80s Dance Party (Medley): SAB Choral Octavo
80s Dance Party (Medley) Sheet Music Preview

80s Dance Party (Medley): SAB Choral Octavo

Arranged by Kirby Shaw

Item: 35-DS00138296
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$4.95
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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 45
SKU: 35-DS00138296

More about this title

About the Arranger: Kirby Shaw

Kirby Shaw

Kirby Shaw has shaped choral music education across five decades, earning recognition in 45 states and on five continents. Holding degrees in Music Education and Choral Composition from San Jose State University plus a DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, Shaw brings both rigorous training and infectious enthusiasm to every project. His teaching career includes faculty positions at College of the Siskiyous, Colorado State University, University of Missouri at Kansas City, and currently Southern Oregon University, where he directs the Jefferson State Choral Coalition.

Shaw's compositional legacy speaks for itself: over 2,500 arrangements and originals in print, nearly 20 million copies sold worldwide, and recurring ASCAP recognition. His work spans educational recordings, college albums, and commissions for major institutions including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Beyond the page, he has collaborated with vocal jazz legends like Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, and Jon Hendricks, and performs with Just 4 Kicks, a four-voice a cappella ensemble. When he's not creating music, Shaw co-wrote the musical adaptation Scroogical with his wife Markita, drawing from Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Why we love this

Kirby Shaw knows exactly how to make pop hits land with energy and precision in a choir setting. This medley captures the infectious spirit of 80s dance music while keeping the arrangement singable and fun for SAB voicings; there's no sacrifice of musicality or harmonic interest just to hit a nostalgic target. Programming this guarantees an audience moment that feels current and celebratory, giving singers a chance to perform music they actually connect with outside rehearsal.

What to expect

Nostalgia wrapped in a dance beat. The medley captures the unrelenting optimism and kinetic drive of 80s pop, with enough harmonic sophistication and arrangement detail to keep singers intellectually satisfied while their bodies want to move.

Who it's for

Choirs looking to program something contemporary and engaging without sacrificing musicianship or rehearsal time. High school and college groups will connect with the era and the energy; community choirs can use this to inject fun into a concert while keeping the arrangement within reach.

How to get the most out of it

  • Nail the rhythmic pocket early. These arrangements thrive on groove, so lock the steady beat before worrying about blend or dynamics.
  • Lean into the personality of each section transition. Each song in the medley has its own character; let the music breathe at the seams rather than rushing between songs.
  • Push the energy during unison or two-part passages. Those moments pack more punch when everyone commits fully to the forward momentum.
  • Balance the alto line carefully in the fuller sections. SAB voicing sometimes buries the middle voice, so give altos permission to sing with confidence.

How to use it

Save this for your spring or closing-number slot when the audience is ready to let loose. It works beautifully as a concert finale or a lighter moment in a program that includes heavier classical material, and it's substantial enough at 45 pages to justify a full group appearance without feeling like filler.

Skills your students will build

  • Navigating sectional density changes within a single medley
  • Maintaining groove and forward momentum across multiple tempos
  • Balancing contemporary pop phrasing with ensemble precision
  • Reading and executing rhythmic transitions between contrasting song styles

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