Favorites from "The Rat Pack" (arr. Ryan O'Connell): SAB Choral Octavo

Ryan O'Connell's SAB voicing opens these classics to choirs that might otherwise skip them due to range or complexity. The arrangement sits comfortably for all three parts while preserving the harmonic sophistication and swing rhythms that make Rat Pack standards endure. Your singers will feel the confidence that comes from performing repertoire built on timeless elegance rather than trend.

Polished, cool, and utterly assured. These arrangements capture the ease and confidence of singers who have lived with great melodies and know how to make them breathe. There is warmth here, but never sentimentality; every note feels considered and earned.

SAB choirs seeking material that combines musical substance with accessibility. Directors who want their singers to experience jazz swing, sophisticated harmonies, and the American standards tradition without heavy technical demands. Choirs building a concert that values elegance and vintage charm.

• Emphasize the legit vowels even when singing swung rhythms. The Rat Pack sound emerged from ballroom training and classical vocal discipline, not from looseness. Clean vowels at tempo create clarity.
• Lock into the jazz swing feel by having your section leaders internalize the underlying shuffle rhythm. Singers often rush when learning swing for the first time; a metronome at half the written tempo helps establish the pocket.
• Shape phrases with the restraint these songs demand. Resist the urge to oversell emotion; the Rat Pack's power came from understatement and letting the melody speak for itself.
• If using a rhythm section or accompaniment track, have your singers listen to the original recordings multiple times during rehearsal. Hearing Sinatra or Martin phrase a particular line will inform how your choir interprets it far better than any verbal instruction.

Pair these selections with other mid-century American vocal music or use them as an entire short set within a larger concert. They sit naturally alongside big band charts and work well as an intermission act or as part of a program celebrating American song. Consider programming one or two pieces as an approachable entry point if your choir is new to jazz repertoire.

• Swing rhythms and jazz phrasing conventions
• Singing jazz harmonies with precision and blend
• Interpreting standards with maturity and restraint
• Stylistic awareness of the American popular song tradition
• Ensemble balance when one part carries the melody