The Holiday Season: TTB Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes's arrangement captures the glamorous swagger of a 1960s holiday special while keeping the piece engaging for a TTB ensemble. The interplay between the vocal parts and that flashy piano part gives your singers real musical moments to sink their teeth into, and the availability of instrumental parts means you can build this into something genuinely special without overstretching rehearsal time.

Stepping into a Hollywood soundstage circa 1963. The melody is instantly recognizable and joyful, the harmonic movement glides with midcentury pop smoothness, and Hayes's orchestration puts your choir front and center in a full production number. It swings, it sparkles, and it demands to be performed with confidence and style.

Directors programming holiday concerts who want an arrangement with real theatrical flair and a sophisticated pop sensibility. TTB ensembles at the high school and collegiate level will find this accessible and rewarding; the part-writing sits well for developing voices while the arrangement doesn't talk down to your singers.

• Balance the three voice parts so each melodic idea lands clearly; Hayes writes conversation between the parts, not just block harmony, so clarity matters more than blend.
• The piano part is a character in this arrangement. If you have a capable pianist, let them drive the energy and have your singers lock into that groove rather than trying to lead.
• Treat the recorded accompaniment as a rehearsal and sectional tool, but consider adding live instrumental parts once your TTB foundation is secure; the arrangement is written for them and they'll transform the piece.
• Keep the energy high and the diction crisp throughout. This is a showstopper, not a ballad, and the arrangement demands rhythmic precision and forward motion.

Open your holiday concert with this piece or use it to kick off the second half when energy might dip. Its recognizability and theatrical character work beautifully as a palate cleanser between more traditional or serious seasonal selections, or program it alongside other pop and secular holiday arrangements to create a cohesive contemporary sound.

• Rhythmic precision in a pop/swing context
• Three-part blend and balance in TTB voicing
• Singing against a groove-based accompaniment
• Diction clarity in uptempo material
• Responding to piano-driven rather than voice-driven leadership