Take Me To Church (arr. Hans Kaldeway): SSSAAA Choral Octavo

Kaldeway's arrangement captures the song's emotional intensity while crafting something genuinely singable across six parts. The SSSAAA voicing opens the piece to larger choirs and creates rich harmonic possibilities without sacrificing the song's contemporary edge; this is the kind of modern repertoire that gives students a real reason to show up to rehearsal.

The piece carries an urgent, driving quality that builds through its six vocal parts into something both anthemic and intimate. There's a rawness to this arrangement that sits somewhere between a stadium-ready pop moment and a deliberate, congregational intimacy.

This arrangement works for high school and college choirs seeking contemporary repertoire that doesn't compromise on musicality or substance. Directors looking to program something their singers actually want to sing will find an engaged ensemble here.

• Balance the three soprano lines carefully in the opening section so the arrangement doesn't collapse into a wall of sound; let each voice breathe its own melodic line.
• Invest time in the text, particularly the chorus. The lyrical content carries social weight, and your singers will connect more deeply when they understand what they're singing about.
• Consider the recorded accompaniment as a collaborative partner rather than a foundation; your choir's voices should feel distinct and present against it, not buried underneath.

Use this as a contrast piece in a mixed concert program, especially alongside classical or traditional choral work. It also serves as an excellent closer for a show focused on contemporary music or social commentary, where the song's themes can resonate fully with an engaged audience.

• Sustaining ensemble balance across six independent vocal lines
• Interpreting contemporary pop/rock material with choral sophistication
• Layering harmonies that support without overwhelming the text
• Maintaining rhythmic precision in a contemporary groove