Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy (arr. Mark Brymer): SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures Pentatonix's signature density and textural sophistication while keeping the writing accessible for SSA choirs. The piece respects the familiarity of this holiday staple while offering enough contemporary harmonic color and rhythmic interest to feel fresh in concert, giving singers something genuinely engaging to perform rather than a routine holiday obligation.

The piece sparkles with precision and energy, balancing the delicate, whimsical character of the original with driving rhythmic momentum. The a cappella texture creates an intimate immediacy that makes this familiar ballet passage feel both celebratory and contemporary.

SSA and SSAA choirs seeking a contemporary holiday arrangement with genuine musical substance. This works equally well for middle school or high school ensembles hungry for a cappella repertoire beyond traditional caroling material.

• Pay close attention to the percussion articulation implied in the a cappella writing; even small variations in vowel clarity between syllables can establish or blur the rhythmic definition Brymer intended.
• Balance the moving lines against the sustained harmonies so neither group drowns out the other. The soprano line often carries the melody, but the accompaniment figures deserve clarity.
• Record yourselves frequently during rehearsal. A cappella writing exposes intonation issues immediately, and hearing the blend back helps singers locate and correct pitch problems they can't hear from inside the sound.
• Work the dynamic shape section by section rather than thinking of the piece as a single arc; this arrangement contains multiple moments of intensity that each need their own carefully planned swell and release.

Slot this into holiday concerts where you want to showcase your choir's technical polish and blend. It pairs beautifully alongside traditional carols or other classical arrangements, signaling to the audience that your program honors both familiar traditions and modern interpretations.

• Maintaining intonation in dense chord voicings without instrumental support
• Articulating rhythmic precision in a cappella writing
• Executing the SSA voicing with smooth voice leading across the three parts
• Shaping phrase contours within a fast-moving, energetic arrangement
• Listening to and balancing independent vocal lines in four-part and five-part textures