Once Upon A December (from Anastasia) (arr. Mark Brymer): SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures the intimate vulnerability of this beloved ballad while scaling it perfectly for SSA voicing. The chart gives singers room to breathe through the lyrical material without overcomplicating the harmony, making it accessible for developing choirs while still sounding sophisticated and polished.

A moment of quiet reflection and wonder, the kind of stillness that comes before a memory surfaces. The song unfolds gently, building emotional depth through harmonic color rather than dynamic sweep, inviting listeners into something private and genuine.

SSA and SSAA choirs looking for repertoire that appeals to intermediate singers while maintaining artistic credibility. This works equally well for holiday concerts, winter programs, or all-year programming when you need something that feels both familiar and freshly arranged.

• Treat the opening phrases as intimate conversation rather than presentation. The song lives in restraint, so encourage singers to imagine they're singing to one person, not an audience.
• Pay close attention to the vowel shapes throughout the sustained notes. Consistency here is what separates a competent performance from a memorable one.
• Balance the alto line carefully during the harmonic moments. This voicing likely requires one of your stronger readers to anchor the middle voice without oversinging.
• Consider the pacing of the accompaniment track if using one. This song benefits from flexibility in tempo, so don't lock rigidly to a recorded version if your choir needs room to shape the phrases.

This fits naturally into a winter concert as a contrasting piece alongside more energetic seasonal music, or stand it alone as a set piece that demonstrates your choir's interpretive maturity. The Pentatonix connection gives it contemporary appeal while the Stephen Flaherty composition anchors it in musical substance.

• Balancing sustained notes across three voices
• Shaping lyrical phrases with intentional dynamic control
• Reading SSA voicing and understanding alto independence
• Listening for and maintaining blend in close harmonic intervals