A Lot Of Livin' To Do: SSA Choral Octavo

Ed Lojeski's SSA arrangement captures the infectious optimism of this classic without sacrificing the song's character or sincerity. The voicing sits comfortably for upper voices while maintaining harmonic richness, and the accompaniment moves at a conversational pace that lets your singers shape the text naturally. This is the kind of standard that energizes a concert program while remaining genuinely fun to rehearse.

Propulsive and youthful. The song carries an almost unstoppable forward momentum, the kind of musical optimism that feels earned rather than saccharine. There's a lightness in the harmony and phrasing that mirrors the lyrical sentiment without ever becoming trivial.

Directors building a concert that needs a Broadway moment with genuine substance. This works for high school choirs seeking accessible yet rewarding material, and for smaller community or college groups that want something contemporary enough to feel current but standard enough to program confidently.

• Treat the text like you're having a conversation with the audience. The lyrics are direct and personal; avoid over-singing or manufacturing drama where the song's own enthusiasm does the work.
• Balance the three voice parts carefully in the close harmonies. Even spacing among sopranos, soprano IIs, and altos prevents any one line from dominating the texture.
• Let the accompanying pianist breathe with your singers. The tempo should feel energetic but never rushed; find a pace that lets the lyrics land clearly.

Pair this with other American songbook selections for a concert celebrating twentieth century musical theater, or use it as a finale that leaves the audience energized. The 11 pages move quickly in rehearsal, making it ideal for filling out a program when you need something that teaches easily but performs with impact.

• Rhythmic precision in syncopated, speech-like phrasing
• Balancing three independent voice parts in close harmonic writing
• Interpreting lyrical content and emotional subtext
• Sustaining energy and forward momentum across a complete phrase