First Try

A heart-wrenching ballad for solo voice, SSA choir, piano, and strings.

4 min • Composed 2023 • Purchase: score & parts

Composer’s notes

“First Try” is a personal reflection on 2023/24. It is inspired by Cody Fry’s “Eleanor Rigby” and musical theater ballads like “Maria” from West Side Story. The soulful lyrics are elevated by the lush arrangement, whirling around the lead vocals before reaching an intense emotional climax. 

Sound Library:

The pad at the beginning is from Spitfire’s Tape Orchestra: Strings Flautando. The keys include Keyscape’s Wing Upright, and LA Custom C7 - Classical. The keyboardist may experiment with different piano sounds as necessary, or simply use the acoustic piano at their venue. 

Strings:

This may be performed with a string quartet or a larger string ensemble (2+ per part). Note the difficulty of the double stops, if performing in a quartet. 

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Lead Vocals: Autumn Jessel
Violin: Ariana Mares
Viola: Andy Park
Cello: Magdaline Kovalchuk
BGVs: Melody Hake, Selah Hoerger

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Lyrics

Text from “First Try” by Lauren Biggs

“Life ain’t fair” is what I’ve learned, a couple times over.
October couldn’t break me down,
But the damage builds up slower.
Like a bruise on the neck of a guy I liked;
Jealousy is where hurt goes to hide.
Feels like I’ll never be loved in the ways I need.
God—!
How did he get it on the first try?
…and why not me?
Why not me?
How did he get it on the first try,
…and why not me?
Why not me?

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Perusal score