Sweet About Me (arr. Martin Cornelissen): SAB Choral Octavo

Cornelissen's arrangement captures the groove and contemporary edge of the original while making it genuinely singable for three-part choirs. The straightforward voicing doesn't sacrifice musicality, and the pop idiom gives singers permission to phrase naturally rather than formally.

Modern and conversational, with the easy swagger of pop music. The arrangement keeps the original's harmonic sophistication close enough that singers feel the musicianship without getting tangled in overly complex voice leading.

Choirs seeking contemporary repertoire that doesn't require four or five parts. The SAB voicing works well for programs with limited or developing tenor sections.

• Let the rhythm section lock in first. Once the groove is solid, the vocal parts have room to sit comfortably and respond to it rather than pushing.
• Pay attention to the conversational quality of the melody. This isn't a hymn; it's someone talking to you, so encourage singers to think about inflection and speech-like phrasing within the notated lines.
• Balance the parts carefully in sections where voices overlap or move in parallel motion. Three-part writing can sound thin if any section is underweight.

Place this on a concert that celebrates popular song and arranging craft. It pairs well with other accessible pop arrangements and signals to audiences that your choir isn't confined to traditional repertoire.

• Singing in a contemporary pop idiom with natural phrasing
• Balancing three independent vocal lines in close harmony
• Responding to and locking with a rhythm section
• Understanding how a melody translates across different voicings