This Time of the Year: SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

Mark Hayes's arrangement captures the jazz sensibility of the original while making it genuinely singable for mixed choirs. The piece balances sophistication in its harmonic movement with enough straightforwardness that students can focus on blend and phrasing rather than wrestling with notation. It's the kind of seasonal selection that reminds audiences why jazz standards belong in concert programming year-round.

Warm, sophisticated, and nostalgic without sentimentality. The arrangement honors the original's jazzy elegance while creating space for genuine four-part singing that feels conversational rather than laboriously arranged. It evokes the golden age of American popular song applied to a season most choirs treat with either reverence or irreverence, but rarely with this kind of ease.

Choirs seeking a jazz-tinged holiday selection that appeals to both singers and audiences without veering into novelty territory. Directors who program across classical and popular styles will find this a natural fit for ensembles with some harmonic literacy and comfort with swing-inflected rhythm.

• Shape the melody with the lyrical contours of the original recording in mind; this isn't a straight pop tune but a jazz-inflected ballad that breathes.
• Let the jazz harmony breathe by keeping inner voices clear and unrushed; the richness comes from precision, not volume.
• Balance the alto and tenor lines carefully in passages where they carry countermelody or fill; they're easy to lose but essential to the arrangement's character.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the groove and harmonic foundation early in rehearsal so singers can focus on intonation and blend rather than tracking harmony changes.

Program this alongside other jazz-influenced seasonal pieces to create a set that showcases the range of holiday music beyond traditional carols. It works especially well in mixed concert settings where you're balancing classical, pop, and jazz repertoire, or as a refreshing choice for audiences tired of the standard holiday rotation. Consider pairing it with an uptempo secular selection to let both pieces shine at their own tempo.

• Reading and singing jazz harmony (seventh chords, extended harmonies, chromatic voice leading)
• Maintaining swing-inflected rhythm in a choral setting
• Balancing melody and countermelody across four parts
• Stylistic interpretation of a song with roots in popular music