Dan Forrest Requiem for the Living (SATB with piano, orchestra or chamber ensemble)

SILENT NIGHT (arr.: DAN FORREST) – ORQUESTRA CLÀSSICA – LICEU JOVE

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Dan Forrest Requiem for the Living (SATB with piano, orchestra or chamber ensemble)

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Absolutely — here’s a comprehensive, research-backed article on Dan Forrest covering biography, musical style, harmonic approach, an analysis of his major works, influences, legacy, discography/recordings, and a clear note about film work. I’ve cited authoritative sources for the most important claims.

Dan Forrest — Composer, Pianist, and Educator

Daniel Ernest Forrest Jr. (b. January 7, 1978) is an American composer, pianist, educator, and music editor whose choral and orchestral works have achieved wide performance and publication internationally. He writes both major concert-level works (large choral/orchestral settings) and music aimed at church and community choirs, and his catalog includes a number of pieces that have entered standard modern choral repertoire. (Wikipedia, danforrest.com)

Biography — short professional life story (key facts)

Dan Forrest was born in Breesport/Elmira, New York in 1978 and began formal piano studies as a child. He distinguished himself early as a pianist (winning competitions and performing with local orchestras). Forrest completed undergraduate and master’s study in piano performance at Bob Jones University, then earned a D.M.A. in composition at the University of Kansas, where he studied with composers including James Barnes and worked in academic settings as a teacher and graduate assistant. He later taught at Bob Jones University and has been active as an adjunct composition professor, artist-in-residence, and guest lecturer, in addition to serving as a co-editor and publisher for choral music catalogs. His works are primarily published by Beckenhorst Press and Hinshaw Music, and in recent years he has also self-published some concert music under “The Music of Dan Forrest.” (Wikipedia, danforrest.com)

Notable early and mid-career honors include the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer’s Award, the ACDA Raymond Brock Award, John Ness Beck Foundation prizes, the ALCM Raabe Prize, and other composition prizes. His music has been sung and performed in major venues including Carnegie Hall and featured on national programs. (Wikipedia)

Musical style — voice, text setting, and idiom

Choral-first but versatile

Forrest’s primary identity in the public eye is as a choral composer. He writes for a wide spectrum of ensembles: professional choirs, collegiate choirs, community choirs, church choirs, and children’s choirs. He is also comfortable in instrumental idioms (wind band, orchestra, piano solo) and in writing large-scale concert works that combine choir and orchestra. His catalog deliberately spans both “accessible” church music and more demanding concert repertoire. (danforrest.com)

Melodic immediacy and lyricism

A hallmark of Forrest’s style is strong, singable melodic writing — lyrical lines that feel idiomatic for voices. Reviewers often note the “soaring” melodic arch and moments of clear tonal affirmation. Forrest himself credits his rigorous background in piano and study with choral teachers (e.g., Alice Parker) for his attention to vocal line and textual intelligibility. (Wikipedia)

Tonal center with adventurous color

Although rooted in tonal language (diatonic centers, modal touches), Forrest’s harmonic palate frequently incorporates extended tertian harmony (added-tone chords, colors derived from 9ths/11ths/13ths), cluster-adjacent sonorities, and tasteful chromaticism. He often balances moments of straightforward consonance (for congregational or community accessibility) with richer concert-hall textures (for professional choirs). The result is music that feels contemporary but approachable. (danforrest.com)

Text sensitivity

Forrest’s choral works show careful attention to prosody — the rhythm and shape of spoken text. He aims for settings that reveal the meaning and natural speech rhythms of the text, which contributes to clarity and emotional communication. This sensitivity has made his settings especially popular with choirs that value textual expressiveness. (Wikipedia)

Harmonic language and typical chord progressions (analysis)

Below is an analytical summary that characterizes the harmonic fingerprints often encountered across Forrest’s major choral works. This is an interpretive, evidence-based description drawn from scores, program notes, and reviews of his works.

1. Rooted tonal centers with modal inflections

Many movements begin with a clearly established key or modal center (e.g., D major, G major, or A Aeolian) and then color that center with modal mixtures (Dorian, Mixolydian gestures) rather than abandoning tonality. That keeps aural focus while allowing color. (danforrest.com)

2. Use of open fifths and pedal points to build sonority

Sustained open fifths or pedal drones in lower voices are frequently used to generate a slow harmonic shift: chord over pedal → modality change → eventual cadence. This is effective for choral resonance and gives his textures a sense of spaciousness. (danforrest.com)

3. Lush added-tone and cluster colors

Expect chords that are R-3-5 plus added 6/7/9/11, or close clusters in inner voices with a clear outer line. For orchestral accompaniments, woodwinds and harp add shimmering overtones; for organ or piano accompaniments, Forrest often writes spread triads and open fifths beneath color tones. (danforrest.com)

