Please Come Home for Christmas: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Jay Althouse's arrangement captures the blues-inflected warmth of the original while making it accessible for mixed choirs of varying experience levels. The optional solo gives you flexibility in casting, and the classic '60s harmonies sit beautifully on the page without requiring jazz specialists to sound authentic. This is a crowd-pleaser that lets your singers deliver a genuinely moving performance, not just a novelty holiday tune.

The opening solo conveys genuine longing, warm and intimate as if confiding in the listener. When the full choir enters, those classic harmonies create a comforting, almost nostalgic landscape that feels both timeless and rooted in a specific moment in American music history.

This octavo works for holiday concerts featuring repertoire beyond traditional carols, especially directors seeking contemporary standards that appeal to diverse audiences. It suits mixed choirs at intermediate level and above who are comfortable with jazz-influenced harmonies and want to perform something with genuine cultural staying power.

• Lean into the bluesy phrasing and encourage singers to shape phrases with slight rubato rather than metronomic precision; this song's charm lives in its laid-back feel.
• Balance the SAT sections carefully so the classic doo-wop-influenced harmonies remain clear without overpowering the solo vocalist if used.
• Layer in the recorded accompaniment during rehearsals to help singers lock into the groove, then gradually reduce its use so the choir builds confidence in carrying the harmonic texture independently.
• If programming an optional solo, choose a vocalist who can deliver the opening with vulnerability and restraint; the emotional weight of missing someone shouldn't be oversold.

Pair this with other secular holiday selections to show the breadth of Christmas repertoire beyond religious or traditional fare. It works particularly well as a bridge piece between all-sacred programming and contemporary pop arrangements, offering the audience a familiar, universally beloved standard that still feels fresh.

• Phrasing and shaping within a jazz-influenced harmonic context
• Balancing blend in close harmonies typical of doo-wop and R&B arrangements
• Singing with authentic style and feel rather than literal metric precision
• Ensemble flexibility when performing with recorded accompaniment