A baby so small, a message so great is an expressive Christmas song setting a text by the composer. Contrasting gentle melodies and sparse piano writing with richly dramatic chords, it creates a real sense of anticipation for the arrival of Jesus, and will be a popular choice for Advent and Christmas.

This lively carol is fast and fleeting, propelled forward by a constantly shifting metre and a characterful accompaniment. It may be sung in English or to the Latin text taken from Piae Cantiones. It is a captivating carol, and a rewarding sing.

This celebratory carol on the popular fifteenth-century text is full of Christmas cheer. Jaunty, up-tempo, and in 7/8-time, it is an ideal opening for Christmas concerts and services.

A star as bright as day is a quirky and thoroughly enjoyable setting of a familiar Christmas text, in which Alan Bullard presents the nativity story through contrasting and varied musical passages, providing opportunities for close ensemble singing.

Opening out from a lyrical exchange between unison lower and upper voices, As the bridegroom to his chosen is based around a John Tauler poem rich in metaphorical language that reflects on the protagonist's relationship with the Lord. Contrasting textures and eminently singable melodies make this a musically rewarding yet accessible anthem.

This is a gentle and highly attractive setting of the medieval Latin hymn, suitable for church choirs at any communion service or for Lent, Passiontide, or Corpus Christi. With a delicate expressive melody, rich harmony, and a flowing accompaniment, it offers an appealing alternative to more familiar settings. It is part of the composer's Passiontide work, Wondrous Cross.

Horatius Bonar's well-known hymn Beloved, let us love is a perfect text for wedding services, expressing the belief that it is only through loving others that we can know God's love for us. Bullard's celebratory and emotive setting begins by offsetting male and female voices, before exploring full-choir textures, rich harmonies, and contrasting keyboard accompaniments. Both affirmatory and exultant and reflective and wondrous, the anthem should find a place in church services and concerts throughout the year.

This is a majestic anthem for SATB unaccompanied and suitable for a wide variety of occasions. The piece begins with an insistent, syncopated rhythm in the tenors and basses and is followed by a vigorous imitative section involving all four voices. The opening rhythmic pattern returns to bring the anthem to a triumphant close.

This attractive carol has a tuneful melody with a slight modal feel. Opening with melody alone, sung solo or in unison, the carol builds up harmonically, moving from octave thirds to the rich, occasionally chromatic harmonies of the central section. A lovely addition to any choir's Christmas repertory.

This lively setting of a traditional 19th-century English text (interspersed with a Latin refrain) recaptures the spirit of Bullard's earlier Angel Alleluias. With its straightforward harmony, snappy, syncopated rhythms, and optional use of basic percussion, this joyous carol would make a particularly rousing finale to any carol concert.

Perfect for celebrating Pentecost, this joyous anthem on the theme of the Holy Spirit centres around the Veni Creator Spiritus plainchant, fragments of which have been skilfully developed to create an expressive setting of Edwin Hatch's Breathe on me, breath of God. Masterfully crafted, the anthem moves seamlessly between the familiar plainchant and Bullard's original melody, before culminating in a climactic final verse in which the two melodies are sung simultaneously, bringing the anthem to an exultant close.

This is a peaceful setting of the Latin hymn text, translated by J. M. Neale. Partially based on the plainsong melody Conditur alme siderum, the music features sonorous harmonies, subtle time changes, and fluid choral homophony, with a beautiful soprano solo that floats over the other voices. The work may be performed unaccompanied or with organ doubling the voices (excluding the solo line). It is suitable for both general use and Christmas.

A riotous and boisterous burst of joy for SATB and piano. This carol is rhythmic and jazzy and is propelled forward by an infectious and insistent choral refrain, with a lively piano accompaniment adding zest and colour.

One of the most beloved carol texts, "What Child Is This," is set to a new tune by Alan Bullard. Beginning softly, the gentleness of the manger scene gradually builds to the excitement of the birth of Jesus. An active right hand in the keyboard part is present throughout, except for some short phrases in the middle when the choir sings with little or no accompaniment.

This exuberant carol is full of contrast and seasonal cheer. It has a sprightly refrain, in which unison passages burst into jubilant harmony, and would make an ideal addition to any carol service or concert.

This original suite, written for the Warwickshire Youth Choir, represents an extended concert item at the centre of the Emerging Voices series. It sets anonymous instructions found in packaging to general household goods, providing amusing and theatrical highlights as well as musical interplay and formal episodes.

This original suite sets anonymous instructions found in packaging to general household goods, providing amusing and theatrical highlights as well as musical interplay and formal episodes. The three contrasting movements are contemporary yet accessible in style, with catchy melodies and jazz-inspired harmonies.

