A gifted and sensitive composer, William Gorton has written over two dozen art songs for voice and piano, numerous church anthems, hymns and service music pieces, and a Te Deum for SSAATTBB choir, boys choir, orchestra and mezzo soprano solo. The latter work was performed by the New Jersey MasterChorale, the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale, mezzo soprano Deidra Palmour, and musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra & Friends in a Christmas holiday program, "Gloria in excelsis: Christmas with the New Jersey MasterChorale". Under Dr. Gorton's direction this program, produced for Public Radio International, aired nationally in December 2018.
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Dr. Gorton's opus includes a hymn, "O God, in Whom We Live", published in Worship & Song, a United Methodist hymnal, as well as "The Lord is My Shepherd" and "Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head", published by World Library Publications and Hope Publishing, respectively. Numerous other hymns and service music have been submitted to an ongoing United Methodist hymnal project.
Dr. Gorton's latest project is an album comprised of art songs for voice and piano entitled "Brimfull". This album features eighteen beautiful and inspiring songs exploring life, love, and the spiritual quest in a neo-romantic/impressionistic idiom; while style varies widely from song to song, comparisons have been made to Ravel and Vaughan Williams. Available on the "Recordings" page, this compilation is also performed by Dr. Gorton.