Christmas Is All Around (from Love Actually) (arr. Roger Emerson): 2-Part Choral Octavo

Roger Emerson's 2-part voicing captures the infectious charm of this film favorite without demanding extensive vocal range or four-part harmonic sophistication. The arrangement sits comfortably for mixed or treble choirs and provides that rare combination of genuine musicality and crowd-pleasing familiarity that makes a winter concert memorable for audiences and singers alike.

Warmth meets modern pop sensibility. The melody unfolds with genuine optimism and a conversational ease that invites singers and listeners into its world. This is comfort music that never feels cloying.

Choirs seeking accessible, audience-friendly holiday material for winter concerts, pops performances, or community events. The 2-part voicing makes this ideal for developing singers or mixed ensembles where part independence is still a work in progress.

• Keep the melody line bright and conversational rather than overly legit; the song thrives on its pop sensibility and vocal ease.
• Balance the harmonic part so it supports without overwhelming the lead voice; clarity of the tune matters more than blend.
• Work the rhythmic snap in the accompaniment figure (as written or in the recorded track) so the ensemble feels the forward momentum rather than treating this as a slow ballad.

Pair this with other film or contemporary pop arrangements to create a "music of the movies" segment, or use it as the closer to a traditional holiday concert where it provides a lighter, more accessible note to send audiences home. Its seven pages move quickly, making it a practical choice for programs with multiple pieces.

• Singing with rhythmic accuracy in syncopated pop idioms
• Balancing solo line with supporting harmonic part
• Maintaining vocal independence in a 2-part texture
• Interpreting stylistically appropriate dynamics and phrasing in contemporary music