Listen to the Music: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Listen to the Music: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Listen to the Music: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Listen to the Music Sheet Music Preview

Listen to the Music: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Music and lyrics by Tom Johnston / arr. Teena Chinn

Item: 00-PO-0004759
Digital Download
$2.25

Minimum order quantity: 20 copies

One moment…

Description
This title, made popular by the Doobie Brothers, is still a sing-along favorite. The positive, free-spirited message of the lyrics make this a great piece for young people today. Teena Chinn kept the melody and feel of the piece so that it relates not only to the singers, but to the audience as well. Whether using this selection as a closing piece or as the theme song for an entire concert, it is sure to be a winner.

Listen to the Music: 2-Part Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Pop Choral Series
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
SKU: 00-PO-0004759

More about this title

About the Composer: Tom Johnston

Tom Johnston co-founded the Doobie Brothers in 1970 and served as the band's primary songwriter and guitarist throughout their most successful era. His compositions, including "Listen to the Music," became staples of 1970s rock radio and continue to resonate across generations. Johnston's gift for crafting memorable melodies with positive, accessible lyrics has made his work particularly valuable in music education contexts.

Why we love this

Teena Chinn's arrangement preserves the infectious groove and optimistic energy of the original while making it genuinely singable for young voices in just 2 parts. The piece works equally well as a standalone performance or as a thematic anchor for an entire concert, and its message about connection and joy lands just as powerfully with a live audience as it does on a recording.

What to expect

Warm, inviting, and buoyant. The piece carries the laid-back confidence of its 1970s origin while feeling immediately present and relevant. There's no strain or pretension here—just honest singing in service of a message that still connects.

Who it's for

This arrangement opens 2-part singing to choirs ready for something contemporary and stylistically grounded in popular music. Young singers respond to material they recognize and respect, and this piece delivers both while remaining achievable for developing voices.

How to get the most out of it

  • Emphasize the rhythmic pocket of the original recording. Young singers often rush when they're excited; locking the rhythm section early in rehearsal prevents the piece from losing its relaxed, confident feel.
  • Balance the two parts so the melody remains clear but the supporting harmony enriches rather than undercuts it. This arrangement rewards singers who commit to their line.
  • Connect the lyrical message to the vocal quality you're building. The 'free-spirited' character Johnston wrote into this piece thrives when singers approach it with genuine warmth, not just technical precision.

How to use it

Close your concert with this selection and you'll send the audience out in a genuinely positive frame of mind. Alternatively, use it as the thematic through-line for a program exploring popular music's role in culture, pairing it with other contemporary arrangements or rock-influenced pieces.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing in 2-part harmony with independent vocal lines
  • Maintaining rhythmic integrity while singing with a contemporary groove
  • Shaping phrases in pop music contexts
  • Balancing melody and harmony in close intervals

You May Also Like