With You: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Jay Althouse's arrangement captures the intimacy of this song while giving it the fullness a choir demands. The orchestration choices enhance rather than overshadow the text, allowing singers to communicate the piece's emotional center without fighting the accompaniment. Directors appreciate how the SoundTrax recording provides a clear harmonic reference while still leaving room for interpretive choices.

Hauntingly introspective, yet warm. The melody unfolds with quiet certainty, and the harmonies create moments of unexpected intimacy that draw listeners in rather than sweep them away. The piece inhabits a reflective space where vulnerability feels entirely natural.

Choirs in grades 7-12 and community ensembles seeking contemporary Broadway material that feels both accessible and emotionally mature. This arrangement works equally well for choirs with limited orchestral resources since the recorded accompaniment provides full support, and for more advanced groups looking for meaningful programming that appeals to general audiences.

• Balance the melody line carefully during verses where it may sit in a single voice part; these moments need projection without tension to maintain the song's gentle quality.
• Use the recorded accompaniment strategically in rehearsal to lock ensemble voicing, then pull it back during dress rehearsal so singers develop confidence singing the harmonies independently.
• Shape dynamic contours phrase by phrase rather than holding a single dynamic level throughout; this song's emotional arc depends on subtle shifts in volume and intensity.
• Pay attention to vowel consistency across the choir, particularly on sustained notes, as this piece's beauty relies on blend and resonance rather than textural contrast.

Program this as a concert centerpiece that creates an emotional anchor within a set of contrasting pieces. It works particularly well following more energetic arrangements or preceding something lyrical, giving audiences a moment to settle into genuine feeling. The song's universal theme makes it suitable for winter or spring concerts and for programs exploring relationships or connection.

• Singing sustained melodic lines with consistent breath support and tone quality
• Balancing a melody against four-part harmony without doubling melodic pressure
• Responding to dynamic shaping that serves emotional expression rather than technical display
• Blending vowels across an ensemble to create seamless resonance on longer notes