Killing Me Softly With His Song (arr. Deke Sharon): SSA Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement captures the song's sophisticated harmonies while making them accessible for SSA voicing. The arrangement respects the original's emotional arc without sacrificing singability, giving students a chance to explore nuance and ensemble blend in a song they likely already know and love.

Intimate and conversational, the arrangement unfolds with the patient intensity of someone confessing something difficult. The harmonies sit close together, creating warmth and vulnerability rather than brightness or flash.

SSA choirs looking to program contemporary material with genuine artistic substance. This arrangement works equally well for treble choirs at the high school level and community or college ensembles seeking repertoire that balances accessibility with musical depth.

• Shape the phrase contours subtly rather than with obvious swells; this song lives in restraint and suggestion.
• Balance the SSA parts so the second soprano and alto lines stay present even when supporting the melody.
• Layer the entrance of harmony parts gradually if you're building from unison or melody alone, allowing the arranging to reveal itself naturally.
• Maintain consistent vowel placement across all three parts during the sustained harmonic passages to achieve core blend.

Place this in a concert segment exploring soul and R&B standards, or pair it with contemporary popular arrangements to show your choir's range in style and era. Its seven pages make it efficient to rehearse alongside more demanding classical or art song repertoire without extending your rehearsal focus unnecessarily.

• Balancing melody and supporting harmony lines in close-voiced arrangements
• Sustaining emotional storytelling through subtle dynamic control
• Blend and tuning in three-part voicing with minimal doubling
• Interpreting contemporary popular music with artistic intention rather than imitation