Kirby Shaw's reach in choral education spans continents. He holds degrees in Music Education and Choral Composition from San Jose State University, plus a DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington. His career has taken him through public school teaching, college faculty positions at Colorado State University and the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and now to Southern Oregon University, where he directs the Jefferson State Choral Coalition. Along the way, he founded and directed acclaimed vocal jazz ensembles known for their innovative programming.
With over 2500 choral arrangements and compositions in print, Shaw has become one of the most performed contemporary choral composers in the world. His output includes five college albums, two solo recordings, and hundreds of educational recordings that have shaped choral pedagogy across North America, Europe, and Australia. He has studied improvisation and scatting with major jazz vocalists including Bobby McFerrin and Al Jarreau. Shaw's prolific career has earned him multiple ASCAP awards, and his work continues to reach singers in rehearsal rooms everywhere.
Why we love this
Shaw writes spirituals with the authenticity of someone who understands both the sacred tradition and the jazz vocabulary that animates contemporary choral interpretation. This arrangement sits at the intersection of reverence and swing, giving your singers permission to find joy and rhythmic freedom within a deeply spiritual text. The seven-page score manages complexity without losing accessibility, making it rewarding for choirs ready to dig into something with real musical substance.
What to expect
Grounded and transcendent at once. The piece holds the confidence of a spiritual deeply rooted in tradition while reaching toward something fresh and alive. Singers feel the weight of the text moving through their voices.
Who it's for
SATB choirs with solid intonation and willingness to navigate unexpected harmonic territory. This works equally well for concert choirs seeking sacred repertoire with contemporary sensibilities and for ensembles comfortable with the spiritual genre.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the spiritual's call-and-response DNA with unified phrasing in the homophonic sections; resist the urge to let the piece splinter into soloistic commentary.
Shape the harmonic language around the text rather than treating each chord change as equal; some movements through the progression deserve more weight than others.
Let the accompaniment (if performed) sit back rather than lead; the voices should feel grounded and authoritative throughout.
How to use it
Anchor a sacred or concert program around this piece, pairing it with other spirituals or contrasting it against lighter material to showcase your choir's range. It also works as a standalone feature number when you want to demonstrate your group's interpretive maturity and harmonic sophistication.
Skills your students will build
Reading Shaw's contemporary harmonic language and unexpected chord progressions
Balancing call-and-response textures with ensemble unity
Navigating the spiritual tradition's rhythmic freedom alongside notated meter
Matching vowel shapes across changing harmonies to maintain blend
Communicating through text with emotional restraint and spiritual authenticity
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