May a Rainbow Run Beside You: SAB Choral Octavo

Burrows has written an arrangement that respects the SAB voicing without compromise. The three-part texture sits comfortably across a mixed ensemble, the melody remains expressive without overshadowing the harmonic support, and the Irish blessing text gives the piece both warmth and genuine emotional weight. This is repertoire that does meaningful work in a concert while remaining genuinely enjoyable to rehearse and perform.

Warm and genuinely tender, with the gentle lift of traditional Irish melody. The harmony supports rather than complicates the main line, creating space for the blessing text to land emotionally. There's dignity in the voicing and sincerity in the melodic contour that makes this feel like a song people have known for years, even on first hearing.

Directors seeking a meaningful parting song for graduation concerts, spring performances, or end-of-year celebrations will find this piece connects with both singers and audiences. SAB choirs with secure vocal blend and reasonable comfort with three-part mixed voicing can bring out its expressive potential without extensive technical work.

• Treat the melody as a shared responsibility rather than a soprano feature. Ensure upper voices understand they're singing the primary line and should lead with confidence while lower voices support harmonically.
• Balance the warmth of the lyrical melody against rhythmic clarity. Too much legato softens the song's emotional core; slight articulation on phrase peaks keeps the blessing text intelligible.
• Use the recorded accompaniment strategically during rehearsal to establish the harmonic framework, but rehearse at least half your sessions a cappella or with piano to build ensemble independence and blend.
• Shape phrases according to the Irish blessing text. Let the natural rhythm of the words (rather than metric regularity) guide your phrasing, which will deepen the song's lyrical character.

Position this as a concert closer or the final piece of a spring program, where its reflective tone can settle the audience and provide a graceful send-off. It works equally well as an opener for a graduation ceremony or memorial service. The blessing text makes it suitable for any occasion where you want to mark transition with something both beautiful and meaningful.

• Balancing three-part SAB voicing with secure blend and intonation
• Interpreting lyrical melody while maintaining textual clarity
• Shaping phrases according to text rather than bar lines
• Ensemble independence when accompaniment is removed