Dream a Little Dream of Me: SSA Choral Octavo

Jay Althouse's SSA setting captures the song's intimate warmth while keeping the arrangement approachable for mixed-ability choirs. The availability of recorded accompaniment means you can program this confidently even with limited rehearsal time, and the presence of optional instrumental parts adds flexibility for showcasing student musicians alongside singers.

Dreamy and intimate, with a gentle swing that evokes late-night radio broadcasts and the relaxed sophistication of the American songbook. The piece invites singers to find the lyrical quality in their voices while maintaining the song's characteristic warmth and timelessness.

This arrangement works for treble choirs at the high school and early college level, as well as community and all-age choirs seeking accessible standards. The SSA voicing makes it particularly suitable for groups with stronger soprano sections, while the moderate difficulty ensures it doesn't overwhelm singers who are still building confidence with jazz-inflected repertoire.

• Balance the soprano melody against the supporting harmonies so the tune remains instantly recognizable; these voices should not compete for prominence.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in the laid-back swing feel, which is essential to the song's character and often harder to establish with live piano accompaniment alone.
• Shape the phrases with gentle dynamic swells that follow the natural contours of the lyrics rather than rigid accent patterns; this song rewards thoughtful phrasing over rhythmic precision.
• If using the optional instrumental parts, rehearse them separately first to ensure they support rather than overshadow the choral texture.

Program this as a palate cleanser between more demanding contemporary or classical works, or pair it with other standards from the same era to create a jazz standards set for a spring or holiday concert. Its cross-generational appeal makes it ideal for family-friendly performances or as a solo feature for your best soprano section.

• Singing jazz-inflected rhythms and swing feel
• Balancing melody with harmonic accompaniment
• Interpreting lyrical phrasing in a secular context
• Ensemble blend in SSA voicing