By The Way (from "Little Fish"): Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection gives singers and pianists direct access to LaChiusa's compositional voice across multiple shows and emotional territories, all in one volume. The variety means you can program a single song for a recital, teach from contrasting styles within the same rehearsal, or explore how LaChiusa's harmonic thinking and melodic gifts evolved across two decades of work. For pianists, these arrangements reveal how thoughtfully he writes for the instrument as both accompanist and conversation partner.

These songs inhabit intimate, often complicated emotional landscapes. You'll find moments of genuine humor alongside deep introspection, characters grappling with desire and identity, and melodies that linger in unexpected ways. The piano writing ranges from sparse and conversational to lush and orchestral in scope, creating a sense of psychological depth even in the context of a solo voice and keyboard.

This collection serves singers preparing audition material from contemporary musical theatre, music theater programs building repertoire libraries, and pianists who want to expand beyond standard golden age material. It also appeals to serious music students exploring how modern composers approach song form and character expression within theatrical contexts.

• Pay attention to the lyric phrasing before defaulting to musical phrases; LaChiusa often writes against predictable melodic shapes to serve the text.
• Check for key changes and modulations between verses; his harmonies frequently shift in ways that demand flexible accompaniment and vocal flexibility.
• Use the chord symbols as a guide to texture and color rather than just harmonic foundation, especially in songs with jazz or contemporary influences.
• Balance vocal projection with the harmonic density underneath; these arrangements often contain rich piano writing that can overshadow a lyric if not managed carefully.

Select contrasting songs from different LaChiusa shows to create a compelling recital set that showcases theatrical storytelling and musical sophistication without relying on frequently performed standards. Program a single song alongside classical art song or contemporary chamber works to introduce audiences to theatrical music that doesn't fit the Broadway musical stereotypes. In a teaching studio, use songs from this collection to develop students' interpretive skills and understanding of how text and music interact in contemporary composition.

• Reading and interpreting chord symbols in vocal piano/vocal scores
• Understanding how contemporary composers manipulate harmonic language to support text meaning
• Developing interpretive choices based on character and emotional subtext rather than melody alone
• Collaborating between voice and piano when accompaniment figures carry as much dramatic weight as the vocal line
• Navigating complex meters and rhythmic figures in contemporary theatrical music