Ep #31: Mark Hayes: How A World-Class Arranger Writes For Real Choirs

The fastest way to level up your choir is not another trick, it’s understanding how great choral music is actually built and how to bring it to life with real singers. I’m joined by Mark Hayes, internationally recognised composer, arranger, conductor, and concert pianist, whose work is sung in churches, universities, and concert halls around the world. We trace his route from a teenage church pianist in northern Illinois to a self-employed creative with over 2,000 published works and major performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Centre.

Mark opens up about what “ambitious yet singable” really means in choral arranging and composition. We talk through how he learned to write for voice by accompanying singers, workshop-testing ideas with small ensembles, and hearing the difference between a flawless studio demonstration recording and the uncompromising truth of live performance. If you’ve ever struggled with balance, range, or making inner parts speak, his insights land right on the problems choir directors face in rehearsal.

We also get practical about your own creative output. Mark makes a strong case for directors writing bespoke arrangements tailored to their choirs, and he shares a simple starting path: begin with lyrics, write a fresh melody, map the harmony with chord symbols, build from melody and bass line, then shape the form and emotional arc so the audience hears the words and feels the meaning. We even touch on notation software realities, from Finale and Sibelius to the growing pull of Dorico, and how to keep tools from slowing your musical thinking.

If you enjoy thoughtful, usable guidance on choral rehearsal, arranging for SATB, and writing music that serves singers, subscribe to the Choir Director Podcast, share this with a fellow director, and leave a rating and review so more conductors can find the show.

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More about Mark Hayes:

Website: www.markhayes.com
Instagram: @mark.hayes.5059

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