Nice Work If You Can Get It: SAB Choral Octavo

Jay Althouse's arrangement captures the swing and charm of the original without sacrificing singability for a three-part ensemble. The tight harmonies sit naturally across SAB voices, and the built-in solos give singers a chance to shine individually while maintaining the song's irresistible momentum. This is a crowd-pleasing choice that teaches legitimate jazz phrasing and style.

Bright, optimistic, and buoyant. The melody dances with the effortless confidence of a seasoned performer, backed by harmonies that swing without ever losing their warmth. There's a built-in sophistication here, the kind of musical intelligence that makes singers feel like they're part of something timeless.

Choirs seeking a standard with real jazz credentials and built-in star power. The SAB voicing makes it accessible for mixed ensembles with limited tenor depth, while the professional Gershwin pedigree keeps things musically substantial. This works for high school and college choirs, community groups, and adult singers who want to touch genuine American musical theater history.

• Approach the swing feel as a rhythmic commitment, not just a notation. Work the triplet subdivision into your rehearsals early so the rhythm section and singers lock together naturally.
• Shape the solo sections as genuine feature moments. Whoever takes these brief passages should own the microphone and the room; it's a perfect opportunity to build confidence in singers hesitant about stepping forward.
• Balance the harmony voices so the top line sings through. In jazz-influenced writing like this, clarity of the melody is what makes the arrangement sparkle.

Pair this with other standards from the Great American Songbook for a themed concert, or program it as the closing number of a pops show where you want to send the audience home grinning. Its theatrical roots and recent Broadway revivals make it especially effective on programs celebrating musical theater or twentieth-century American song.

• Swing rhythm and triplet subdivision
• Singing in jazz style with appropriate inflection and phrasing
• Balancing melody and harmony voices in jazz-influenced writing
• Interpreting solo passages with character and confidence
• Reading syncopated rhythms across three-part harmony