Here's To Life: SSA Choral Octavo

Ed Lojeski's arrangement captures the unhurried elegance of Horn's original performance while opening the piece to choral voices. The SSA/SSAA voicing sits naturally for singers without requiring excessive range, and the harmonic language respects both the sophistication of the source material and the capabilities of high school and college choirs. This is a piece that teaches singers what it means to serve a lyric with grace.

Warm and reflective. The harmony moves with easy grace, never forcing emotion but always supporting it. There's an understated confidence in the melody; Lojeski's voicing lets singers lean into that same quiet assurance that made Horn's original so arresting. The overall character is celebratory yet tender, life-affirming without being sentimental.

This arrangement works well for SSA or SSAA choirs at the high school, college, or adult level who want repertoire with genuine sophistication and emotional weight. Singers should be comfortable with jazz inflections and sustained legit singing without vibrato excess. It fits programs that seek concert pieces beyond traditional show tunes or classical art song.

• Shape phrases around the lyric rather than the bar line. "Here's to life" deserves to breathe as a complete thought, not land on the downbeat like a metrical anchor.
• Balance the chords so no voice dominates the vertical sonority. Lojeski's arrangement works when all three parts have equal weight in creating the harmonic color.
• Approach the tempo with restraint. This arrangement asks for maturity in how you move; resist the urge to rush sentiment.
• Let the recorded accompaniment establish the harmonic foundation first, then layer in voices so ensemble blend becomes the goal rather than blend being an afterthought.

Place this as the centerpiece of a concert devoted to jazz standards or American song repertoire, or program it alongside other arranged jazz classics to create a compelling set. The piece also works beautifully as a finale number when paired with more energetic selections earlier in the program, since it sends audiences out in a reflective and satisfied mood. Consider it for end-of-year concerts where sophistication of repertoire matters as much as energy level.

• Jazz phrasing and rhythmic flexibility
• Sustained legit tone with minimal vibrato
• Harmonic blend in jazz voicings
• Lyric-driven interpretation over metronomic accuracy
• Ensemble balance across three voice parts