'Round Midnight (arr. Ed Lojeski): SATB Choral Octavo

Ed Lojeski's SATB setting opens this masterwork to choirs without losing Monk's compositional voice. The arrangement respects the melody's odd contours and harmonic sophistication while giving each section genuine musical material, making it a rare jazz standard that works authentically in a choral setting.

Introspective and angular. 'Round Midnight moves with nocturnal restraint, its melody spiraling inward rather than soaring outward. The harmonies feel slightly off balance, creating an unsettled beauty that keeps listeners leaning in.

Choirs with strong jazz literacy and comfort reading chromatic harmony. Directors programming contemporary or jazz-inflected concert sets will find this a sophisticated choice that challenges singers musically while introducing them to a canonical jazz composition.

• Study recordings of the original piano composition first so singers understand where Monk's angular phrasing comes from; this context shapes how to approach the vocal line with intentional asymmetry rather than rounding it out.
• Let the harmonies breathe. Lojeski's voicings will sound dissonant in rehearsal, but resisting the urge to "fix" them by blending into traditional chords keeps the arrangement's character intact.
• Mark the form clearly with your ensemble. 'Round Midnight doesn't follow predictable 12 or 32 bar patterns, so sectional awareness prevents singers from losing their place in performance.

Pair this with other jazz standards or contemporary classical works to create a concert section that explores the blurred boundary between classical and popular music. A single piece like this can reframe your entire concert's identity and signal to audiences that your choir engages seriously with American musical traditions beyond classical repertoire.

• Reading chromatic and dissonant harmony
• Interpreting irregular phrase lengths and asymmetrical phrasing
• Stylistic understanding of jazz compositional techniques in choral context
• Ensemble balance with independent harmonic lines