Come What May (from Moulin Rouge) (arr. Kevin Keller): TTBB Choral Octavo

Kevin Keller's barbershop voicing transforms a sweeping film ballad into something that sits naturally for male voices while preserving the emotional core that made the original unforgettable. The flexibility across TTBB, TBB, and TB voicings means you can program this whether your section sizes shift or you're working with a smaller ensemble. Few songs this well-known have arrangements that feel this fresh for choral singers.

Romantic and theatrical without being saccharine, this arrangement captures the desperate tenderness of two people pledging devotion against impossible odds. The barbershop harmonies ground the soaring melody in warmth and intimacy, creating moments where close, ringing chords shift the emotional weight entirely.

Directors seeking a crowd-pleasing secular piece that connects with singers already familiar with the film version and audiences who recognize it immediately. The five-page octavo works for everything from festival programming to concert encores, and the voicing flexibility makes it accessible to groups with varying section strengths.

• Treat the phrase endings as moments for breath and connection rather than hard stops; the barbershop voicing creates natural harmonic weight that resolves beautifully when singers lean slightly into cadences.
• Lock the tuning in the close harmonies by having the ensemble sing solfege through the arrangement once before adding words, paying particular attention to altered chords that shift color.
• Shape the dynamics around the text's emotional arc rather than the notated marks alone; this arrangement rewards singers who listen to the original film performance and draw parallels to their own phrasing choices.
• Balance the tenor line carefully in the upper passages; it often carries the melody, so the second tenor must sit back slightly while maintaining harmonic support rather than weight.

Position this as a standout moment in a concert focused on film or contemporary music, or use it strategically in a spring show to provide stylistic contrast against classical choral fare. The arrangement's accessibility and immediate recognition make it an excellent choice for a program's emotional peak or a finale that leaves audiences with something they can hum on the way home.

• Sustaining long phrase lines with controlled vibrato in close harmony
• Tuning altered and chromatic chord progressions in barbershop voicing
• Balancing lyrical independence with ensemble blend in tenor-driven passages
• Shaping phrasing based on emotional text rather than notated dynamics