Don't Wanna Lose You: SSA Choral Octavo

Greg Gilpin's SSA arrangement captures the emotional core of this Grammy-nominated ballad while keeping the vocal writing accessible and singable for developing choirs. The optional Spanish lyrics offer a meaningful connection to the song's cultural roots and give singers a chance to perform in two languages within a single piece. Programming this hits differently when your audience recognizes it from the musical; you're building a bridge between contemporary theater and your choir's concert repertoire.

This ballad carries the vulnerability of someone fighting to hold onto love, built on a foundation of resilience and strength. The melody soars without artifice, settling into moments of quiet desperation before swelling again with conviction and hope. Performing it demands emotional honesty from your singers; the power comes not from volume but from genuine connection to the text.

SSA choirs with solid intonation and the vocal maturity to sustain long lines without losing tone quality. This arrangement works well for intermediate to advanced high school choirs, college choirs, and adult community choirs seeking contemporary repertoire with emotional depth.

• Lean into the legit vocal sound Estefan's original demands. This isn't a pop belt; it requires sustained, connected phrasing that sits comfortably in the choir's range while maintaining power and presence.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the emotional arc, then gradually reduce reliance on it during rehearsal. Your choir's ability to phrase independently will make the piece feel more mature in performance.
• If you're performing both English and Spanish versions, rehearse them separately first so singers aren't translating on the fly. Once each language feels secure, the bilingual performance becomes a strength rather than a distraction.
• Pay attention to the dynamic shape within phrases rather than treating sections as static blocks. Small swells and releases create vulnerability in a power ballad.

This arrangement shines in a concert featuring contemporary musical theater repertoire or as part of a program celebrating Latin music and culture. Its recognizability makes it a natural choice for pops concerts or community performances where you want to engage audiences beyond traditional classical settings. The bilingual capability also positions it well for concerts celebrating multilingual voices in your community.

• Sustaining long legit vocal lines without tension or fatigue
• Maintaining intonation across wide intervallic leaps
• Phrasing with dynamic shape within extended melodic passages
• Singing in Spanish with proper vowel formation and clarity
• Building emotional authenticity and interpretive depth in contemporary repertoire