Harmony's Never Too Late: TTBB Choral Octavo

Flaherty and lyricist Lynn Ahrens have crafted a piece that feels genuinely contemporary without sacrificing singability. The flexible voicing options (TB/TTB/TBB/TTBB) mean you can use this with any men's ensemble, and the pop accompaniment with piano, bass, and drums sits comfortably between repertoire and musical theater. The text's metaphor of harmony as acceptance gives your singers something real to communicate.

Hopeful and grounded. The music combines Broadway warmth with genuine emotional weight, never veering into sentimentality. Flaherty's melody sits naturally in the voice, and the pop accompaniment gives the piece contemporary energy without requiring your singers to adopt an unfamiliar style.

Men's choirs of any size and experience level will find this accessible and rewarding. The flexible voicing means you can use it whether your group numbers eight or eighty, and whether you're early in your season or building toward a concert. Collegiate, community, and advanced high school ensembles all have room to make this their own.

• Balance the three separate voicings carefully during full sections; mark which singers carry melody versus supporting harmony so blend doesn't blur the line.
• Lean into the rhythmic precision that the drums and bass demand; this isn't a traditional chorale, so rhythmic clarity makes the pop groove land.
• Let the recorded accompaniment anchor your ensemble during early rehearsals, then gradually pull back your dependency so singers own the harmonic relationships.
• Frame the piece's message clearly in rehearsal so the metaphor of harmony becomes intentional rather than abstract for your singers.

This works beautifully as a concert centerpiece that bridges classical and contemporary programming. Pair it with either traditional TTBB repertoire to show range, or program it alongside other pop-influenced pieces to create a cohesive set that reflects where your singers live musically.

• Blending three independent melodic lines within a four-part texture
• Navigating flexible voicing options (TB/TTB/TBB/TTBB)
• Rhythmic precision in a pop/contemporary accompaniment style
• Communicating textual metaphor through harmonic relationships