SATB
“I Can Hear a Whisper had enough variation that it kept [my students] interested, but it didn’t get too repetitive… The music having little alterations kept them more interested by the musical repetition with a little bit of change.”
— Sarah Gleason, New Canaan High School
Download the Perusal Score (PDF) →
No email required. Open access.
Lyrics
I can hear a whisper
Whisper in the wind
Where it comes from, I don’t know
But it knows my name
There’s a voice that whispers
Asking to be found
Though I’ve tried to turn away
I can’t ignore it now
Who’s this voice that’s calling
Calling out to me?
What is your intention?
Why have you chosen me?
What do you see in me?
“Follow me and leave
Your way of life behind
I will make you new
I’ll give you new sight.”
Says the voice that calls out my name
Not just in my mind
It has not just found me
It’s always been right by my side
Waiting to lead the way
Lead the way now
Over all these months and years
Still the voice is here
Whispering, empowering
Convicting me
Now the voice is calling
Calling out your name
If you take its offer
Your life will be forever changed
For the voice is here among us
Once it’s heard, the world will never be the same.
About the Music
I Can Hear a Whisper is about the deeper calling on your life — the one that begins as a quiet whisper and grows until you can’t ignore it. While it can be confusing or scary at times, choosing to follow it can lead to ultimate fulfillment in your life. The vocal lines shift slightly as the piece develops, rarely repeating exactly, which encourages both the singers and the listeners to be engaged. Stomps and claps add a layer of energy, and the melody passes between the men and the women so both sections get a turn to lead. A brief solo is featured at the very start of the piece as well.
Behind the Music
After hearing my composition Shockachi in 2023, director Sarah Gleason approached me with the idea to create a shortened version that would be more accessible for her choir at New Canaan High School to perform. As I got to know Sarah and her choir better over the following months, I thought it would be fun to eventually compose an original work for them — and that finally happened a year later!
Composing for her Madrigal Ensemble, I soon discovered a tune that had an enticing mystery to it. This evolved to become I Can Hear A Whisper, which is about being called to a deeper and more fulfilling life. For me personally, I’ve found that a fulfilling life is usually only followed by steps of faith — and that’s what this whisper is telling us to do.
Additional Content Featuring I Can Hear A Whisper
The online premiere of the ’26–’27 CFM Choral Catalog, which features ten never-before-released choral compositions by Christian Fortner. During this online event, Christian speaks about the primary uses for each piece in your choir program. Whether you direct a middle school, high school, or college-level choir, there is something here for you!
This 6-part Choral Music From Scratch series offers an in-depth look at how Christian composed I Can Hear A Whisper. Watch in real time as Christian thinks through his composition process out loud, notates, and engraves the full score — a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about composing music for choir.
