On a Clear Day: SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the optimistic sweep of Lane's melody while keeping the harmonic palette accessible for mixed choirs. This is the kind of feel-good standard that gives singers real joy to perform, and audiences respond immediately to its warmth and theatrical sophistication without requiring advanced vocal technique.

Pure optimism wrapped in a lush, mid-century Broadway sound. The melody has the kind of soaring quality that makes singers feel like they're performing something special, and the harmonic underpinning (courtesy of Lane's sophisticated compositional voice) gives the piece substance beyond its surface charm.

Mixed choirs looking for a sophisticated pop standard that's accessible but not simplistic. High school and college choirs, community groups, and show choirs will all find something rewarding here, especially if they're comfortable with jazz-influenced voicing and light swing feel.

• Shape the phrase arc deliberately; this melody wants to soar, so plan your breath points to let longer lines breathe rather than choppy them up.
• The recorded accompaniment establishes a clear jazz-inflected groove, so lock into its tempo early in rehearsal and use it consistently to build ensemble confidence.
• Balance the parts so the melody emerges naturally; supporting voices should sit just behind the lead without disappearing into the texture.
• Lean into the Broadway character of the piece, which sits somewhere between pop and jazz. Avoid over-stylizing; let the beauty of the melody speak.

Program this as a mood-lifter in spring or end-of-year concerts, or pair it with other Great American Songbook standards for a themed cabaret or pops concert. It also works beautifully as a closer, leaving audiences in a genuinely happy place.

• Singing with a lyrical, connected legit tone in a jazz-influenced pop idiom
• Balancing melody and harmony in ensemble voicing
• Interpreting swing rhythms and rubato within a Broadway musical theater context
• Following and responding to recorded accompaniment cues and tempo