Out now: How Do You Fly?

"New secular Christmas songs of this calibre are rare, and I envisioned this arrangement finding its place in choral programmes, spreading the joy of this exquisite piece. 

Last Christmas, I had the privilege of guest conducting the London Youth Chamber Choir (LYCC) for the Prince’s Trust concert at the magnificent St Paul’s Cathedral. To my delight, I discovered that the choir was already collaborating with jazz legend Jamie Cullum on his original song, How Do You Fly?. Pianist and composer Harry Baker, who serves as LYCC’s accompanist, had been tasked with creating a lush SATB arrangement with accompaniment, featuring Jamie himself performing alongside the choir on piano. Working with Jamie—an artist I’ve admired since seeing him leap onto his piano on Parkinson—was an absolute treat. 

In discussing it with Jamie, he shared that the original recording was done in a single take before being sent to his producer, Tom Richards, who worked with Callum Au to craft a breathtaking orchestration. The result was a rich blend of sweeping strings, sentimental brass, and the evocative sparkle of harp—a perfect example of inspired musical teamwork. 

Harry’s SATB arrangement beautifully captured this orchestral essence, blending his deep understanding of jazz with some delightful original flourishes. However, I felt the song could also shine as an SATB/SATB a cappella arrangement.  

Rather than starting from scratch, I adapted Harry’s existing arrangement, redistributing his lines across two antiphonal choirs. I transformed the piano part into fluid scat lines woven through the remaining voices, ensuring that the song’s rhythmic drive and structure supported the melody and lyrics. I also wanted to include some of the orchestral textures, such as the ethereal aleatoric harp motifs in the opening. To achieve this, I reimagined these moments as distant soprano solo interjections, recording them separately from the main choir to allow post-production flexibility in their placement. 

With this being a seven-minute piece, maintaining variety and interest was crucial. For the lyric: 
How do you fly ‘round the planet? 
Can you speak in ev’ry language? 
How will I create my own path through the world?

I wrote eight independent, interweaving lines that gradually merged into unanimity on the final phrase, illustrating the journey toward clarity and resolve. 

One of my favourite moments comes later in the text: 
Let me hold on to the magic, 
Now close your eyes, my sweet romantic, 
When they open, there’s another Christmas Day. 

Here, I created a bell-like texture, with voices peeling in polyrhythms to evoke the joyful chime of church bells. 

The song’s closing section, originally sung as a vocalise by Jamie over building orchestral energy, required more artistic freedom. I drew on the lyric I think I’m gonna give it a try, layering syncopated gospel-inspired riffs to build momentum before the arrangement unwinds into a serene conclusion.