Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep (arr. Cristi Cary Miller): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

Cristi Cary Miller's arrangement distills this beloved standard into something immediately accessible without sacrificing musicality. The 3-part voicing sits comfortably for mixed ensembles of varying experience levels, and the harmonic simplicity makes it an excellent choice for teaching blend and straightforward part singing. It's the kind of piece that feels substantial after just a few rehearsals, giving singers confidence and audiences genuine warmth.

There's a quiet reassurance in this arrangement; it settles rather than dazzles. The melody carries a tender, almost conversational quality, as though someone is offering comfort in the stillness of night. Despite its simplicity, the piece conveys genuine emotional weight through honest harmonic movement and Berlin's gift for a memorable tune.

This works for middle school through college choirs seeking reliable, character filled secular repertoire. It's particularly suited to groups that want to program something familiar to audiences while still offering their singers a genuinely musical experience.

• Pay attention to the lyrical phrasing rather than driving mechanically through the bar lines. Berlin wrote this as a lullaby, so the melody should breathe with a gentle, conversational quality.
• Balance the parts carefully so the melody remains prominent without the supporting voices disappearing. This arrangement likely relies on clean voice leading to create its effect.
• Commit to the harmonic language fully. Even simple chords sound hollow without full, sustained tone from all three parts.
• Consider the dynamic shape across the entire piece. Resist the urge to start loudly just because you have three parts singing together.

This pairs beautifully with other standards or American songbook selections for a pops concert or holiday program. It also serves as an excellent choice for a program's lighter moment, offering respite between more demanding repertoire while still demonstrating your singers' ability to handle expressive, lyrical singing.

• Sustaining legit tone quality across longer phrases
• Balancing three-part texture without sacrificing blend
• Shaping melody through dynamic and rhythmic choices rather than dramatic gesture
• Part independence in a homophonic texture