My Girl (arr. Alan Billingsley): TTBB Choral Octavo

Billingsley's arrangement captures the groove and warmth of this iconic track without requiring impossible ranges or unsingable passages. Your singers will connect immediately with music they actually know, and that engagement becomes the entry point to teaching them about voice leading, jazz harmonies, and what it means to lock into a pocket together.

Smooth and purposeful, with the kind of cool confidence that comes from a song that knows exactly who it is. The arrangement preserves the original's gentleness while giving male voices room to shine on a melody that sits comfortably in their range.

Mixed male ensembles at the high school and college level, or men's choruses looking to add contemporary repertoire that doesn't sacrifice musicality. This also works well for any mixed choir wanting to program a recognizable pop tune with substance behind it.

• Keep the rhythm section (bass and drums, whether live or from an accompaniment track) rock solid and confident. The pocket is everything; the rest of the voices will lock in naturally once that foundation is steady.
• Balance the melody line so it sits just above the harmonic texture without jumping out. Think of it as leading from within rather than sitting on top.
• Work the dynamics in sections. This arrangement likely has moments of building intensity that need careful shaping to land with impact rather than sounding static.
• Mark phrase breaths clearly and stick to them in rehearsal. Breath placement makes the difference between sounding tight and sounding breathless.

Pair this with a more traditional piece in the same concert to show your audience the full spectrum of your ensemble's capabilities. It works particularly well on a program that celebrates American songwriting or popular music across genres, and it's ideal for a spring concert where lighter repertoire balances winter's heavier works.

• Blend and intonation in close harmonies
• Rhythmic precision in a non-classical context
• Phrasing across longer melodic lines
• Dynamic control and shaping
• Connecting to text and emotional intention in contemporary arrangements