Both Sides Now: SSA Choral Octavo

John Leavitt's arrangement preserves the song's reflective quality while distributing the melody generously across all three parts, giving every voice section meaningful material rather than relegating anyone to filler harmony. The piano writing adds harmonic depth and musical color without overwhelming the singers, and the 16-page score provides enough substance for a concert-ready arrangement that feels complete and polished. SSA voicing opens this mature, introspective text to choirs that might not otherwise access it, while the recorded accompaniment option removes barriers to performance.

The piece unfolds with gentle contemplation, its melody drifting across the parts like clouds shifting in light. Leavitt's harmonies shimmer and settle, creating a sonic landscape that feels both intimate and expansive, inviting singers and listeners alike into quiet reflection about how experience reshapes understanding.

This arrangement serves treble choirs and mixed groups with an SSA section strong enough to carry a full concert piece. It works for intermediate to advanced ensembles that can handle text nuance and sustained harmonic listening, and for any director seeking contemporary pop literature with genuine artistic merit.

• Shape the melody as it passes between sections by maintaining consistent phrasing across voice parts, so the tune feels unified even when different singers carry it.
• Attend to the shimmering harmonic palette Leavitt creates; balance is key so that inner voices support without muddying the sonority.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish a secure harmonic foundation during rehearsals, then gradually increase independence as singers internalize their parts.
• Let the introspective quality of the text guide your tempo and dynamics; this is a song about reflection and perspective, not drama or urgency.

This works beautifully in a concert exploring themes of time and perspective, or as a bridge between classical and contemporary repertoire. It also serves well as a closing number for a spring concert, where its meditative quality and positive resolution provide a graceful finish that sends audiences out thoughtfully.

• Singing sustained harmonic layers without loss of focus
• Tracking a melody as it passes between voice parts
• Balancing inner harmony parts with the primary melodic line
• Interpreting text with emotional maturity and subtlety
• Ensemble independence while relying on piano accompaniment