Fly / I Believe I Can Fly (Choral Mash-up from Glee) (ed. Mark Brymer): 3-Part Mixed Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's mashup captures the emotional arc of both songs while respecting what makes each one resonate separately. The arrangement works because it doesn't force a false unity; instead, it lets the contrasting energies of "Fly" and "I Believe I Can Can Fly" speak to different moments in the same choral story. Your singers will feel the lift in their voices when these melodies interweave.

Energetic and soaring, with moments of genuine tenderness underneath the propulsive groove. The two songs shift between exuberance and introspection, creating a piece that feels both immediate and emotionally grounded. Your choir will feel the audience respond to the familiarity of the melodies combined with the sophistication of hearing them overlap.

Directors programming pop or contemporary music for choirs that want something with genuine substance beyond the pop-song surface. This works equally well for auditioned ensembles and less experienced groups, since the 3-part mixed voicing keeps individual lines manageable. It's especially valuable for programming that celebrates student choice and energy while maintaining musical credibility.

• Establish the rhythmic pocket early in rehearsals. The syncopated elements in "Fly" can feel slippery if the ensemble hasn't locked the underlying pulse together first.
• Differentiate the two songs dynamically. Let "I Believe I Can Fly" breathe with more space and vulnerability in its passages; keep "Fly" propulsive and bright by comparison.
• Balance the part writing carefully during the mashup sections. With three mixed voices, one part can easily disappear; mark cutoffs and entrances visibly in scores.

Pair this with one ballad and one uptempo jazz standard to create a contemporary pop set that shows your singers' range and stylistic flexibility. It works especially well in concert settings where you want to bridge the gap between what your audience knows from streaming and what your choir can actually sing well. Consider positioning it mid-program where the energy and accessibility can shift the room's engagement.

• Singing syncopated rhythms accurately over a steady pulse
• Blending harmonies when two different melodies sound simultaneously
• Interpreting dynamic contrast within a single arrangement
• Managing text clarity in contemporary chord-driven writing
• Building confidence with recognizable melodic material