This Time of the Year: TTBB Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes's arrangement captures the nostalgic warmth of Benton and Otis's original while tailoring it for TTBB voices with genuine musicality and accessible jazz harmonies. The crooner melody sits beautifully in the lower ranges, and the lyrical content (those specific snapshots of Christmases past) gives singers real emotional material to work with rather than generic holiday sentiment. This is a piece that sounds like a real song, not a simplified novelty.

Warm, reflective, and subtly swinging. The piece evokes the quiet nostalgia of remembering past holidays while radiating the comfort of tradition and togetherness. Benton's melody floats over Hayes's understated jazz harmonies, creating an intimate holiday ballad that feels more like overhearing a friend's story than watching a performance.

TTBB ensembles looking for holiday programming with genuine artistry and a touch of jazz sophistication. Directors seeking material that respects singers' musicianship while celebrating a beloved standard that resonates across generations.

• Treat the verse storytelling with conversational phrasing rather than rigid choral precision; let the melody breathe between phrases to mirror the reflective mood.
• Balance the chord voicings carefully in the jazz harmonies—baritones especially should anchor the bottom without overwhelming the tuning in the upper voices.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in the groove early in rehearsal, then work toward singing without it so the ensemble owns the timing and phrasing.
• Shape the dynamic arc gradually from verse to chorus; the warmth builds naturally if you resist the urge to jump to full volume at the refrain.

Program this as an anchor for a winter or holiday concert where you want to shift the mood toward intimate storytelling. It pairs naturally with other jazz-inflected pop arrangements or could anchor a set that moves between upbeat holiday fare and more reflective seasonal pieces. The 12-page score allows for rehearsal flexibility across the concert season.

• Jazz harmony voicing and balance in close-position chords
• Phrasing and breath control in a crooner-style melody
• Rhythmic independence and groove sensitivity with jazz accompaniment
• Emotional interpretation and lyrical storytelling in arranged pop music