Once Upon a Time: SSA Choral Octavo

Name: Once Upon a Time: SSA Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-48348
Price: 2.10 USD
Availability: InStock

from the Broadway musical All American

Lyric by Lee Adams, music by Charles Strouse / arr. John Leavitt

Item: 00-48348

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A fantastic feature for treble choirs, this dreamy ballad will be remembered long after your performance. Fluid legato lines stretch over a sweeping and dramatic piano accompaniment, while nuances of tempo and dynamics drive the emotional core of the song home. A hidden gem from the Broadway repertoire.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Once Upon a Time: SSA Choral Octavo comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Alfred Pop Choral Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 12

UPC: 038081551715

SKU: 00-48348

More about this title

About the Composer: Charles Strouse

Charles Strouse composed the scores for some of Broadway's most enduring musicals, including Annie, Bye Bye Birdie, and Applause. His melodies are known for their accessibility and emotional directness, making his work a natural fit for educational and community choirs. Strouse has shaped generations of singers and audiences through music that balances theatrical sophistication with genuine warmth.

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Why we love this

This arrangement captures the intimate storytelling quality that defines Strouse's best work, giving treble choirs a chance to perform Broadway material that feels genuinely substantial rather than simplified. The piano part carries real musical weight, which means your accompanist gets to play something rewarding while your singers focus on the legato singing and dynamic control the piece demands.

What to expect

Cinematic and wistful, with the kind of gentle drama that makes you lean in to listen. The piece unfolds like a memory being recalled, with warm harmonic movement and a piano part that feels less like accompaniment and more like a duet partner.

Who it's for

Treble choirs (high school, college, adult community) with solid legato technique and sensitivity to dynamic shaping. Your singers should be comfortable sustaining long phrases and responding to subtle tempo and dynamic cues from the piano.

How to get the most out of it

Treat the legato lines as continuous phrases rather than note-by-note events. Map where your singers naturally breathe and mark those places clearly so every breath feels intentional.
Work the tempo variations separately from dynamics during early rehearsals. Once your choir owns the written tempo shifts, layering in the dynamic nuances will feel organic rather than forced.
Balance the vocal blend against the sweeping piano accompaniment by having your singers listen for moments where the piano supports them and moments where it needs air to speak. This prevents the voices from getting swallowed.

How to use it

Position this as a concert centerpiece or standalone feature that gives your treble choir a moment in the spotlight without programming a full act. It works beautifully in a program that mixes classical and contemporary work, signaling to your audience that your singers can handle theatrical storytelling with musical integrity.