A Thousand Years — Sheet Music for Choir (SATB)
The wedding anthem in a warm four-part setting — solo verse, full choir chorus, ready in three rehearsals
Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” is the song couples ask for more than any other — and the one most choirs end up singing from a photocopied pop octavo that gives the altos, tenors and basses almost nothing to do. This edition was written for the moment it is actually used: a bride walking down the aisle, a church with live acoustics, and a choir that has three rehearsals, not thirty.
A soloist carries the verses. The full choir answers in four warm parts, over a flowing 12/8 piano accompaniment that stands on its own if your ensemble is small. There is no divisi and no extreme tessitura — the writing is designed to sound far larger than it is difficult, which is exactly what a wedding or a church programme needs.
Hear the arrangement
Choose your “A Thousand Years” edition
SATB Choir & Piano
€39.90One PDF, 14 A4 pages — the complete SATB and piano score (10 pp.) plus a separate piano-free choir score (4 pp.) for rehearsals and singers’ copies. One purchase covers the whole choir: for a 30-voice ensemble that is €1.33 per singer, against €60–90 for single-copy octavos.
- Instant PDF download
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- Licensed edition
String Quartet
from €29.90
“A Thousand Years” is also published in this scoring — with its own score preview and full details on the edition page.
View this edition →Quality in detail
- Solo verse, full-choir chorus: A soloist opens the song; the choir enters in four parts for the chorus. The structure builds naturally and gives you one singer to feature.
- Two scores in one PDF: A 10-page full score with piano, plus a separate 4-page choir score without the piano staves — cleaner for sectionals and for singers’ copies.
- No divisi, comfortable ranges: Straight four-part SATB throughout. A balanced choir of sixteen or more can hold it; no section is asked to split or stretch.
- Chord symbols throughout: Every bar is figured with chord symbols, so your accompanist can fill freely — or a guitarist can join without a separate part.
- Licensed for your choir: Your purchase licenses performances by your choir at concerts, ceremonies and church services. The public performance is reported to your PRO (ASCAP/BMI/PRS) by the organiser as usual.
- One purchase, the whole choir: Download once and print a copy for every singer. No per-copy fee, no per-chorister licence, no reordering before the next concert.
A Thousand Years choir sheet music at a glance
| Song | A Thousand Years — Christina Perri (The Twilight Saga, 2011) |
| Arrangement | SATB choir with piano accompaniment |
| Arranger | Paul Lorenz — arrangements recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road |
| Voicing | Soprano, alto, tenor, bass — no divisi — plus solo verse and piano |
| Key / metre | B flat major, 12/8, dotted crotchet = 55 |
| Duration | About 4 minutes |
| Difficulty | Moderate — comfortable for a solid amateur, church or community choir |
| Extent | 14 A4 pages: 10-page full score + 4-page choir-only score |
| Format | High-resolution PDF — print- and tablet-ready, instant download |
| Licensing | Licensed for performances by the purchasing choir; public performances reported to your PRO (ASCAP/BMI/PRS or GEMA/AKM/SUISA) by the organiser as usual |
| Copies | One purchase covers your whole choir — print a copy for every singer, no per-copy fee |
| Price | €39.90 — one file for the entire ensemble |
What you get inside the 14 pages
- Pages 1–10 — the full score. Soprano, alto, tenor and bass on four staves above the piano, with chord symbols in every bar. This is the conductor’s and the accompanist’s copy.
- Pages 11–14 — the choir score. The same four vocal parts without the piano staves. Cleaner to read, cheaper to print, and the version to hand your singers for sectionals.
- Chord symbols throughout, so an accompanist can fill freely or a guitarist can play from the same page.
- A high-resolution PDF, delivered the second your payment clears.
- One purchase for the whole choir — print a copy for every singer, no per-copy fees.
What it actually costs per singer
Choral octavos are sold one copy per singer, and the copies cannot legally be photocopied for the rest of the choir. This edition is bought once.
| Choir size | Octavos at about €2.50 each | This edition |
|---|---|---|
| 16 singers | €40.00 | €39.90 |
| 24 singers | €60.00 | €39.90 |
| 32 singers | €80.00 | €39.90 |
| 40 singers | €100.00 | €39.90 |
Is this arrangement right for your choir?
It is written for the choirs that actually programme this song:
- wedding and anniversary ceremonies, where the couple asked for it by name
- church choirs with a capable organist or pianist
- community and company choirs looking for a piece the audience already loves
- school and youth choirs strong enough to hold four parts
You need a balanced choir of roughly sixteen or more, an accompanist comfortable with a flowing 12/8, and one singer willing to take the verses. You do not need a sight-reading ensemble: there is no divisi, nothing above a comfortable tessitura, and the harmony sits where a good amateur choir already sings.
Prefer instrumental forces for the ceremony? A string-quartet edition of A Thousand Years is also published — see the related arrangements below.
Programming A Thousand Years at a wedding
At a ceremony it works best as the processional or under the signing of the register: start the solo verse almost conversationally, bring the choir in at the chorus, and keep the piano’s 12/8 pulse steady rather than romantic. The written pp at the “One step closer” pads is the moment the room goes quiet — hold it. In concert, the same shape makes it the emotional centre of a second half. Play the sound sample above to hear how the four parts sit together before you programme it.
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A Thousand Years sheet music — frequently asked questions
What exactly is in the download?
One PDF of 14 A4 pages: the complete score for SATB choir and piano (10 pages), followed by a separate choir score with the four vocal parts only (4 pages). The choir score is the practical one to hand to singers and to use in sectionals; the full score is for the conductor and the accompanist.
How difficult is it, and how long does it take to learn?
Moderate — well within reach of a solid amateur, church or community choir. The writing is straight four-part SATB with no divisi and no extreme ranges, so most choirs are performance-ready in about three rehearsals. The two things worth planning for are the flowing 12/8 phrasing and a soloist who is confident on the verses.
Do we need a soloist?
The verses are written for one voice, which is what gives the arrangement its intimacy — a single singer at a wedding, answered by the full choir. If you would rather not feature a soloist, a small group of sopranos can sing the verse line together; nothing else in the score has to change.
How many copies can I print for my choir?
One purchase covers your whole ensemble. Download the PDF once and print a copy for every singer — there are no per-copy or per-chorister fees. Mass-market octavos typically run €2–3 per singer, so a choir of thirty pays €60–90 for single copies; this one file is €39.90 whatever your size.
What key is it in, and how long does it last?
B flat major, 12/8, at a flowing dotted-crotchet = 55. In performance it runs to roughly four minutes, which makes it a natural processional, signing-of-the-register piece or second-half centrepiece.
Is this arrangement licensed for public performance?
Yes — your purchase includes the licence for performances by the purchasing choir at concerts, ceremonies and church services. As usual, the public performance itself is reported to the responsible performing-rights society (ASCAP, BMI or PRS; GEMA/AKM/SUISA in the DACH region) by the organiser. For recording or broadcast rights, please contact us directly.
Can I request a custom arrangement or additional parts?
Absolutely. Paul Lorenz Music specializes in bespoke arrangements. Need a string quartet accompaniment, an added instrument or a different voicing? Contact us to discuss your requirements — and note that a string-quartet edition of this song is already published.
How quickly will I receive my download?
Instantly. Upon successful payment, you will receive immediate access to download your PDF. No shipping, no waiting — start rehearsing today.
What is your refund policy?
Due to the digital nature of this product, we cannot offer refunds once the PDF has been downloaded. Listen to the sound sample and study the score preview above before purchasing — both are taken from this edition.