It Must Be Love (arr. Craig McLeish): SSATBB Choral Octavo

Craig McLeish has crafted an arrangement that preserves the song's irrepressible energy while giving your singers genuine harmonic parts to engage with. The SSATBB voicing offers flexibility for choirs of different sizes, and the three-page length makes this manageable for rehearsal without sacrificing the impact that makes this tune instantly recognizable to audiences.

Unbridled joy wrapped in pop sensibility. The arrangement captures that infectious, feet-tapping quality of the original while maintaining the warmth and harmonic substance that keeps choral singers engaged. It's the kind of song that makes people smile before you even finish the first phrase.

Directors programming accessible pop arrangements for mixed choirs, particularly those looking for something uplifting that students and audiences both recognize. This works equally well for concert and pop/show choral programs, and it's short enough to pair with other selections without dominating rehearsal time.

• Lock the syllabic sections tight; the strength of this arrangement lives in rhythmic precision and clear diction working together to drive the tempo forward.
• Lean into the major tonality without oversinging. Let the natural brightness of the melody and harmonies do the work rather than forcing expression.
• Balance the lower voices carefully so the bass line supports rather than overwhelms the SSA writing in the upper register.
• Consider using light dynamics to shape the form and build momentum across the three pages, resisting the urge to stay at full volume throughout.

Use this as a closer for a pop or secular choral concert, where its infectious optimism and crowd-pleasing melody send audiences out in good spirits. It also works as a palate cleanser in a longer program, breaking up heavier material with something bright and immediate.

• Rhythmic clarity and ensemble precision in pop idiom
• Balancing soprano, alto, and bass lines with equal voice independence
• Singing with appropriate vowel modification in a non-classical pop style
• Understanding functional harmony in contemporary pop arrangement