Watch What Happens: Choral Instrumental Pak

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures the bittersweet charm of LeGrand's original melody while making it accessible to choirs of varied abilities. The chromatic writing creates an inherently interesting vocal line that avoids predictability, and the jazz harmonies give singers experience with colors beyond typical diatonic progressions. At just over two and a half minutes, it's the right length for concert programming without demanding excessive rehearsal time.

The piece carries the romantic wistfulness of its film origin, with a melody that winds through chromatic turns like a conversation between hope and uncertainty. There's a lightness and sophistication to the arrangement that feels both vintage and timelessly elegant, inviting singers into a world of sophisticated pop songcraft.

Singers in middle school through community and collegiate choirs will find this accessible yet musically substantial. Directors seeking repertoire that combines cultural relevance with genuine harmonic interest without requiring advanced vocal technique will find a strong fit here.

• Shape the chromatic melody with small dynamic gradations rather than sudden shifts; the half-step movement creates natural expressive contours when allowed to breathe.
• Balance the vocal line with instrumental accompaniment carefully during the sustained moments, as the harmonic sophistication can easily overwhelm the singers if the band pulls ahead.
• Encourage singers to connect the story of opening oneself to unexpected love; the emotional arc will sharpen their phrasing and intonation through the chromatic passages.
• Lock the ensemble on the rhythmic kick points, particularly where jazz syncopation appears, to prevent the swing feel from dragging.

This works beautifully as a contrast piece in a concert mixing concert and popular idioms, or as an accessible entry point into jazz harmony for choirs new to those colors. Its relatively short duration makes it ideal for a pops concert closer or as a palate cleanser between more substantial classical works.

• Singing chromatic melodic lines with intonation clarity
• Interpreting jazz harmonies and swing rhythmic feel
• Balancing vocal blend with jazz ensemble accompaniment
• Sustaining phrase shape through non-functional harmonic progressions