It's Ragtime!: Score: Choral Instrumental Parts
Words and music by Kirby Shaw
Item: 00-PR-0002519
$8.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
The title says it all. It's an upbeat, driving ragtime choral extravaganza that's fun to sing and will add some real style to any concert. Use of the pre-recorded track or live instruments with the Instrumental Pak will enhance your performance greatly!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, It's Ragtime!: Score: Choral Instrumental Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Open in the Player
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Start Your Free Trial
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PR-0002519
More about this title
About the Composer: Kirby Shaw
Kirby Shaw's influence on choral music education spans five decades and six continents. A graduate of San Jose State University (Music Education and Choral Composition) and the University of Washington (DMA in Choral Conducting), Shaw has worked directly with legendary vocalists including Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, and Jon Hendricks. He founded and directed acclaimed vocal jazz ensembles at College of the Siskiyous, Colorado State University, and the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and currently directs the Jefferson State Choral Coalition at Southern Oregon University.
Shaw's compositional and arranging catalog numbers over 2500 works, with his music performed globally and having sold nearly 20 million copies. His extensive discography includes five college and university albums, numerous educational recordings, and two solo projects. He is a recipient of multiple ASCAP awards and a founding member of Just 4 Kicks, an a cappella quartet specializing in jazz. Together with his wife Markita, he has created Scroogical, an original musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Why we love this
Shaw brings infectious energy and theatrical flair to every piece he writes, and this arrangement captures his signature ability to make ragtime feel both authentic and thrilling for singers. The pre-recorded accompaniment (or live instrumental parts) gives your choir immediate access to crisp, swinging style without requiring a full jazz ensemble on rehearsal. Directors consistently find Shaw's arrangements sit perfectly in the rehearsal-to-performance sweet spot: detailed enough to challenge, accessible enough to win quick confidence from singers.
What to expect
Upbeat and swinging with genuine style, this piece captures the infectious drive and theatrical sparkle of classic ragtime. Singers will feel the propulsive syncopation and find themselves grinning as they nail the rhythmic precision and harmonic surprises Shaw weaves throughout.
Who it's for
This arrangement works beautifully for high school and college choirs seeking a crowd-pleasing, musically substantial piece that doesn't require extensive jazz training. Young singers gravitate toward the infectious energy and clear harmonic language, while experienced ensembles appreciate Shaw's sophisticated approach to the ragtime idiom.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the rhythm section (whether using the recorded track or live instrumentalists) early in rehearsals so singers can anchor their phrasing and articulation to a consistent groove.
- Shape the syncopation with clear vowel placement rather than forcing rhythm through aggressive attacks; ragtime swings when singers feel buoyant, not pushed.
- Balance the recorded accompaniment or live instruments so they enhance rather than bury the choral texture, especially in unison passages where the voices need to land cleanly.
How to use it
Program this as a high-energy first half closer or second act opener to shift mood decisively; audiences respond immediately to its rhythmic vitality. It pairs naturally with other American standards or jazz-influenced repertoire, or stands alone as a statement piece that showcases your choir's range and musicianship beyond classical tradition.
Skills your students will build
- Syncopated rhythm reading and execution
- Swing articulation and phrasing
- Ensemble balance with instrumental accompaniment
- Rhythmic independence across voice parts