I Know Where I'm Goin': SSA Choral Octavo
I Know Where I'm Goin' Sheet Music Preview

I Know Where I'm Goin': SSA Choral Octavo

Arranged by Kirby Shaw

Item: 35-DS00263606
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$2.99
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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 7
SKU: 35-DS00263606

More about this title

About the Arranger: Kirby Shaw

Kirby Shaw

Kirby Shaw has shaped choral music education across North America and Europe through teaching, conducting, and mentorship that combines rigorous musicianship with infectious enthusiasm. Trained in Music Education and Choral Composition at San Jose State University and holding a DMA in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, Shaw built his career founding and directing acclaimed vocal jazz ensembles at College of the Siskiyous, Colorado State University, and the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He continues this work directing the Jefferson State Choral Coalition at Southern Oregon University.

Shaw's influence as a composer and arranger is staggering: over 2500 published works that have sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide. His résumé includes close musical collaboration with jazz legends like Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, and Jon Hendricks, directing hundreds of educational recordings and multiple college albums, and earning numerous ASCAP awards. His most recent commissions have come from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and he is also a performing member of Just 4 Kicks, a four-man a cappella ensemble.

Why we love this

Shaw's arrangement captures the folk tune's essential character while giving SSA singers music that sits naturally in their voices. The seven-page setting balances accessibility with genuine musicality, making it equally rewarding for younger ensembles discovering folk song and experienced groups seeking a concert piece that connects to authentic tradition without feeling antiquated.

What to expect

Warm, resolute, and quietly confident. The Scottish melody carries an undertone of adventure and self-assurance that Shaw's harmonies amplify without overshadowing. Singing this piece feels like stepping into someone else's story of determination, then discovering it belongs to everyone.

Who it's for

SSA choirs at the middle school through college level looking for a folk arrangement with genuine artistic substance. Directors programming concerts that mix traditions, include cultural repertoire, or want to build singers' understanding of how folk melodies anchor great choral writing will find this accessible and musically honest.

How to get the most out of it

  • Listen to traditional recordings of this Scottish tune before rehearsals begin; knowing the melodic shape and phrasing conventions will anchor your singers' interpretation and help them understand why Shaw's harmonic choices support rather than fight the folk tradition.
  • Shape phrases around the storytelling quality of the text. This is a narrative about determination and commitment, not a rhythmic exercise, so encourage singers to think about character and emotional arc rather than technical precision alone.
  • Blend the harmonies by having singers listen inward to the surrounding voices in their section. Folk-based arrangements often reveal their beauty in moments of sustained harmony, so work on achieving unified vowel placement and resonance across the full chord.

How to use it

Pair this with other folk-based concert work or place it alongside arrangements that explore cultural song traditions. Its seven pages make it a solid anchor for a program section on vocal heritage, and its modest technical demands mean you can program it alongside more demanding contemporary works without creating imbalance in rehearsal time.

Skills your students will build

  • Shaping melodic phrases based on textual meaning and folk song tradition
  • Blending sustained harmonies across SSA voicing
  • Maintaining independence as a section voice in folk-style arrangements
  • Connecting emotional content to musical interpretation

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