Roar: SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures the defiant energy of the original without sacrificing singability across three parts. The SSA voicing lets you program a contemporary pop anthem that feels current and engaging while remaining accessible to developing singers; this is exactly the kind of music that keeps students excited about rehearsals.

Bold and propulsive, with the kind of confident swagger that makes audiences sit up and listen. The arrangement sparkles with pop sensibility while maintaining the vocal integrity your singers need to feel like real musicians.

Directors looking for contemporary pop repertoire that appeals to middle and high school singers without talking down to them. This works equally well for mixed ensembles that can transpose or adapt, and for SSA choirs wanting to program something with real presence.

• Nail the rhythmic precision in the opening section. Even slight unevenness in the spoken or rhythmically tight passages will undermine the groove, so isolate those moments and drill them as a unit.
• Balance the energy between your melodic line and supporting parts. SSA voicings can muddy if the alto and second soprano aren't singing with intentional lightness underneath the main tune.
• Emphasize the lyrical content and attitude. This song thrives on conviction and attitude, so encourage singers to inhabit the message rather than simply singing the notes accurately.

Drop this into a spring or pops concert alongside other contemporary hits to give your program generational range and energy. It also works as a confidence builder earlier in the year; the familiarity of the tune means students can focus on musicality and part awareness rather than decoding an unfamiliar melodic line.

• Rhythmic precision in syncopated pop idioms
• Blend and balance in three-part textures
• Stylistically authentic pop singing and phrasing
• Confidence performing contemporary material