I am Christmas Day

I am Christmas Day was commissioned by Mercy Ships UK to honour those we serve, and those who serve the poorest of the poor. The original version was scored for SATB and organ and, in this scoring, was premiered by Southwark Cathedral Girls Choir (conductor Stephen Disley), conducted by Howard Goodall, in Southwark Cathedral on 5 December 2012. A version for SATB and orchestra was created especially for Simon Halsey and the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Chorus for Christmas 2013. (Orchestral materials available on hire, hire@fabermusic.com)

There is also a version of the carol for unison voices and piano.

“It has been an honour to write a modern carol for Mercy Ships since, to my mind, the organisation seems to embody the meaning of the original nativity story, which - whatever your faith - represents a child born in great poverty and our response to the millions of children with a similar start in life.

“It is within our power to turn just another ordinary day into Christmas Day for the children Mercy Ships serves: that is the wish and message of 'I am Christmas Day'.”

(Howard Goodall)