Lea Morris’ Music Library

Lea Morris is a very exciting addition to our featured composers. Her basic approach is in the Natural Voice Style – that is most of her songs can be taught be ear without the need for scores.  We have a number of songs already that can be learned in this way, but these are usually traditional songs whose writers are unknown. Lea has the talent and skill in being able to compose songs which sound like they’ve been around for ages,  having a timeless quality and an ease of musicality. People recognise their own identity in the lyrics, and the fluid nature of their arrangements (you can choose who starts and the order of the voices being added) make them alive and fresh whenever they are performed.

We have provided scores of course, and Lea herself has added arrangement suggestions, but these are by no means set in stone. She actually wants you to develop them and make them appropriate to your setting and community. The lyrics are perfectly suited to community choirs – a sense of belonging and welcome is threaded through. Light, Lifting, Positivity and Justice are all themes that return and give hope and even joy to any situation.

You can learn a lot about Lea by watching her teaching videos. Her You Tube channel is chock full of songs and performances, some of them recorded by herself in lockdown when none of us could leave home. I’m sure many people were encouraged and heartened by her generous gift of sharing her music and ideas.

Hi. Lea here. I was raised in the Southern Baptist tradition in Baltimore. That experience definitely influences my music and the themes in my lyrics. The rhythms in my pieces are often drawn from my church experience or from the uplifting feel of many hymns. Likewise, my pieces often start out as prayers or mantras for me. It’s a pleasure to know that they are bringing joy and connection to others, as well.