It's Ragtime! Sheet Music Preview

It's Ragtime!: SATB Choral Octavo

Arranged by John Leavitt

Item: 35-DS00262433

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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 10
SKU: 35-DS00262433

More about this title

About the Arranger: John Leavitt

John Leavitt has established himself as one of the most prolific and performed arrangers in choral music education. His arrangements span classical masterworks, folk songs, spirituals, and contemporary styles, all crafted with an ear for accessibility without sacrificing musical integrity. Leavitt's work appears regularly on festival programs and in octavo collections nationwide, earning consistent praise from directors for his clear part-writing and sensitive orchestration choices.

Known for his ability to capture the essence of a style while making it singable for mixed choirs of varying levels, Leavitt brings both technical skill and genuine warmth to every project. His arrangements have become staples in rehearsal rooms because they challenge singers musically while remaining practical to prepare.

Why we love this

Leavitt takes authentic ragtime idioms and reshapes them for SATB voices without flattening the rhythmic life that makes the style swing. The arrangement respects both the jazz vocabulary and the demands of ensemble singing, giving each section moments to shine while maintaining the propulsive energy ragtime demands.

What to expect

Syncopated, energetic, and unexpectedly sophisticated. The piece captures ragtime's playful sophistication, with voices trading rhythmic ideas and building momentum through clever harmonic movement. Singers will feel the style's infectious joy while discovering how much musical substance lives beneath the syncopation.

Who it's for

This arrangement suits intermediate to advanced SATB choirs looking to explore early 20th-century American musical language in a concert or festival setting. Singers need solid rhythmic independence and the ability to hear their part within a syncopated texture, making it ideal for high school and college choirs.

How to get the most out of it

  • Lock the rhythmic precision early in rehearsal. Ragtime lives in the pocket, and even slight rushing or dragging will undermine the style's sophistication.
  • Shape the phrasing around the syncopations rather than fighting them. Singers should feel the ragtime pulse underneath the written rhythms.
  • Balance the parts so the melody stays clearly audible when all four voices move together, especially in dense harmonic passages.
  • Consider light articulation on shorter note values to keep the style buoyant and prevent the piece from feeling heavy.

How to use it

Place this in a pops concert or American music-themed program where it can anchor a set of early jazz and vernacular styles. It pairs naturally with spirituals and folk arrangements, or stand alone as a crowd-pleasing contrast to traditional concert repertoire.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing syncopated rhythms with precision and style
  • Interpreting jazz articulation and phrasing conventions
  • Maintaining rhythmic independence in a four-part texture with complex rhythmic relationships
  • Understanding early American popular music vernacular and its harmonic language

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