Imagine (arr. Deke Sharon): SSA Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement opens this iconic song to ensembles without the resources for a full band setup. The SSA voicing creates genuine three-part writing rather than simply doubling a melody, and the piece sits naturally for developing choirs while remaining artistically substantive. Its seven pages give singers enough musical material to explore without overwhelming rehearsal time.

Contemplative and hopeful without being sentimental. The arrangement has space to breathe, allowing each harmonic moment to land with clarity. There's an intimacy to SSA voicing of this material that invites listeners in rather than overwhelming them.

SSA choirs looking for repertoire that connects with modern singers while building genuine musicianship. This works for high school and adult community ensembles seeking concert material that means something to audiences and performers alike.

• Find the stillness in the opening unison section. Precision and breath control matter more than pushing volume here.
• Balance the harmonic underpinning with the melody line. Sharon's arrangement builds richness through the lower voices, so resist the urge to spotlight the sopranos exclusively.
• Consider dynamics as emotional intention rather than mechanical crescendos. This piece responds well to subtle shifts that follow the lyrical arc.
• Blend vowels carefully during the close harmonies. This arrangement's effectiveness depends on unified timbre across the three parts.

Program this as a concert centerpiece or closing number where its reflective quality can resonate without competing for attention. It pairs well with both sacred and secular programming and works equally well as a spring or fall concert feature.

• Sustaining legato singing across phrase lengths
• Hearing and balancing three-part harmony
• Interpreting lyrical content with musical clarity
• Managing dynamics as expressive rather than mechanical
• Blending vowels in close harmonic writing