This Time of the Year: SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes brings his signature warmth and textural sophistication to this holiday standard, creating an arrangement that honors the original's bluesy soul while remaining accessible for SSA choirs. The piece balances sentimental storytelling with genuine harmonic interest, giving singers a song that feels both familiar and fresh. Directors will appreciate how the arrangement rewards good ensemble blend without demanding extensive vocal technique.

Warm nostalgia wrapped in a subtle bluesy groove. The verses evoke candid memories of Christmases past, painted with intimate detail and a crooner's tenderness, while the harmonic language reminds listeners that this song draws from the R&B and soul traditions. It's a piece that feels both deeply personal and genuinely celebratory.

This arrangement works well for treble choirs in grades 4-12 and community groups seeking holiday repertoire with genuine musical substance. The SSA voicing and moderate difficulty make it accessible, while the jazz-influenced harmony and text offer something beyond typical Christmas fare.

• Let the crooner melody breathe naturally in the verses; resist the urge to rush the phrase. Younger singers often find success by thinking of the text as spoken poetry before adding vocal color.
• Balance the three parts so the SSA texture feels full without the sopranos dominating. The alto and soprano lines often support or answer each other, and this call-and-response quality works best when both parts are heard clearly.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock the groove and feel the bluesy swing of the original; the rhythm section's pocket is essential to capturing the song's character.

Program this as a closing concert piece or paired with other secular holiday selections to create a program that honors multiple musical traditions. It also works effectively in spring concert contexts as a retrospective or encore, since its nostalgic quality transcends the calendar. The 12-page score and availability of instrumental parts make it flexible for small ensembles or full choirs with accompaniment.

• Phrasing in a balladic, lyrical style with attention to text expression
• Blending treble voices across three parts without imbalance
• Understanding and performing swing rhythms and jazz-inflected melodic contours
• Interpreting arrangement choices that honor an original recording while creating a new choral voice