Faith (arr. Kohl Kitzmiller): SSAA Choral Octavo

Kitzmiller's arrangement unlocks the harmonic richness in Michael's original composition, making it accessible for SSAA ensembles without sacrificing the emotional weight that made the song resonate with millions. The voicing sits naturally for upper voices while maintaining musical substance across all four parts, offering directors a contemporary piece that audiences genuinely know and singers genuinely want to perform.

The arrangement captures the introspective intensity of the original, combining pop sensibility with choral sophistication. Singers move through passages of intimate vulnerability and moments of fuller, more assured expression, creating a narrative arc that feels genuinely moving rather than merely performed.

Choirs seeking contemporary repertoire that connects with singers and audiences alike will find this arrangement immediately valuable. The piece works equally well for community choirs, church ensembles, and select high school programs that have solid sight-reading skills and an ear for contemporary harmony.

• Honor the conversational quality of the melody. This arrangement thrives when singers shape phrases as if speaking directly to the listener rather than projecting to the back of the hall.
• Balance the upper two soprano lines carefully during tutti passages. These voices often carry exposed material, so secure intonation across the soprano section pays immediate dividends.
• Shape the harmonic progressions as functional movements rather than holding each chord as a static block. Think of how the original recording breathes through key moments and apply similar momentum to sustained sections.
• Let silence work for you. Any moments of rhythmic or textural simplification serve as resting points for the listener, so don't feel compelled to fill every space.

This piece works beautifully as a concert closer or centerpiece on programs featuring contemporary secular music. Pair it with other modern arrangements or vocal-pop hybrids to create a cohesive set that demonstrates how choral arranging can honor the integrity of well-crafted popular songs.

• Maintaining intonation through jazz-inflected and chromatic harmonic movement
• Interpreting contemporary vocal style within a choral context
• Ensemble balance when multiple voices occupy similar ranges
• Shaping longer melodic phrases without losing harmonic clarity
• Responding to text as emotional communication rather than technical exercise