LIFT UP YOUR HEADS

When the season of Advent begins, our choirs need music that captures both the solemn preparation and the joyful anticipation of Christ's arrival. "LIFT UP YOUR HEADS" by Casmir Chiagozie Ekeh does exactly that. Drawing its opening text from the psalms, it calls on the gates to open and the people to make the highway straight for the coming of the Lord.

The piece is written to be sung joyfully and majestically, moving with a steady, marching energy that fits perfectly as an Entrance hymn during the weeks leading up to Christmas. As the voices sing "Your waiting will soon end, God's glory will descend," you can feel the shift from quiet expectation to outright celebration. The lower voices take a brief lead to announce the ancient prophecies before the whole choir joins to welcome Emmanuel.

It is a wonderful choice for Nigerian Catholic choirs looking to set a bright, hopeful tone for Mass. The repeated calls to "rejoice" and the driving instruction to "prepare the way" give the congregation a clear, uplifting message as they gather to celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation.