Thankful (arr. Mark Hayes): TTB Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes has crafted an arrangement that honors Groban's original recording while giving your singers genuine musical agency. The voicing options (TB/TTB/TBB/TTBB) mean you're not locked into a single configuration, and the 11-page score contains enough harmonic interest to keep stronger ensembles engaged without becoming unwieldy for mid-level groups.

Earnest and grounded. The arrangement avoids saccharine gestures in favor of simple harmonic language that lets the lyrical content breathe. There's warmth here, but no false sentiment.

Groups with singers comfortable in the legit tradition and enough flexibility to perform in multiple voicings. This works equally well as a showcase feature for a mid-winter concert or a respectful closer for your holiday program.

• Balance the soloistic moments with ensemble support. Hayes writes exposed passages that demand secure intonation and breath control from your leads, so rehearse those sections in isolation before layering in the full texture.
• Lean into the rubato implied by the text. Inspirational material like this thrives when singers feel permission to breathe at phrase endings and let important words land without rushing toward the downbeat.
• Shape the harmonic movement by attending to voice leading within each chord. Hayes typically writes smooth progressions that reward careful attention to blend and resonance, especially in the middle voices.

Anchor a holiday concert with something that lands differently than your standard carol medley or traditional seasonal fare. The piece also functions as a powerful spring concert option if you're programming around themes of gratitude and reflection outside the winter season.

• Sustaining legit tone in longer phrase lines
• Executing smooth voice leading in four-part harmony
• Responding to text-driven dynamics and rubato
• Flexibility across multiple voicing configurations (TB, TTB, TBB, TTBB)