Human (arr. André Bachmann): TTBB Choral Octavo

André Bachmann's arrangement captures the atmospheric lift and emotional directness of "Human" while building it around the voices themselves rather than relying on synth textures. The flexible voicing options (TB, TTB, TBB, TTBB) mean you can perform this with your actual ensemble makeup, and the pop sensibility keeps students genuinely invested in the material.

Introspective and building. The piece maintains an intimate vulnerability in its opening before expanding into layered harmonic richness, creating a trajectory that feels earned rather than imposed. There's a searching quality to the melody that makes this feel less like entertainment and more like genuine human expression.

Choirs performing pop repertoire, particularly groups looking for contemporary material that doesn't require extensive additional accompaniment. Secondary and college ensembles will find the voicing options practical, and the song's emotional core appeals to singers who want their contemporary music to matter.

• Shape the opening section with restraint; the power of this song lives in the restraint before the swell, so resist the urge to push early.
• Tune the stacked voices carefully in the fuller sections, especially where the arrangement thickens. Clean octaves and fifths will make the arrangement sing.
• Balance soloists or leads against the harmonic support so the melody cuts through without the blend falling apart behind them.
• Let the final moments breathe. This arrangement will have natural momentum toward the end; your job is to shape the release rather than drive it.

Pair this with other contemporary pop arrangements to demonstrate range across musical styles, or feature it as a standalone moment in a concert that otherwise stays within traditional repertoire. It works particularly well as a closer, where the emotional investment audiences bring to a recognizable song can elevate the entire final impression.

• Balancing melody against harmonic layers in contemporary idioms
• Performing flexible voicing schemes (TB through TTBB configurations)
• Shaping contemporary melodic content with classical vocal technique
• A cappella ensemble blend and tuning across multiple voices