4. Functional progressions with delayed resolution

Forrest often constructs progressions where the expected cadence is delayed: ii → V → (suspended chord) → V4/2 → I, or uses deceptive motions (V → vi or modal mixture) to heighten text emphasis. He will also use stepwise planing (parallel added-tone chords) to convey text that speaks of motion or continuity. (danforrest.com)

5. Voice-leading emphasis

Rather than thick block chords alone, Forrest’s textures typically rely on singable, independent voice leading where inner voices have linear motion. The choir is frequently given contrapuntal interplay even within lush harmonic backdrops, allowing clarity of text and line. (Wikipedia)

Improvisation, “licks,” and pianistic gestures — context and recommended approaches

Important caveat: Dan Forrest is not known primarily as an improvising jazz/rock soloist whose oeuvre is described in terms of “licks.” The term “licks” belongs to improvisatory idioms (jazz, blues, rock) and is not commonly used to analyze contemporary choral composers. That said, Forrest is a pianist, and his accompaniments and piano/orchestral writing reveal consistent pianistic and accompanimental gestures that accompanists and pianists can internalize and — when appropriate — improvise in the style of his music.

If you want to improvise in a Forrest-like language, here are stylistic guidelines (not literal “licks,” but idiomatic moves):

1. Open fifth arpeggiations — use broken fifths or 5ths + 3rds in the left hand while the right hand plays a simple diatonic or modal melody with added-tone neighbor notes (9ths, 6ths). This creates the Forrest “open space + color” effect.
2. Modal melodic fragments — short motifs that outline a mode (e.g., Dorian minor: use b3 and natural 6) and then resolve to diatonic shapes. Repeat with small rhythmic alteration.
3. Cluster color under sustained melody — in slow, reverent sections, play low clusters or spread triads in the LH while the RH sings single tones or harmonized 3rds and 6ths.
4. Stepwise planing — move a lush added-tone chord up or down by step while keeping one or two voices static. This produces an emotional ripple suitable for climaxes.
5. Suspended delays and pedal resolution — hold a pedal point (tonic or fifth) and delay harmonic resolution by suspending the soprano line, releasing toward cadence on an emphasized word.

These ideas are practical ways a pianist can emulate Forrest’s accompaniment character in rehearsal improv or situation where written accompaniment is being adapted. They are not documented “licks” that Forrest himself played as signature phrases. (danforrest.com)

Major works — short analyses and why they matter

Requiem for the Living (2013) — Forrest’s best-known work

A roughly 40-minute extended Requiem setting for choir, soloists (often boy soprano + soprano), and orchestra (with reduced-instrumentation options), Requiem for the Living brought Forrest international attention. The work blends sections of the traditional Requiem mass with biblical texts (Ecclesiastes, Job), and it is scored to maximize choral color and orchestral shimmer (harp, percussion, warm strings). Critics and audiences praised its accessibility and emotional directness; it has hundreds of performances worldwide and recordings available on commercial platforms. Musically, it showcases Forrest’s strengths: soaring melodies, luminous harmonies, careful text setting, and an effective balance between accessible choral writing and concert-hall sophistication. (danforrest.com, Wikipedia, Apple Music – Web Player)

Jubilate Deo (2016)

A large-scale, multicultural setting of Psalm 100, Jubilate Deo sets the text in several languages and draws stylistic material from a range of world musics while maintaining Forrest’s harmonic language. The piece displays Forrest’s gift for combining varied idioms within a coherent choral narrative and was written as a major commission premiered by the Indianapolis Children’s Choirs. (danforrest.com)

LUX: The Dawn From On High (2018)

Commissioned and premiered by regional choruses and orchestras, LUX is another extended liturgical/concert work that explores light imagery with shimmering orchestration, luminous choral writing, and ecstatic climaxes built from stepwise planing and expanded tertian harmonies. (danforrest.com)

CREATION and other concert suites

Forrest’s CREATION and concert suite adaptations from his larger choral cycles reveal his skill for making programmatic material suitable for cathedral acoustics and recording. Several individual anthems and motets (e.g., The Sun Never Says, Light Beyond Shadow) are staples in modern choral libraries. (danforrest.com)

Influences and musical ancestors

Forrest’s influences combine choral tradition and American concert music:

• Alice Parker — Forrest has named Parker (iconic American choral arranger and teacher) as a major influence on his approach to text setting and vocal lines. Parker’s focus on clear text rhythms and lyricism is echoed in Forrest’s work. (Wikipedia)
• James Barnes — Forrest studied with Barnes (wind band composer) at the University of Kansas; Barnes’s influence appears in Forrest’s orchestral thinking and formal craftsmanship. (Wikipedia)
• Critics and reviews commonly compare elements of Forrest’s sound to John Rutter (melodic, accessible choral lyricism), Aaron Copland (open, Americana-like sonority in certain orchestral gestures), and soundtrack composers like James Horner when describing the cinematic sweep of some of his large choral-orchestral climaxes. These comparisons are descriptive rather than literal; Forrest’s language remains distinct. (Wikipedia)

