This Will Be (An Everlasting Love): SSATTB, a cappella Choral Octavo

James Rose's arrangement trusts his singers completely. Rather than simplifying Natalie Cole's classic, he deepens it through jazz voicings and contrapuntal interplay that demands genuine musicianship from all six parts. Your ensemble will feel the difference between singing pop and performing it with harmonic intelligence.

Sophisticated and contemporary, yet grounded in the warmth of the original melody. The a cappella texture creates intimacy while the jazz voicings give the arrangement unexpected harmonic depth, making something familiar feel discovered anew.

Advanced high school and college choirs ready for jazz harmonies and the interpretive demands of a cappella singing. This arrangement requires singers who can hear their own line while tracking harmonic function and responding to the stylized phrasing the music calls for.

• Balance the stylized melody against the supporting voices. The tune should sing through without overshadowing the jazz harmonies that give this arrangement its character.
• Lean into the swing feel. This isn't a straight pop ballad; the rhythmic phrasing and harmonic movement benefit from flexibility and groove rather than metronomic precision.
• Use the demo recording strategically. Let singers hear how Accent voices each section, then work toward your own interpretation rather than aiming for exact replication.
• Pay attention to blend in the divisi passages. With six parts, intonation and vowel consistency determine whether the harmonies shimmer or muddy.

This works beautifully as a closing or feature number when your ensemble has earned the technical confidence and interpretive maturity to deliver it. It pairs well alongside other contemporary pop standards or serves as a strong solo choral moment in a mixed concert.

• Voice leading in jazz harmony (extensions, alterations, chromatic movement)
• Maintaining line independence in dense six-part voicing
• Stylized articulation and rhythmic flexibility in pop contexts
• Balancing blend and intonation within a cappella texture
• Interpreting from recorded models while developing individual musical choices