Flashdance...What A Feeling (from Flashdance) (arr. Kirby Shaw): SATB Choral Octavo

Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the soaring vulnerability of the original while making it genuinely singable across four parts. The arrangement respects the iconic melody while giving your ensemble real harmonic color and the chance to experience how a pop standard holds up in choral form.

The music pulses with quiet determination turning into electrified resolve. There's vulnerability in the vocal line paired with driving rhythmic energy underneath, creating a piece that feels both introspective and irresistible.

Choirs looking to program contemporary pop material with real staying power. This works especially well for concert settings where you want to include a rock/pop crossover number that audiences recognize and that your singers will enjoy learning.

• Shape the opening phrases with a lean, almost understated quality. The power of this song builds gradually, not explosively, so resist the urge to overpush the beginning.
• Let the rhythm section or recorded accompaniment establish the pocket first. Your singers will lock in better once they feel the groove beneath them rather than trying to carry the tempo themselves.
• Treat dynamics as part of the story. The text moves between self-doubt and breakthrough moments, so use your full dynamic range to articulate that emotional arc rather than sitting at one volume throughout.
• Pay attention to vowel unity in the unison or divisi sections. The most recognizable parts of this melody need crystalline clarity, which only happens when everyone's vowels match.

Consider this for a pops concert or a mixed repertoire set where you need a contemporary pop centerpiece with mass appeal. It also works well as a confidence-builder in your program, coming after more traditional selections to show range and versatility.

• Singing stylized pop phrasing within ensemble settings
• Managing legit to belt dynamic vocal shifts
• Locking into groove-based rhythm patterns
• Balancing soloistic interpretation with choral blend
• Interpreting emotional subtext in contemporary music