I Got Rhythm: SSAB Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes brings rhythmic audacity to this Gershwin classic, layering syncopated patterns across the voicing in ways that keep the arrangement fresh on repeated listens. For choirs looking to program something energetic and fun without sacrificing musical substance, this delivers both the accessible spirit of the original and genuine compositional craft.

Infectious, swinging, and full of wit. Hayes respects the Gershwin original while pushing the harmonic and rhythmic possibilities, creating an arrangement that feels both quintessentially American and freshly imagined.

Treble and mixed choirs at the intermediate to advanced level who want to perform repertoire with genuine musical substance and contemporary energy. This works especially well for groups with strong rhythm sections or singers comfortable with jazz articulation and phrasing.

• Keep the rhythm section locked in even as the vocal lines dance around it; the accompaniment parts provide essential anchoring for the syncopated writing
• Shape the harmonic progressions as forward-moving rather than static, letting the jazz language breathe through phrasing rather than fighting it with overly formal diction
• Use the recorded accompaniment to dial in groove and timing, especially in passages where the arrangement departs from strict beat divisions

Program this alongside other Great American Songbook standards or jazz-influenced choral works to create a concert section celebrating American popular song. It also works beautifully as a high-energy closing number or a bridge between formal classical programming and more contemporary material.

• Singing syncopated rhythms and jazz-influenced syncopation
• Balancing rhythmic independence across voice parts while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Navigating jazz harmony and blues-inflected harmonic progressions
• Developing flexible articulation for both legit and swung phrasing
• Reading and interpreting style-specific performance notation