Rock Around The Clock: SATB Choral Octavo

Roger Emerson's arrangement captures the infectious energy and swagger of the original recording while making it genuinely singable for student choirs. The piece works as a natural morale booster in any concert or festival setting, giving your singers the rare gift of performing a legitimate rock and roll classic without sacrificing vocal writing standards.

Pure, unrestrained joy. The piece pounds with that irresistible 1950s rock and roll swagger, complete with the rhythmic swagger and call-and-response moments that made the original a phenomenon. Your choir will feel the thrill of performing a genuine piece of music history, and your audience will respond with immediate recognition and energy.

Any choir looking to add authentic rock and roll to their concert repertoire. This arrangement works equally well for middle school singers discovering popular music or high school choirs seeking material that energizes audiences and performers alike.

• Keep the rhythm section locked and driving throughout. The groove is everything, so your accompanists need to feel confident and consistent from start to finish.
• Encourage soloists or small groups to take featured passages. This song thrives on personality, so giving individuals moments to shine will energize the entire ensemble.
• Balance clarity in the rhythmic articulation with the rock and roll attitude. Crisp consonants and rhythmic precision should feel natural, not stiff.
• Use dynamics to build momentum into key moments. The recorded accompaniment provides the perfect reference for where energy should peak and settle.

Place this in the second half of your concert as a momentum builder before a more contemplative final piece, or use it to open a lighter section featuring other popular music arrangements. It's especially effective in pops concerts, spring concerts, or any program where you want to remind your singers and audience that choral music can be genuinely fun.

• Maintaining steady groove and rhythmic precision in a popular music context
• Singing with stylistic authenticity and attitude appropriate to rock and roll
• Balancing rhythmic and melodic interest across multiple voice parts
• Responding to a strong rhythmic accompaniment while maintaining vocal independence