On My Own (from Les Miserables) (arr. Ed Lojeski): SAB Choral Octavo

Ed Lojeski's SAB voicing makes this iconic soprano solo singable across a broader range of high school and adult choirs without losing the emotional power that audiences recognize. The arrangement respects the melody's elegance while creating genuine three-part writing that keeps the bottom voices engaged throughout. Programmers appreciate how "On My Own" functions as both a crowd-pleasing crowd moment and a legitimate showcase for choral blend and lyrical control.

Loneliness and yearning suffuse every phrase. The music captures a character alone under streetlights, caught between present heartbreak and remembered connection, with Schönberg's melody rising and falling like a prayer. There's beauty in the solitude, dignity in the vulnerability, and a bittersweet warmth that makes listeners feel both Eponine's isolation and her capacity for love.

This arrangement works for high school choirs seeking accessible Broadway material with real substance and adult community or university choirs wanting to include theater repertoire without requiring soprano soloists. Ensembles comfortable with lyrical singing and emotional storytelling will find this a natural fit for mixed concerts or pops programs.

• Build the dynamic arc in the chorus from pianissimo to the peak so the climactic phrases feel earned rather than sudden. Rehearse the ensemble holding back in early repetitions, allowing altos and sopranos to shape the intensity.
• Treat the text with specificity. Eponine's isolation demands genuine emotional commitment from singers; overly technical singing flattens the narrative.
• Balance the SAB texture so middle voices provide harmonic support without pushing through the soprano melody. Block rehearsal with sopranos on melody and altos/basses as backup will clarify the hierarchy quickly.
• Keep the accompaniment flexible enough to breathe with the singers' phrasing, especially in held notes and phrase endings. A mechanical tempo undermines the conversational quality of the text.

Pair this with other theater selections in a pops or cabaret concert to create programming that feels contemporary and emotionally accessible to general audiences. It also serves as an effective closer for all-female or mixed choir concerts, providing a quiet, impactful final statement that audiences leave remembering.

• Sustaining lyrical lines over multiple phrases without breath breaks
• Balancing three-part harmony while maintaining soprano melodic prominence
• Connecting emotional narrative to musical expression and dynamic shaping
• Blending vowels across a wide range with consistent tone quality
• Interpreting theatrical text within concert choral contexts