October Sky (SSATB Lv3.5) KerryMarsh.com Score Preview

Yebba penned “October Sky” as a tender tribute to her late mother, and this SSATB setting holds that vulnerability front-and-center. Scored only for piano and bass accompaniment (and fully-functional without bass as well), the texture stays exposed and fragile so every note lands with meaning. The soloist trades Yebba’s trademark melismatic phrases with the ensemble, which also provides richly voiced backgrounds at times. Everything is carefully notated, although your lyric soloist may find that diverting from the written lines will bring better personal phrasing at times. Harmonies are only slight deeper than the original, orchestrated with a variety of densities as you’ve come to expect from Kerry’s arranging approach. A fleeting cigarette reference has been swapped for and alternative text, keeping the chart festival-friendly without dulling its honesty.

Musically it’s a slow burn that demands both jazz chops and emotional maturity. Place it in the reflective ballad slot, bracketed by lighter tunes so the lyric can resonate. A gut-punch, yes, but one that teaches both restraint and full expressiveness, rewarding choirs willing to inhabit every moment of its wide range of storytelling power.

Demo Credits: Julia Dollison (soprano/alto vocals, solo), Kerry Marsh (tenor/bass vocals, piano/bass/drums programming)

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