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Will freestyles a pose during a shoot for
"Suave & Sacred" Magazine

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Will Todd (born 14 January 1970)

Contemporary sacred choral music has a number of stars - Chilcott, Whitacre, Mealor - and Will Todd ranks among them. Mass in Blue, his most discussed and performed work, is arguably one of the more respectable additions to a generally criticized lexicon of liturgical jazz. His arrangement of Amazing Grace was played at the BBC’s Nelson Mandela service, and at a private ceremony for Barack Obama‘s inauguration. Queen Elizabeth commissioned Todd for her 75th birthday, and his The Call of Wisdom, performed at her 60th Jubilee with the auditioned Diamond Choir, sparked one BBC Music Magazine critic to ask “Is Will Todd slowly morphing into the new John Rutter?” 

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Softly

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Wide, lush harmonies with sparkly bits of jazz-inspired dissonance make this delightful to sing. The heartfelt text, also by Todd, speaks of expectant comfort and joy at the saviour's birth. Listen, however, for Todd's unexpected, left-turn modulation at the words:

 

And may Your light burn in me;
May Your love endless be.
May You be always with me.

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...which then resolves smoothly back to the melody, emulating the comfort that the awaited saviour will bring. It's tingly.

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