Breakaway (arr. Alan Billingsley): SSA Choral Octavo

Alan Billingsley's arrangement captures the soaring, triumphant energy of the original while crafting it specifically for SSA voicing. The result feels neither diluted nor compromised—it's a purposeful recomposition that gives secondary and primary choirs genuine material with modern appeal. Your singers will connect immediately to a song they know, yet find real artistic substance in the arrangement itself.

The piece radiates determination and self-discovery, with the driving energy of someone claiming their own strength. It combines accessibility with genuine vocal challenge, offering moments of vulnerability layered against moments of full-throttled confidence.

Mixed ability SSA choirs seeking contemporary repertoire with authentic emotional weight. This works equally well for middle school choirs ready to tackle modern pop and high school treble ensembles wanting accessible programming beyond traditional show choir fare.

• Balance the melodic line across all three voices rather than centering everything on the soprano part; the arrangement likely distributes thematic material strategically, so listen for where the primary tune lives in each section.
• Shape the dynamics with the lyrical arc of empowerment that defines the song; resist the impulse to stay at full volume throughout, even in the big moments.
• Let the altos and second sopranos breathe their own phrases independently; doubling voices can sound thin if treated as pure harmony filler rather than equal melodic partners.

Program this as a spring concert anchor or showcase piece for a concert celebrating contemporary music and student voice development. It also functions well as a festival selection where modern arrangements demonstrate your ensemble's versatility alongside traditional repertoire.

• Navigating syncopated rhythms within a pop/rock idiom
• Sustaining legit tone at high tessiturae without strain
• Maintaining independence in three-part harmony during unison melodic sections
• Interpreting lyrical expression in contemporary material
• Sight-reading arrangements by a recognized choral composer