A Pentatonix Christmas (Medley) (arr. Mark Brymer): SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures Pentatonix's signature sound without requiring the full ensemble setup, making their style accessible to SSA choirs everywhere. The medley format gives you flexibility to showcase multiple songs across a single rehearsal arc, and the contemporary energy appeals to singers who might otherwise dismiss holiday rep. Students connect instantly to material they already know and love.

Crisp, rhythmically alive, and groovy without sacrificing the warmth of the season. The arrangement sparkles with vocal layers and contemporary production sensibilities, capturing that a cappella magic where voices become instruments in their own right.

SSA choirs seeking contemporary holiday material that bridges the gap between traditional and modern. Directors who want to program something their singers already know and are excited to learn, while maintaining musical substance and arranging craft.

• Lock the rhythmic precision of the vocal percussion parts early in rehearsal. These ostinatos anchor the whole arrangement, so isolate them with your percussionists first, then layer voices gradually.
• Pay close attention to blend during sustained harmony sections. SSA voicing means you'll need careful balance between your leads and supporting lines to avoid the arrangement sounding thin.
• Treat the medley transitions as moments to reset energy rather than pause. Each song shift should feel like a natural groove change, not a stop and start.
• Explore the recorded accompaniment to hear how Brymer voiced the arrangement, but don't let it lock your singers into a single interpretation. Your choir will find its own pocket.

Slot this into a holiday concert as your pop or contemporary segment, letting it stand apart from traditional carols while still honoring the season. The 35 pages give you room to dig in without needing to split rehearsal time across multiple holiday pieces. Perfect for winter concerts aimed at younger audiences or school communities drawn to current artists.

• reading and executing complex rhythmic layering and ostinatos
• balancing divided voicing in SSA texture
• interpreting vocal percussion notation and rhythm section roles
• maintaining pitch accuracy across parallel harmony sections
• understanding medley structure and smooth transitions between songs