Always There: SSA Choral Octavo

This arrangement captures the hallmark elegance of Secret Garden's sound in a form your choir can actually perform. Jay Althouse's setting for SSA voices preserves Løvland's lush harmonic language while remaining singable for mixed-ability choirs, and the optional violin part gives you flexibility to feature a student soloist or keep it as a piano-based arrangement depending on your resources.

Serene and introspective, with the warmth of a well-crafted ballad. The piece unfolds with unhurried grace, built on rich three-part harmonies that create depth without complexity. There's an underlying sense of stability and reassurance in the harmonic language, paired with lyrics that speak to human connection and presence.

SSA choirs of all levels seeking accessible yet musically substantive contemporary repertoire. This works equally well for community choruses, school choirs looking to expand beyond traditional show choir fare, and professional ensembles programming pop/contemporary music. Singers who connect with contemporary songwriting and Celtic-influenced music will find this particularly engaging.

• Shape the melody through subtle dynamic swells rather than drastic changes; the Celtic sensibility of this piece favors gentle, breathing phrasing over dramatic gestures.
• Blend the SSA voicing by having your singers listen inward to each other's parts rather than pushing outward. The harmonies are designed to shimmer, not dominate.
• If performing with the optional violin part, ensure the string player and your singers share musical space rather than competing for attention; think of the violin as an integral voice within the texture, not a featured soloist unless the arrangement specifically calls for it.
• Take time with the lyrics to honor their emotional content. The beauty of this piece emerges from singers who understand and connect with what they're singing about, not from technical perfection alone.

Program this as a poignant moment in a concert built around contemporary choral repertoire or as a powerful closing number for a mixed program seeking an emotional endpoint. It also pairs naturally with other pieces by film soundtrack composers or works featuring optional string accompaniment, allowing you to build a cohesive set showcasing modern songwriting across ensemble configurations.

• Blending SSA harmonies across a wide range
• Sustained phrasing and breath management in ballad-style singing
• Interpretation of contemporary pop-influenced harmonic language
• Ensemble awareness and listening to inner voices
• Expressive communication of lyrical meaning