Grown-Up Christmas List (arr. Audrey Snyder): SSA Choral Octavo

Audrey Snyder's arrangement transforms a contemporary pop ballad into something choirs actually want to sing. The SSA voicing sits naturally for mixed high school and community ensembles without sacrificing the song's emotional core, and the 14-page score gives you room to work with phrasing and dynamics rather than fighting against awkward ranges.

Reflective and intimate, even when the full three-part texture blooms. The song carries an almost conversational quality, as though the singers are sharing a quiet moment rather than performing a holiday standard.

Choirs looking to program something contemporary without sacrificing musicality. This works for intermediate to advanced SSA or SSAA ensembles that want a winter concert moment beyond the standard seasonal fare.

• Shape the melody with intentional breath placement rather than strict phrase markings. The emotional payoff comes from singers making personal choices about where silence lands.
• Balance your three voice parts as if they're three colors in a painting. The harmony should bloom gradually, not arrive all at once in measure one.
• Ground the performance in the text. Encourage singers to reconnect with what "grown-up" means in this context before rehearsals begin.

Position this as a bridge between sacred and secular holiday music, or pair it with other contemporary arrangements that respect the original songwriting. It works particularly well in second-half programming, where you can let the audience settle into the emotional landscape rather than leading with it.

• Singing with emotional authenticity in pop-influenced styles
• Managing three-part harmony in close voicings
• Sustaining long phrases with proper breath support
• Stylistic interpretation of contemporary songwriting