That Time Of Year (arr. Mark Brymer): SAB Choral Octavo

Brymer captures the warmth and familiarity of this contemporary holiday song while keeping the SAB voicing genuinely singable for mixed ensembles. The arrangement honors the original's emotional core without requiring virtuosic soloists, making it a practical choice for groups that want modern holiday material with real musical texture.

Cozy and reflective, with an intimate quality that feels less about spectacle and more about gathering. The arrangement sits in a conversational range where the humanity of the text comes through.

Middle school and high school choirs seeking contemporary holiday repertoire that connects with students who know this song from the films. SAB voicing makes it accessible for developing ensembles and mixed groups with limited bass sections.

• Balance the melody line across your soprano section; this tune has a conversational quality that disappears if one voice dominates.
• Let the alto and bass parts breathe as independent lines rather than harmonic padding. They carry meaningful countermotion that gives the arrangement its dimension.
• Shape the dynamic arc across entire phrases rather than punctuating individual measures. This song lives in restraint and warmth, not dramatic peaks.

This works well in a winter concert's second half, either as a palate cleanser between larger works or paired with other contemporary holiday songs to show your choir's range. It also serves nicely as a standalone piece for smaller performance venues like holiday parties or community events.

• Singing contemporary melodic material with classical harmonic support
• Maintaining independent lines in SAB textures
• Shaping long phrases through dynamic control rather than rests
• Balancing blend and clarity in three-part writing