I'm Glad There Is You (In This World Of Ordinary People): SSA Choral Octavo

Kirby Shaw's SSA arrangement opens up this classic standard to ensembles that might otherwise skip over a piece too low or too dense in its original voicing. The swing idiom sits naturally in the choral medium when arranged this skillfully, giving your singers access to authentic jazz language without requiring a rhythm section or instrumental accompaniment.

There's genuine warmth in this melody. It moves with the unhurried confidence of someone reflecting on good fortune, supported by harmonies that feel conversational and intimate. The arrangement preserves the wistful quality of the original while giving voices room to blend and resonate together.

Directors programming for concert settings want a sophisticated standard that feels fresh in choral form and broadens students' exposure to American songbook repertoire. This arrangement works well for SSA choirs at the high school and community levels seeking material that combines musical substance with accessibility.

• Shape the phrasing around the lyrical content rather than musical phrase marks alone. This tune benefits from the storytelling approach that jazz singers bring to a ballad.
• Balance the voices so the melodic line sings through clearly while the supporting parts add harmonic warmth without muddying the texture.
• Approach the syncopation and swing rhythms with natural musicality rather than mechanical precision; slight flexibility in the pulse creates the ease that makes jazz feel alive.

Consider pairing this with other standards from the same era to create a concert set that celebrates American songwriting, or use it as a palate cleanser between more energetic contemporary pieces. The elegance and brevity of the piece make it ideal as a standalone moment of reflection in a longer concert program.

• Recognizing and executing swing rhythms in a choral context
• Balancing melody and harmony in jazz influenced writing
• Interpreting rubato and expressive phrasing in a secular standard
• Blending three-part voicing with attention to jazz harmony colors