Joyful Noise (Medley): SSA Choral Octavo

This medley proves that contemporary pop arrangements don't have to sacrifice musicality for energy. Brymer's voice leading keeps all three parts engaged throughout, preventing the alto line from becoming merely functional. The 20-page score suggests substantial content that justifies its place on a full concert program rather than feeling like filler.

Bright, accessible, and buoyant. The medley format creates momentum and variety while maintaining a celebratory tone throughout. Singers feel the joy in the material without needing to stretch beyond their range or comfort zone.

SSA and SSAA choirs looking to program contemporary material with real musical credibility. This works equally well for high school choirs needing a confident, crowd-pleasing opener and community ensembles wanting to engage younger audiences.

• Find the character of each song within the medley before stitching transitions together; treat each segment as its own short performance rather than rushing between them.
• Balance the soprano melody against the harmonic texture provided by the altos and sopranos. SSA voicing can tip toward thinness if the lower part doesn't anchor the chord.
• Mark the transition points clearly in rehearsal. Medleys live or die on their connections, so plan exactly how ensemble unity carries listeners from one section to the next.
• Encourage sopranos to shape phrases without oversinging; a lighter tone in this genre often projects better than forcing volume.

Open a spring or pops concert with this to energize an audience and warm up your singers' voices. Its film/TV roots also make it a natural fit for themed programs or benefit concerts where accessibility matters alongside musicality.

• Singing through key changes within a single piece
• Sustaining ensemble blend across multiple song styles
• Shaping phrasing in contemporary pop idioms
• Managing transitions and tempo shifts in medley formats