Next to Normal: A Choral Medley: Score: Choral SoundPax
Featuring: I Am the One / Superboy and the Invisible Girl / I'm Alive / Light
Lyrics by Brian Yorkey, music by Tom Kitt / arr. Lisa DeSpain
Item: 00-PR-0004064
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Description
Next to Normal is a thrilling, groundbreaking, Tony Award® -winning musical, and definitely one of the most talked about Broadway productions of our time. This 5-minute medley captures the inventive spirit and powerhouse music of the show.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Next to Normal: A Choral Medley: Score: Choral SoundPax comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Pop Choral Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
20
SKU:
00-PR-0004064
Instrumentation:
SoundPax
More about this title
About the Arranger: Lisa DeSpain
Lisa DeSpain brings deep expertise in both jazz composition and musical theatre to her work as an arranger and composer. Her operatic and theatrical compositions have earned recognition including a 2018 OPERA America Discovery Grant, a 2020 National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Award, and the 2020 Zepick Modern Opera Commission. Her original works span from jazz-inflected operas like That Hell-Bound Train and Staggerwing to musicals for young performers, including a collaboration with Oscar Award-winning lyricist Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
DeSpain serves as a Professor of Music at LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York, where she mentors emerging composers. She regularly conducts masterclasses on composing for the musical theatre and opera stage, sharing her distinctive approach to blending jazz idioms with theatrical storytelling.
Why we love this
DeSpain captures the signature energy of Next to Normal without overwhelming your singers. This medley respects the show's inventive harmonic language and rhythmic drive while staying accessible for high school and community choirs, and the SoundPax format keeps rehearsal flexible and modern.
What to expect
Raw, inventive, and unflinchingly honest. The medley pulses with the same edgy urgency that made Next to Normal a landmark production; it refuses to settle into safe territory. Singers feel the weight of meaningful storytelling while riding the propulsive energy of DeSpain's arranging.
Who it's for
High school and community choirs seeking contemporary Broadway material that connects with younger audiences. Singers who thrive on modern harmonies, rhythmic vitality, and music that reflects current theatrical conversation belong in this repertoire.
How to get the most out of it
- Study the recorded accompaniment first to internalize how the arrangement sits within the original show's style; the production values shape phrasing and dynamic choices.
- Pay attention to rhythmic precision in the ensemble sections, particularly where the arrangement layers voices in staggered patterns that mirror the show's contemporary sound.
- Balance the emotional weight across the 5 minutes; this medley moves between intensity and introspection, so shape dynamics intentionally rather than sustaining full volume throughout.
- Encourage singers to listen to the original Broadway cast recording to understand the lyrical context and dramatic stakes, which informs interpretation beyond the notes on the page.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece for a contemporary music set or closing number on a concert celebrating 21st-century Broadway. It pairs well with other modern musicals and stands out sharply against traditional show tune fare, signaling your choir's engagement with current theatrical voices.
Skills your students will build
- Reading contemporary harmonic language and altered chord progressions
- Layered ensemble singing with staggered entrances and rhythmic independence
- Connecting lyrics to emotional subtext through dramatic interpretation
- Ensemble precision in syncopated rhythmic patterns