Thinking Out Loud (arr. Jo Annemans): SMATB Choral Octavo

Jo Annemans' arrangement respects the song's emotional core while opening it up for five-part voices, making it accessible without sacrificing the lush harmonies that give the original its power. The piece works equally well as a concert closer, a wedding performance, or a showcase for what your choir can do with contemporary popular music.

Intimate and warm, the kind of piece where the audience can feel the collective breath of your singers. The harmonies sit comfortably in the voice while creating enough complexity to keep performers engaged throughout.

Choirs looking for contemporary repertoire that bridges pop and concert music without condescension. This works for groups that want to program something their singers know and love, while also challenging them with genuine four and five-part writing.

• Balance the alto and second soprano parts carefully in the opening sections; these voices carry crucial inner harmony that shouldn't disappear beneath the sopranos.
• Treat the bass line as a melodic foundation rather than mere support. Clear articulation from tenors and basses keeps the harmonic progression audible.
• Shape phrases around the natural lyrical contours rather than bar lines. The song's intimacy demands gentle breath placement that prioritizes musical line over perfect rhythmic regularity.

Position this as a concert anchor that appeals to a broad audience and gives your choir a chance to connect with listeners who may not attend classical concerts. It also serves repertoire goals in musicianship classes where studying contemporary songwriting alongside traditional choral practice yields real insights.

• Blending five-part voicing with consistent vowel resonance
• Sustaining legit through long phrases without excessive vibrato
• Balancing popular music phrasing with choral ensemble precision
• Reading SMATB voicing from a single octavo score