Roar: SATB Choral Octavo

Alan Billingsley's arrangement captures the relentless energy of the original without losing the emotional core of the song. This is contemporary pop arranged intelligently for choir: the writing sits comfortably across all four parts, the rhythmic drive translates beautifully to vocal performance, and the empowerment message resonates authentically with student singers who already know and love this track.

Propulsive and defiant. The arrangement launches with conviction and maintains that forward momentum throughout, creating an experience that feels less like a concert piece and more like a celebration. Singers feel the power of collective voice channeling a message of strength.

Choirs seeking contemporary literature that excites singers and audiences alike. This octavo works for community choirs, school choirs at the intermediate to advanced level, and any ensemble that can sustain a driving rhythm and navigate the vocal ranges of SATB pop writing.

• Plant the rhythmic foundation early in rehearsal. Tap the driving pulse through measure 1 before adding text, so singers internalize the groove that makes this arrangement work.
• Isolate the soprano and alto countermelody (if present) from the main tune to ensure both lines project clearly without one subsuming the other.
• Shape dynamic contrasts between verse and chorus deliberately. The arrangement needs room to build, so resist the urge to sing everything at volume from the start.
• Use the recorded accompaniment during rehearsal to anchor tempo and style, then gradually back away from it so the choir owns the rhythm independently.

Program this as a concert closer or a energizing mid-set moment that bridges classical and contemporary programming. It works especially well on a concert that includes one or two other pop arrangements, signaling to the audience that your choir is rooted in living musical culture, not just the concert hall canon.

• Maintaining a steady rhythmic pulse in pop-inflected text
• Balancing melody and countermelody in the same voicing
• Executing dynamic phrasing that builds intensity across multiple phrases
• Interpreting contemporary vocal production style (articulation, breath placement, rhythmic precision)