intent. I heartily, highly recommend these two new editions." Sharon Hanson, Choral Journal review of Welcome Sweet Pleasure and Flow Not So Fast, Ye Fountains, SSAB editions for Middle and High School ensembles, issued by CCP-Belwin /Warner-Chapell.

"This arrangement of a haunting, lyrical French melody... provides a meaningful Epiphany anthem. The tune itself is lovely, but the real beauty of the piece is in Thoburn's harmonization... Directors of small church choirs will find this an especially rewarding anthem." Corydon Carlson, Choral Journal review of "Adoration of the Wise Men" for SATB and keyboard (Carl Fischer).

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Visit our friends at  St. James Music Press

  www. SJMP.com

Some noteworthy performances

The cycle A Christmas Triptych (Mark Foster) recorded by an award-winning professional Canadian choir, Voices, on
their first CD.

O Sing to the Babe (Shawnee) sung in Bethel University's 50th Festival of Christmas, broadcast nationwide on PBS television.

An original composition for mixed voices and organ, A Psalm of Praise (Mark Foster), sung in the "Music in Worship Reading Session" at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in Los Angeles.

Original composition "Bread of the World" (H.W. Gray) sung in Sunday Services at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Germany, by the Nassau Presbyterian Choir of Princeton, NJ.

An edition for SSAA of Schubert's Salve Regina (Lawson-Gould) performed at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association by the Elektra Women's Choir of Vancouver, Canada.

At the Chautauqua Institute, an accompanied SATB American folk hymn arrangement , As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams (Carl Fischer), presented to a congregation of 6,000.

A Lovely Rose is All My Song, an original composition for SATB (Carl Fischer), included in Christmas Eve services of the Metropolitan Church, Toronto, under Patricia Phillips-Wright, past president of the Royal College of Canadian Organists.

Welcome, All Wonders, an original accompanied composition for SATB (Carl Fischer), sung for "Lessons and Carols" and Advent IV services at St. John's Cathedral, Jacksonville, Florida.

On tour in France, an accompanied SAB American folkhymn arrangement, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Carl Fischer), performed by the San Diego Children's Choir.

Accompanied SATB arrangement of the carol  My Dancing Day (Coronet), sung at the Church of the Good Shepherd, New York City, under the direction of Arthur Lawrence, Past-Dean of the NYC chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and former associate editor of The American Organist.

Several works performed by the professional chamber choir Madrigalia, including those recorded on their CDs and broadcast on Public Radio International.