Popular Song: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Roger Emerson's arrangement captures the infectious energy of this crossover hit while keeping the voicing accessible for developing singers. The novelty element gives your choir permission to have fun without sacrificing musical integrity, and the pop idiom speaks directly to student performers.

Spirited and immediate. This arrangement radiates the optimistic energy of the original while keeping the arrangement lean enough that voices remain the focal point. It feels modern without sounding dated.

High school and middle school choirs seeking contemporary repertoire that engages student singers without requiring advanced technique. Programs looking to program music their students actually want to sing.

• Nail the rhythmic precision early in rehearsal. Pop styles expose sloppy entrances and lazy articulation immediately, so lock the syncopation before worrying about dynamics.
• Shape the phrases around the lyrical content rather than the bar lines. Let the story breathe; that's where personality lives.
• Balance the blend carefully if you're layering parts. Two voices can sound muddy fast if singers aren't listening across the chord.

Pair this with other Schwartz arrangements or pop-influenced pieces in a contemporary set that closes a concert with genuine crowd appeal. The 28-page score accommodates multiple rehearsals without feeling like a burden.

• Singing syncopated rhythms accurately in pop idiom
• Blending two independent vocal lines
• Maintaining rhythmic precision with minimal accompaniment
• Interpreting lyrics with emotional commitment
• Navigating contemporary song structures