Nice Work If You Can Get It: SATB Choral Octavo

$2.25 USD

Nice Work If You Can Get It: SATB Choral Octavo

Name: Nice Work If You Can Get It: SATB Choral Octavo
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-CH9644
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: InStock

By George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin / arr. Greg Gilpin

Level: Moderate

Item: 00-CH9644

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The George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin song that appears in the Broadway show Crazy for You was also featured in My One And Only. Now it's a part of our Great Songwriters Series. This work is a super addition to any concert, or you can add some choreography and use it as a showy feature number!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Nice Work If You Can Get It: SATB Choral Octavo comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Pop Choral Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 029156207019

SKU: 00-CH9644

More about this title

About the Composer: George Gershwin

George Gershwin (1898-1937) bridged concert music and popular song with an ease few composers have matched. His gift for melody and sophisticated harmonic language transformed American musical theater and gave classical composers a new model for engaging audiences on both Broadway and in the concert hall.

Gershwin's collaborations with his brother Ira, the lyricist, produced some of the most enduring songs in American music. Their work together combined wit, emotional depth, and rhythmic vitality, making them essential figures in the Great American Songbook and templates for how popular song can aspire to artistic excellence.

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Why we love this

Greg Gilpin's arrangement honors Gershwin's melodic gift while keeping the texture lean enough for a Grade 3 choir to navigate confidently. The piece works equally well as a polished concert selection or as a springboard for choreography, giving directors real flexibility in how they shape the performance.

What to expect

Warm, witty, and thoroughly charming. The song captures that vintage Broadway sophistication where clever wordplay meets an irresistible tune. Singing it feels like stepping into a scene from a 1930s revue, complete with the rhythmic snap and melodic elegance that defined Gershwin's era.

Who it's for

Middle school and high school choirs ready to work with a recognizable standard that rewards musical maturity without technical overreach. The Grade 3 difficulty and SATB voicing make it accessible for mixed ensembles with singers at varied experience levels.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the melody with clear phrase breathing in the verse; resist the temptation to drive tempo. The song's charm lives in its conversational character.
Balance the inner voices carefully so they support without eclipsing the tune. A light touch on harmonies keeps the focus on Gershwin's memorable lines.
If you stage movement with this piece, keep gestures purposeful and spare. The song's sophistication can be undermined by overly busy choreography.
Articulate the rhythmic syncopation crisply, especially in the accompaniment parts. Gershwin's jazz-inflected phrasing depends on rhythmic clarity.

How to use it

Pair this with other American songbook standards for a thematic concert exploring the Broadway musical's golden age. Its moderate difficulty makes it a strong choice for a mixed-level concert or for a lighter set that balances more demanding repertoire. The choreography option also gives you an accessible feature number if you're programming a concert with theatrical presentation.