breathin: 8-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

This arrangement captures the emotional core of Ariana Grande's original while showcasing what eight-part writing can accomplish in a pop context. The Acapop! KIDS team understands how to layer contemporary harmony in ways that feel natural to young singers, and this piece proves arrangers Bram and Ahmed know how to build from intimate moments to full ensemble power without losing the song's vulnerability.

The piece moves between tender, almost vulnerable moments where voices thin out and fuller sections that build warmth and presence. There's a conversational quality to the arrangement, like individual singers are having a moment together before the ensemble swells around them.

Intermediate to advanced mixed choirs looking to program contemporary pop with harmonic substance. This works best for ensembles with solid intonation skills and enough singers per part to support an eight-part texture.

• Map out the balance between the sung ostinatos and the lead line early; these supporting patterns need to sit comfortably behind the melody without disappearing.
• Treat the breathing as part of the arrangement's expressive content rather than a technical necessity; synchronized breath points create rhythmic cohesion across all eight parts.
• Isolate the inner voices (alto II, tenor I, baritone) in separate rehearsals; they carry much of the harmonic color and deserve focused attention on intonation.
• Record a rough mix during rehearsal and listen back with the choir; hearing how the layers stack helps singers understand their individual contribution to the whole texture.

Pair this with another contemporary arrangement to build a pop-focused set, or use it as a tonal and stylistic contrast in a concert mixing classical, jazz, and modern work. The emotional restraint in parts of the arrangement makes it strong as a penultimate piece before an upbeat closer.

• Balancing independent melodic lines within a full ensemble texture
• Intonation control in jazz-influenced harmonic movement
• Ensemble rhythmic precision with layered, syncopated patterns
• Sustaining emotional nuance across extended note values
• Voice leading and part independence in eight-part writing