By DeVon Harris / By John Stephens / By Kawan Prather / By Marcus Bryant / As performed by John Legend / Arranged by Mark Brymer
Item: 35-DS00138660
Digital Download
$2.65
Minimum order quantity: 10 copies
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Description
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Mark Brymer's arrangement captures the emotional uplift of the original while making it genuinely singable for mixed voices. The piece sits in an accessible range for high school and community choirs, yet the countermelody writing gives soloists and section leaders something substantial to sink their teeth into.
What to expect
Warm and affirming, with an underlying sense of hope. The arrangement breathes room for introspection in the verses while building to moments of genuine uplift, creating the kind of choral experience that reminds singers why they showed up to rehearsal.
Who it's for
High school and community choirs ready to program contemporary pop repertoire with substance. This works equally well for concert settings and fundraising events where you want music that connects emotionally with diverse audiences.
How to get the most out of it
Anchor the sopranos on the melody line with confidence; they carry the ear even when other voices move in contrasting rhythms. Record a sectional with just sopranos and altos to lock the interplay before full rehearsals.
Shape the dynamics around the text rather than pushing uniformly. The inspirational message lands hardest when sections pull back slightly on repetitive phrases, then surge forward on new musical ideas.
Balance is everything in the vertical writing. Ask basses and tenors to mark their dynamic level one notch softer than marked if they're covering the sopranos.
How to use it
Pair this with an opening spiritual or hymn arrangement to create a thematic arc about resilience and connection. The contemporary pop idiom also bridges well into a closing patriotic or community anthem, offering programming flexibility across formal concerts or casual performances.
Skills your students will build
Balancing independent lines within a harmonic framework
Shaping phrases through dynamic contrast rather than tempo change
Singing contemporary pop idioms with vocal control and diction clarity
Ensemble blend when countermelodies sit above or beneath the main line
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