Gettin' in the Mood (for Christmas): SSA Choral Octavo

Setzer's Dig That Crazy Christmas album brought fresh energy to holiday programming by pairing classic big band grooves with Christmas lyrics, and this arrangement captures that spirit perfectly. The swing feel gives December concerts a sophisticated, celebratory edge while remaining accessible and genuinely fun to sing. With optional horn parts, you can scale the arrangement to fit your instrumentation and create a memorable centerpiece for a holiday concert.

Swinging, upbeat, and infectious. The big band roots give this piece an irresistible rhythmic drive and sophisticated groove that feels both festive and genuinely cool. Singing it puts performers in the spirit of a classic holiday jazz club rather than a formal concert hall.

This arrangement works beautifully for treble choirs, women's ensembles, or mixed choirs performing the SSA voicing. It suits directors who want to inject genuine style and contemporary energy into December programming while working with melodically strong, singable writing.

• Establish the swing feel early in rehearsal by tapping the backbeat; this groove depends on relaxed, behind-the-beat phrasing rather than metronomic precision.
• Balance the SSA voicing so that the alto line lands clearly without overshadowing the sopranos, especially during the syncopated figures.
• If you're including horn parts, ensure the brass and rhythm section lock in during ritardandos and tempo shifts; coordinate these moments in separate sectionals first.
• Lean into the interpretive freedom that swing style allows; encourage singers to find the lyrical playfulness in holiday-themed big band music rather than treating it as formal choral literature.

Open a holiday concert with this number to set a celebratory, stylish tone. Its energy and singability make it an ideal bridge between traditional seasonal music and contemporary choral pop, and it pairs well with other swing-era arrangements or jazz standards. The optional instrumentation also makes it flexible for ensembles with varying performance resources.

• Swing articulation and interpretation (emphasizing the backbeat and relaxed phrasing)
• Syncopated rhythmic figures in a jazz context
• Balance within a three-part treble texture
• Reading and responding to stylistic notation markings specific to big band arrangement
• Ensemble cohesion across vocal and optional instrumental parts