I'm Still Standing (arr. Dirk Kokx): SSAATB Choral Octavo

Dirk Kokx transforms this arena rock staple into a choral statement that preserves the song's defiant energy while opening it up for ensemble voices. The arrangement sits comfortably in the SSA/SSAA range, making it viable for mixed groups without requiring soloists to carry the weight of the original. Your singers will feel the triumph in their bodies, and audiences will recognize every note.

Triumphant and unapologetic. The arrangement captures the original's spirit of survival and resilience, with harmonic support that lifts rather than constrains the melodic line. Singing this piece together feels like a collective statement of endurance.

This works beautifully for high school choirs, college pop and show choirs, and community ensembles looking for contemporary repertoire with cross-generational appeal. It's equally at home in a concert finale or as part of a pop medley, and it never fails to energize both singers and listeners.

• Keep the tempo driving and rhythmic without rushing. This song lives in its forward momentum, so lock your ensemble into a steady pulse from the first rehearsal.
• Shape the dynamic arc deliberately. The genius of this song is its build from quiet defiance to full-voiced celebration, so resist the urge to belt from measure one.
• Balance the SSA voicing so the melodic line sits clearly in the sopranos. In a piece this text-driven, clarity of the hook matters as much as blend.

Position this toward the end of a concert when you want to leave the audience on its feet. Its accessibility makes it ideal for finale moments or as the centerpiece of a spring pops concert, and the emotional uplift pairs well after more introspective repertoire.

• Rhythmic precision in pop idioms with syncopated accompaniment
• Sustaining phrase shape across longer melodic arcs
• Dynamic contrast and control in SSA voicing
• Performance confidence with contemporary, recognizable material