Baby Shark (arr. Roger Emerson): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

Roger Emerson's arrangement captures what makes this song irresistible to kids while giving singers something genuinely musical to do. The three-part mixed voicing keeps everyone engaged without demanding advanced technique, making it an ideal bridge between unison singing and more complex choral writing.

Bubbly, infectious, and immediately familiar. Singers experience the joy of delivering something audiences already love, combined with the satisfaction of singing in parts and creating rich harmonies around a melody they know by heart.

Elementary and middle school choirs, community youth ensembles, and beginning singers who respond to contemporary, recognizable material. This works equally well for choirs seeking a showstopper at school assemblies or a fun closer for a family concert.

• Keep the tempo energetic but controlled; younger singers often rush this one out of pure excitement, so a steady conductor beat prevents the arrangement from unraveling.
• Balance the divisi sections by having singers physically separate into their voice parts during rehearsal, which clarifies who sings what and strengthens part independence.
• Lean into the humor and playfulness of the text; the arrangement succeeds when singers commit to the character of the piece rather than treating it as serious choral literature.

Drop this into a concert as a crowd-pleaser finale, or program it early in the year to build ensemble confidence and singer morale through recognizable, high-engagement material. It works particularly well on programs that mix classical repertoire with contemporary pop arrangements.

• Reading and executing three-part harmonic arrangements
• Maintaining independent voice parts while hearing other lines
• Rhythmic precision and ensemble unison in sections marked to sing together
• Connecting text and movement to musical phrasing