What'll I Do?: SATB Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement captures the bittersweet vulnerability at the heart of this Berlin standard without overwrought harmony. The piece sits beautifully for SATB voices and demonstrates how restraint can actually deepen emotional impact. It's the kind of accessible yet sophisticated choice that reminds audiences why this song has endured for a century.

Nostalgic but never maudlin, this arrangement captures that particular ache of longing and resignation Berlin captures so well. The harmonies feel both warm and slightly open, leaving room for personal interpretation rather than dictating every emotion.

Choirs seeking accessible a cappella repertoire with genuine musical substance will find this valuable. It works equally well for advanced high school programs, college choirs, and community ensembles looking to program a recognizable American standard.

• Shape the melodic line with natural speech inflection, letting the lyrics breathe between phrases rather than pressing through them.
• Balance the four parts so the soprano line sits slightly forward without the inner voices disappearing entirely; supporting harmony matters as much as the tune.
• Keep the tempo unhurried and intimate, treating this as a quiet reflection rather than a narrative performance.

Pair this with other pre-Broadway or golden age standards to create a themed concert, or use it as a poignant closer that lets audiences sit quietly with the melody. At five pages, it's also ideal for filling a slot when you need something singers can learn efficiently but deliver with impact.

• Shaping lyrical lines with conversational phrasing
• Balancing soprano melody against four-part harmony
• Finding emotional authenticity in familiar material
• A cappella blend and blend across full ensemble