OTITO DIRI CHINEKE

"Otito Diri Chineke" is a vibrant Igbo setting of the Gloria, the great hymn of praise sung during the introductory rites of the Mass. From the very first notes, the choir announces the joy of the angels' song: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will."

Ezigwe Chidi's arrangement captures the festive spirit required for this moment in the liturgy. The piece moves with a steady, rhythmic energy that carries the congregation along. As the choir works through the familiar sections—praising, blessing, and adoring God the Father, before turning to Christ the Lamb of God—the harmony parts weave together to build a sense of communal worship.

For a choir director, this is the kind of Gloria that wakes up the church on a Sunday morning. The final section, declaring Christ alone as the Holy One and the Lord, culminates in a joyful, cascading series of "Amens" that leaves both the singers and the congregation ready to enter fully into the Liturgy of the Word.