Nice Work If You Can Get It: E-flat Alto Saxophone: Choral SoundPax

Jay Althouse's arrangement captures the song's inherent swing without overcomplicating the voicing. The tight harmonies sit beautifully for mixed voices while the two brief solos give singers a chance to step into character, making this feel like a genuine performance opportunity rather than a novelty novelty number.

Sophisticated and buoyant, with a playful wink built into every phrase. The song carries the elegance of a Manhattan evening and the casual confidence of a seasoned performer taking the stage.

This arrangement works for high school and college choirs, community choruses, and semi-professional groups comfortable with jazz inflection and rhythmic sophistication. Singers need secure musicianship and the ability to blend into close harmonies while maintaining rhythmic independence.

• Keep the pulse steady and slightly forward; this song breathes swing even at moderate tempos, so rhythmic precision on the eighth-note subdivisions matters more than literal speed.
• Feature the soloists with light, conversational tone rather than belted power; the song's sophisticated lyric and Gershwin's melody deserve clarity over volume.
• Balance the harmonies so that the top line sings through; many singers will naturally want to support lower parts, but the melody's elegance depends on hearing it clearly.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in the groove and let your singers hear how the rhythm section sits under the voices.

Program this in a lighter concert set or as part of a Gershwin showcase; its theatrical roots make it a natural conversation starter between classical and popular repertoire. The song also pairs well with other American standards or as a finale that leaves the audience smiling.

• Singing swing rhythms with precision (triplet subdivision against straight eighths)
• Blending close-voiced harmonies while maintaining individual line integrity
• Responding to jazz-inflected accompaniment and lock-step ensemble timing
• Performing solo passages with conversational phrasing and character
• Navigating chromatic harmony and jazz-influenced chord progressions by ear