On Monday, May 19, 2025, the Tacoma Chapter of the American Guild of Organists hosted a thoughtful and practical presentation on composing for choirs, ensembles, and congregations, with a focus on music created in and for the church.

The program, at Spanaway Lutheran Church, was introduced by Cheryl Drewes, organist and Director of Music Ministries, and featured two local composers and church musicians: Dr. Dawn Sonntag and Sheila Bristow.

A Composer’s Musings: Dawn Sonntag

The two presenters split the hour, with Dr. Sonntag speaking first. Currently teaching part-time at Pacific Lutheran University, Dr. Sonntag spoke extemporaneously about her personal journey as a composer. From an early age, she felt called to write music, but was hesitant to pursue composition while the academic world favored atonality. Only later, when tonal composition gained acceptance again, did she begin to pursue it more seriously.

Dr. Sonntag provided the following written take-away points:

• When composing a choral piece, sing all of your parts and imagine a different conductor looking at your score – what information would they need? 
• A piece that works for your own ensemble will likely work for others, so consider sharing your music by publishing.  GIA and other choral music publishers do appreciate accessible pieces. You can also consider self-publishing (which I do) and can list your works on distributor websites like J.W. Pepper. You can also share your music through Choral Net by posting under “announcements.” Choral Net used to have a commissioning forum for connecting choral conductors and composers, but I cannot find this anymore. It would be helpful to start on online AGO group for sharing and commissioning works among AGO composer members. 
• Help your pastor/choir/congregation understand that composing is time-consuming.  But it is rewarding to write pieces that you can immediately hear performed, and you can then share this work beyond your own church choir. 

She also provided the following list of her compositions and two sample pieces. The two pieces are copyrighted by Dr. Sonntag, but she has given permission for reproduction on the Tacoma AGO website and for personal use. Redistribution and performance are prohibited. Many of her works are available for purchase on her website.

Composing for the Church: Sheila Bristow

The second half of the program, led by Sheila Bristow, was rich in insight and practical guidance for those composing in church contexts. Bristow, the organist at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island, earned her undergraduate degree in composition at Cornish College of the Arts. Despite not originally intending to pursue music as a profession—nor composition specifically—she now does both actively.

Bristow began by contrasting the romanticized image of the 19th-century composer—isolated and working for months on a grand concert piece—with the realities of composing in a church setting. Church composition often responds to immediate, practical needs: a specific liturgical moment, an unusual choir configuration, or an instrumental gap. Far from being a limitation, she noted, this environment offers unique rewards. Church composers get to hear their works performed right away, receive immediate feedback, and revise or refine their music accordingly. Even modest works can become part of the lived experience of a congregation.

She also touched on the financial realities of composing. Bristow shared that while she doesn’t sell her church music directly, income can come from commissions, sheet music sales, royalties, and licensing through organizations like OneLicense. This structure allows composers to write with purpose and still generate income over time.

Bristow illustrated her talk with three examples of her own compositions:

• “Deep Peace” was composed for a Unitarian Universalist church in Seattle over thirty years ago. The congregation requested music that sounded classical but did not include overtly sacred language. Drawing on a text from their hymnal, Bristow wrote an SATB benediction response that remains a useful example of adapting sacred music traditions to fit non-traditional liturgical settings.
• “O Queen of Heaven” was created when Bristow served at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, WA. Facing an August visit from the bishop—during the slowest choir month—she set a medieval Marian text to music. The piece was well-received and eventually published by GIA. While publication offers broader distribution and relationships with editors, she noted that the royalties are modest—typically just 10% of the cover price, with checks only issued after a $50 minimum.
• Psalm settings for Blessed Sacrament Church in Seattle represent Bristow’s ongoing freelance work, even after her formal position there ended. Working with a professional choir and a congregation comfortable with chant, she composes Anglican chant psalm settings with antiphons for the congregation. These commissions, paid on a quarterly basis, provide both creative fulfillment and long-term use, with potential additional income from licensing reprints and streaming.

Sheila Bristow has provided a handout of musical examples (reproduced below), and has granted permission for reproduction on the Tacoma AGO website and for personal use. Redistribution and performance are prohibited.

Throughout her presentation, Bristow emphasized that composing in the church is not about perfection but about service, responsiveness, and presence. Whether writing for a feast day with limited singers or crafting music for weekly liturgies, church composers build relationships with their communities and create music that speaks to the spiritual lives of real people.

Following the program, attendees enjoyed a warm reception featuring wine, cookies, and pastries—generously curated by Jan Regier, who visited several local bakeries to select the treats.