Be True To Your School: TTBB Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement of this Beach Boys classic opens the door to teaching a cappella technique through music your singers already know and love. The flexible voicing options (TB through TTBB) make it accessible across multiple choir configurations, and the straightforward harmonic language lets you focus on blend, precision, and the specific challenges of unaccompanied singing without fighting unfamiliar material.

Upbeat and spirited, with the infectious pop sensibility the Beach Boys perfected. The piece captures that unmistakable California energy while remaining intimate and accessible without instrumental accompaniment.

Secondary choirs looking for engaging a cappella repertoire that connects with singers' contemporary sensibilities. The flexible voicing makes it work for mixed voices, treble voices, or men's choirs depending on your ensemble configuration.

• Establish your home pitch carefully during rehearsals. Without instrumental support, even small pitch drift compounds quickly; mark clear reference points for each section and return to them frequently.
• Balance the melody line so it sits naturally above the supporting voices rather than fighting to be heard. The arrangement's accessibility means listeners expect clean, conversational delivery.
• Record sections independently during rehearsals and play them back together. This builds confidence in unaccompanied singing and reveals blend issues that might go unnoticed in the room.
• Shape the phrasing to match how the melody naturally breathes. A cappella singing can sound metronomic without intentional phrase architecture.

Slot this into a pop or film music concert to bridge classical repertoire and contemporary material your audience recognizes immediately. It works equally well as a fun opener or closer that energizes a concert featuring more substantial choral works.

• Singing unaccompanied with consistent intonation and pitch stability
• Balancing melody and harmony without textural dominance
• Matching vowel shapes across sections for blend
• Maintaining harmonic awareness when external instrumental reference is absent
• Responding to a cappella specific challenges like breath management across sustained passages