John Jacobson brings decades of experience connecting young singers to purpose beyond the concert stage. Recognized by President George Bush as a Point of Light award winner for his commitment to merging music with community service, Jacobson founded America Sings! Inc., a nonprofit that has mobilized young performers nationwide to use their talents for charitable work. His educational credentials include a bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master's Degree in Liberal Studies from Georgetown University.
As a prolific composer and arranger, Jacobson has created musicals and choral works performed by millions of young singers globally. His career spans major productions with Walt Disney, musical direction for NBC's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast, and presidential inaugural performances. For nearly two decades he served as Senior Contributing Writer for John Jacobson's Music Express Magazine through Hal Leonard, and continues creating choral publications with E.C. Schirmer and Alfred Publications.
Why we love this
Jacobson and Miller craft an arrangement that feels genuine rather than saccharine, capturing real adolescent voices without talking down to them. The pop sensibility paired with solid four-part voicing keeps singers engaged while maintaining genuine musical substance. This sits perfectly between accessibility and artistry, rewarding both developing and confident ensembles equally.
What to expect
Warm and reflective without becoming heavy, this piece invites singers to consider what music means to them personally. The pop sensibility makes it accessible and immediate, yet the craftsmanship beneath suggests something worth returning to multiple times.
Who it's for
This works for middle school and early high school choirs seeking repertoire that resonates with singers' actual musical lives. It's equally suited to concert programs, assembly performances, or community service benefit concerts where the message lands with authenticity.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the melody between parts by having singers sing through the harmonic counterpoint in rehearsal; too often the lower part gets buried when students focus only on their own line.
Let the pop idiom breathe naturally. These chord progressions live or die by rhythmic pocket rather than metronomic precision, so prioritize groove over rigid timing.
Record a quick video of a section during rehearsal and play it back. Students hear blend and balance issues instantly when they're observing rather than performing.
How to use it
Open a spring concert with this to set an intimate, reflective tone before moving into larger works. Its seven-page length makes it ideal as a standalone opener or as part of a thematic program exploring music's role in students' lives.
Skills your students will build
Balancing melody and harmonic support across two independent parts
Singing with stylistic awareness in contemporary pop idiom
Managing rhythmic precision within a groove-based harmonic framework
Blending within a small ensemble texture
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