Just The Way You Are/Just A Dream (Mashup) (from Pitch Perfect) (arr. Deke Sharon): SSAA Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's mashup captures the playful energy that made Pitch Perfect resonate with audiences. Blending Bruno Mars' two hits creates a buoyant arrangement that gives your ensemble a chance to shine with music they and their audiences actually want to hear, all without requiring instrumentalists.

Energetic and conversational, with the kind of pop sensibility that feels modern without demanding technical extremes. The mashup format creates natural peaks and valleys, giving singers moments to breathe while maintaining the upbeat character throughout.

Directors leading choirs that want to program approachable, crowd-pleasing material without sacrificing musicality. Students who thrive when singing contemporary repertoire they recognize and enjoy sharing with audiences.

• Balance the blend between sopranos and altos carefully during the unison passages; slight dynamic shaping helps each section feel integrated rather than stacked on top of one another.
• Lock in the rhythmic pulse across all four parts during the transitions between song sections; slight hesitation or rushing here will undermine the mashup's momentum.
• Use the contrast between solo moments and full ensemble sections to draw listeners into the narrative arc; these shifts are where arrangement detail really lands.

Position this as a secondary concert feature or pops program highlight. It works especially well when you want to shift the concert's tone or reach audiences beyond traditional choral supporters.

• Balancing independent melodic lines within a homophonic texture
• Maintaining rhythmic precision during section transitions
• Managing breath control in contemporary pop phrasing
• Blending vowels across multiple voice parts
• Understanding call and response structure in contemporary arrangements