Between the Lines: “It's Up to You,” by Andrew Bruhn

"One song can spark a moment, one breath can wake the dream." It’s Up to You is an introspective original based on an unattributed poem that illustrates the impact a small moment can have in our lives. Traditional homophonic writing soon expands to a bevy of swirling choral textures and a dreamy chorus that floats the central motive over a wave of vocal layers. It's a remarkable contemporary a cappella effect and a fitting treatment for these words of worth.

Andrew Bruhn

Andrew Bruhn is a versatile musician, actively working as a choral conductor, composer, and trumpeter. Andrew is currently Director of Choral Music at Rockford Christian Schools in IL, where he teaches 6-12th grade choirs, AP Music Theory, class piano, basic music theory, and vocal directs for the musical. He is also the choir director at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rockford, IL. The American Choral Directors Association and National Association for Music Education have published Andrew’s writing on vocal music education. Andrew won the 2017 IL American Choral Directors Association Composition Contest, and was a semi-finalist for The American Prize in Choral Composition in 2019. Learn more about Andrew and see a full list of his Alfred Music publications here .

What inspired you to compose It's Up to You?

I first heard this text when one of my church choir members shared it as part of a devotional. As soon as I heard the words read I knew they had to be sung! I took a picture of the text that night, but those words sat in my head, heart, and phone (!) for over a year before I finally figured out how to set them appropriately. It wasn't until March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic when I finally put it to paper. I remember taking long walks with our dog and working the piece out in my head during those early days of the pandemic. When I finished writing I then used it with my high school advanced a cappella group as our first-ever virtual choir. I honestly didn't really know what I was doing yet, so it took many, many hours to figure out how to make it work, make a master audio track, then video editing. Thankfully the process is much faster for me now! Our virtual performance was greeted so warmly by our community—the kids loved it because their teacher wrote it for them, and we were even featured on the local news!

What teaching suggestions do you have to share for It's Up to You ?

I hear this piece as very lyrical. When you have the "doo" syllable keep it smooth and not punchy. I tried to be sure every part was unique and interesting, so always be aware of what part is functioning as what (foreground, middleground, background) and how they relate to each other. Even the basses get the melody!

What message do you have for singers learning this piece?

I hope this piece is fun to sing, but also that the text and music would sink down deep. The impact a small moment can have on something is powerful. I hope it challenges the singers to think about the impact they can have on the world—speaking words of kindness, encouraging others, holding a door open for someone, etc. To make this world better, It's Up to You !

See & Hear Now

Andrew offers even more insights on the creation of this arrangement and how to teach it in this quick video.