How Composing for Choir is Different (for me)
When I compose for choir, I know that there are going to be *lyrics*. This is the one key difference that means my compositional process is different from usual. Lyrics are the words of the choral composition that need to be set to melody, rhythm, and harmonies. These musical structures support the emotional expression of the words. Those lyrics are the priority when considering the overall meaning of the music. They are, usually, either *as important* or *more so* than the associated musical sounds. How I use the lyrics within other musical structures is always something I’m thinking about during the process.
