Try a Little Tenderness: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the emotional weight of Redding's interpretation while keeping the piece accessible for high school and community choirs. The measured build to that final chord gives your singers a genuine musical payoff, and the recorded accompaniment provides a professional soundscape that lets your ensemble sound polished even in modest venues.

Tenderness blooming into quiet power. The piece unfolds slowly, giving space to each voice part, then gathers momentum toward a moment of collective resonance that feels both earned and moving. There's restraint in the writing that respects the song's emotional core.

This arrangement works equally well in show choirs, concert choirs, and pop/contemporary ensembles looking for a setlist anchor that feels contemporary without sacrificing musicality. It's ideal for directors seeking a piece that bridges the gap between popular music appreciation and genuine choral artistry.

• Balance the vulnerability in early phrases against the fullness you'll develop as the arrangement unfolds; resist the urge to belt from the beginning.
• Use the harmonic density of that closing chord as your rehearsal target. Work backward from it, ensuring intonation and voice leading are crystalline throughout.
• Lean into the stylistic roots of this tune. It's soulful, not operatic. Your singers should sing through the phrase, not at the end of it.
• The recorded accompaniment sets a specific tempo and groove. Lock into it during rehearsals so the ensemble breathes as one unit when performing.

Slot this into a second-set closer or as a standalone feature that shifts the mood of your concert. It pairs well with other classic pop standards and gives audiences permission to hear contemporary music as legitimate choral repertoire.

• Controlling dynamics across a gradual crescendo without oversinging
• Blending chord voices for maximum resonance in sustained harmonies
• Interpreting legit pop style (phrasing, breath placement, syllable weight)
• Responding to an external accompaniment track with rhythmic precision