Welcome to our Spotlight series, a place for our Member Publishers to connect with our License Holders, share new works, and offer updates on their catalogs. Interested in reading more from our Spotlight series? Visit this link! 

Katie: What new collections or favorite pieces should our License Holders be looking forward to this Advent and Christmas? How about Lent and Easter? 

Imelda: My goals for 2022 with composing include:  

Gospel Reflections Year C: Advent — Christ the King — a weekly collection. These are weekly compositions that aim to provide a musical representation of the Gospel through the combination of lyrics and music. Although the collection will vary in style, it seeks to both reflect on the Gospel Message and challenge us through song to change, to be better Christians / Catholics.

Prayers To Sing: A collection which began on Feast of Guardian Angels in 2021. My hope for this collection is to compose short, prayerful, and memorable chant-like compositions to help congregations reflect and prepare during Advent and to dwell more fully on the birth of Jesus and its significance.

Journey Through Lent and Easter Year C: A series of 16 compositions that interweave the themes of the Liturgy of the Word. Its aim will be to marry these texts into a memorable song, which congregations can sing in their hearts all throughout the week.

Divine Mercy Hymn for Year C: Finally, I will compose my third Divine Mercy Hymn (Year C)  suitable for prayer groups and anyone who recites the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

A note for our License Holders: Remember that you should always report the specific title you used from collections individually, not the collection as a whole.

K: What areas of ministry can be supported by your music? What denominations or groups look to you for music? Are there ecumenical options for interfaith communities?  

I: My compositions and collections can be used by many different people and in a variety of settings, including Parish Priests, Pastoral Associates, Liturgy Committees, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Eucharist, and more! 

There are plenty of opportunities for interfaith communities to use lyrics and / or music from my collections since my collections rely substantially on the Gospel. It should be noted that although the translations may differ, the message of the Gospel is consistent. Added to this, many of my works offer a contemporary challenge. 

K: We are thrilled to have you as a brand new Member Publisher! What top titles would you encourage our License Holders to bring to their congregations? 

I: I would encourage License Holders to consider the following titles:

A note for our License Holders: Please click on the titles to access the database entry. Talking Music Pty. Ltd. is brand new to our service and Imelda is working hard to get all of her titles listed in our database. If you are unable to find a specific title from Talking Music Pty. Ltd., either fill out a manual submission form or reach out to the ONE LICENSE team at info@onelicense.net for assistance. 

K: What can our License Holders look forward to from you in the year to come? 

I: License Holders can look forward to checking in regularly to find new compositions being added weekly (or every 10 days if the creative juices stall!) to my collections.

License Holders can also look forward to joining my webinars to meet me, understand my creative process, and learn some of my music. Face-to-face webinars will also occur during 2022 (depending on pandemic restrictions).

K: What other projects would you like us to know about?

I: I am excited to share that I am currently writing a Mass for a friend’s ordination to the Priesthood in 2024. The Mass will be known as Missa Divina Misericordia/Mass of Divine Mercy. I am currently writing it in English but in 2022 will be working with him to adapt it to the Polish language. As I do not speak any Polish myself, it will indeed be a challenge.

A note for our License Holders: Imelda is very willing to connect personally with those who utilize her compositions! Take a look at this “Want to Know More?” document to find all the ways that you can connect with Talking Music Pty. Ltd. 

Imelda Purcell – Biography 

Imelda Purcell is the CEO of Talking Music Pty Ltd (www.talkingmusic.online). She commenced learning music from age 4, and in her school years, she learned piano, violin, and organ. Then she studied for both a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Music Education and graduated from Music Faculty at Melbourne University.  

In her professional life, Imelda taught music in both the classroom and her private studio, was a choir director in schools and in a Catholic parish, worked as a counselor and pastoral associate, and later as a carer. She is passionate about her music teaching (face to face and Skype lessons), composing, her podcast: Talking Music Classical, and her singing.  She sings in a choir as well as engages in weekly music ministry in her parish. She lives in Melbourne, Australia. 

As a Catholic all her life and a church musician from her early teens, the music that was sung and played at Mass has always captured Imelda’s faith and musical attention. Every parish has its uniqueness, but it is especially noticeable when it comes to music at Mass, as people hold a range of skills in this area.  

However, although having composed previously in her life, the COVID pandemic created an opportunity for her to rediscover this skill. During the lockdowns in Melbourne, she composed close to 80 compositions. These compositions will be added to the ONE LICENSE database over time. 

Imelda composed her collections entitled Gospel Reflections in Song Year A, Gospel Reflections in Song Year B, Honouring St Dominic, and Prayers to sing with both congregations and amateur and skilled musicians in mind. In each of the collections, the settings are flexible since they can be sung unaccompanied, by a congregation in unison or in parts, or by the choir. They can be accompanied by guitar, piano, or organ.  

Imelda also records her own compositions and sings them in 2-3 parts.

Imelda Purcell 2021. Talking Music Pty Ltd.® ( www.talkingmusic.online)

Featured image photo copyright information: Photo by cottonbro. This image is available for download at www.pexels.com.