Immanuel

This lively Igbo Christmas piece by Onwubuya Charles captures the profound joy of the Nativity. The composer includes a short note at the end of the score, reminding singers that while the birth of the Messiah is a time of immense celebration, it also carries the weight of His eventual sacrifice for our salvation. The music reflects this balance, inviting the choir to rejoice fully while keeping the true essence of the season in mind.

The song opens with a bright, rhythmic chorus announcing that a child has been born to us in Bethlehem, calling all the earth to rejoice ("ñuria um'uwa"). The verses continue this call to joy, praising God for sending His Son and honouring Mary. A special Coda section features cantors bringing symbolic gifts—gold and fine oils—to Immanuel, before the whole choir joins in a sweeping, repeated "Hosanna" that mimics the song of the angels.