Discography and recordings (select)

Forrest’s major works have been recorded by several ensembles and made available on commercial streaming platforms:

• Requiem for the Living — recorded (Bel Canto Company & others) and released commercially (2013) and available on digital platforms. Live and studio recordings by choruses such as the Rivertree Singers and Greenville Chorale also circulate and are widely used for introductions to the piece. (Apple Music – Web Player, YouTube)
• Jubilate Deo, CREATION, The Breath of Life, LUX — numerous live recordings and official previews are available via ensembles and choral festivals; several appear on YouTube and streaming services, often as live festival releases. The composer’s website lists recordings and links for purchase/streaming. (danforrest.com, YouTube)

Forrest’s works are often published and distributed by Hinshaw Music, Beckenhorst Press, and his own imprint The Music of Dan Forrest. Many publishers provide recordings, sample tracks, and accompaniment materials. (danforrest.com)

Performances, premieres, and reception

Forrest’s music has been performed in major venues (Carnegie Hall), featured on NPR’s Performance Today, and performed internationally (BBC Proms inclusion among performances). Requiem for the Living has received hundreds of performances; Jubilate Deo and LUX have been similarly taken up by choirs and festivals. Reviewers consistently highlight Forrest’s melodic gift, sensitivity to text, and ability to write for both professional and community ensembles. (Wikipedia)

Filmography

Dan Forrest has no significant filmography or large-scale film scoring credits listed in major databases. His reputation and catalog are centered on concert and choral music rather than film soundtrack work. (Any small media uses of particular choral tracks in programs or local film projects would be incidental and not part of a film composer résumé.)

Legacy, pedagogy, and place in contemporary choral music

Accessibility + craft = broad adoption

Forrest’s dual talent for concert level craft and accessible choral writing has given him broad adoption across the choral field: professional choirs perform his large works; community and church choirs sing many of his anthems and motets. That duality underpins his legacy: music that can be both spiritually and musically satisfying in concert halls and in worship settings. (danforrest.com)

Educational impact

Forrest has been active as a teacher and clinician; his scores are used in university choral programs and in “Teaching Music Through Performance” volumes, and his compositional approach is often examined in graduate projects. He serves as a living model of a composer who can combine compositional seriousness with practical usefulness for performers — a model attractive to composers who want to write music that is performed widely. (Wikipedia)

Commercial and publishing success

Forrest’s published works have sold millions of copies worldwide, a marker both of popularity and practical relevance for directors and singers seeking well-crafted modern repertoire. His wins in composition competitions and awards have contributed to his professional reputation. (Wikipedia)

Representative list of compositions (selected, not exhaustive)

• Requiem for the Living (2013) — large choral/orchestral work. (danforrest.com)
• Jubilate Deo (2016) — Psalm 100 in multiple languages. (danforrest.com)
• LUX: The Dawn From On High (2018) — choral/orchestral. (danforrest.com)
• CREATION / Concert Suite from CREATION — larger cycle and concert suite versions. (danforrest.com)
• Many anthems and motets: The Sun Never Says, Light Beyond Shadow, Pater Noster, Ubi Caritas, Let Me Listen, and numerous hymn arrangements and choral pieces for SATB/SSAA. (danforrest.com)

For a full, up-to-date catalog and ordering details, consult Forrest’s official site and publisher pages. (danforrest.com)

How to approach performing or arranging Forrest’s music

• Choir directors: respect text declamation and pacing. Forrest’s lines are singable but can require precise dynamics and vowel shaping to achieve luminous blend. Balance with orchestra carefully — many of his climaxes rely on a radiant choral sound rather than sheer volume. (danforrest.com)
• Accompanists: favor open sonorities, pedal points, and sparing but coloristic use of dissonance. In smaller instrumentations, provide the same sense of space using arpeggiated fifths and sustained inner tones. (danforrest.com)
• Composers/arrangers studying Forrest: study his voice leading, use of added-tone sonorities, and how he delays cadences to support text. Compare his use of orchestral color (harp, percussion) to create cinematic textures in choral works. (danforrest.com)

Final notes and sources

Dan Forrest is a leading figure among contemporary American choral composers: a craftsman who writes with both emotional directness and technical control. If you want to go deeper, recommended primary sources are:

• Dan Forrest’s official site (biography, music catalog, recordings, program notes). (danforrest.com)
• Publisher pages and program notes for Requiem for the Living, Jubilate Deo, LUX. (danforrest.com)
• Wikipedia entry summarizing education, awards, and reception. (Wikipedia)

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