This original suite sets anonymous instructions found in packaging to general household goods, providing amusing and theatrical highlights as well as musical interplay and formal episodes. The three contrasting movements are contemporary yet accessible in style, with catchy melodies and jazz-inspired harmonies.

This joyful and vibrant carol will delight youth and adult choirs alike. The strong unison opening, with a pealing bell-like accompaniment, builds to a climactic two-part canon, brilliantly capturing the joyous message of Christmas.

Bullard's carol for unaccompanied SATB chorus sets a Renaissance-period text by Ben Johnson.

his expressive anthem is set to an unusual Zachariah text revealing the celebratory vision of the new Jerusalem. Centred around a strong, flowing melody and punctuated with many glorious moments, choirs will find this a highly approachable and rewarding anthem.

This appealing setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti has a memorable tune and a gentle, flowing piano accompaniment. Joyful, vibrant, and accessible, this carol is a great option for church and concert choirs at Christmas.

This expressive anthem brings together excerpts from the gospels that express God's commandment to mankind to love one another. Underpinned by a flowing piano or organ accompaniment, Love one another explores this profound topic with sensitive harmonies and effective modulations. Although suitable for performance throughout the church year, this anthem would be particularly affecting in a Wedding or Maundy Thursday service.

This original composition combines several traditional proverbs (Good things come to those who wait, What goes up..., Where there's a will...), a quirky melody, a laid-back swing feel, a whispering section, and an immediate melodic 'hook'. Sufficient unison writing supports effective learning, for this age group, and challenging duplet rhythms are made accessible within helpful longer phrases. The music is well-suited to the text and displays Bullard's accessible but highly accomplished compositional technique.

Spirited in tone, this anthem sets a text based on Psalm 148 that praises God's glory. Opening with an uplifting unison melody, the vocal parts gradually open out into jubilant harmonies, which are supported by the accompaniment (performable on organ or piano). Suitable for performance throughout the year, Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore him will be a welcome addition to repertory of all church choirs.

A haunting and evocative piece, this short anthem is based on a traditional Gaelic prayer of remembrance. Uncluttered harmony and a simple, gentle melody colour this memorial service setting with a particularly apt tenderness.

Setting a popular text paraphrased from the Song of Solomon, Rise up, my love is an uplifting anthem ideal for Easter services, although the text's beautiful springtime imagery would also make a lovely feature in any concert programme. The work contains expressive word painting, with moments of intensity alongside phrases of utter stillness. There are opportunities for soloists, and the flexible scoring allows choirs to decide whether to perform the piece unaccompanied, with organ, or with piano.

This enchanting setting of the well-known medieval text combines expressive harmonies with gently interweaving lines for solo or soli voices. A beautifully written Advent miniature, Rose of such virtue will appeal to choirs and audiences alike.

This is an attractive, not difficult carol to a traditional Scottish text and with a gentle 'folk-y' feel. A flowing melody, complete with flattened 7ths and delicate Scotch snaps, appears in various guises, each verse ending with a lullaby refrain. It is available in both SATB and SA versions. Material is available on hire for an accompaniment for brass quintet and for small orchestra.

Country: Scotland

Shepherds, guarding your flocks is an expressive setting of a carol by Canon Matthew Woodward. Bullard skilfully conveys the text's wondrous and exultant narrative in a setting that will be accessible to a wide range of choirs.

Ben Okri's poem is a hopeful vision of understanding and co-operation between the peoples of the Earth. It is matched by Bullard's imaginative, dynamic, and skilful choral writing. The result is inspiring.

Alan Bullard's first Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, written for the choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, can be performed a cappella or with organ. Both movements feature pleasing tonal contrasts and have a distinctly folk-like feel. In this lyrical and expressive setting, the voices are often offset against each other in pairs, focussing the listener's attention on the text and highlighting by contrast the rich, powerful passages for full choir. The Selwyn Service is included on the CD Wondrous Cross by Selwyn College, Cambridge (Regent Records REGCD404).

This simple and attractive carol sets a little-known text by the Rev. Canon John Gray (1866-1934). With an accompaniment for either organ and piano and optional soprano solos, this piece is accessible to a wide range of choirs and would be an excellent addition to either a Christmas concert or service.

This heart-warming setting of a familiar text includes all the hallmarks of a Bullard carol. Through subtle time-signature changes, a gentle modulation, elegant contrapuntal lines, and an uplifting finale, the composer evokes the perfect Christmas feeling.

Setting a love poem by W. B. Yeats, Tread Softly is a charming addition to the upper-voice repertory. Gradually opening out from unison, this piece features melodic vocal lines, colourful harmonies, and luscious modulations, and the rhythmic contrasts in the choir are complemented by a gently flowing piano part. Suitable for use in a variety of concert programmes and at weddings.

Poetry By: William Butler Yeats