Sermonette: SSA Choral Octavo

Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the wit and musicality that made Hendricks' original recording memorable, while remaining accessible to a high school or community choir without sacrificing jazz authenticity. The SSA voicing opens this material to groups that might otherwise overlook sophisticated jazz repertoire, and Shaw's voice leading keeps the harmonic sophistication intact across a practical range.

Urbane and conversational, with the kind of rhythmic swagger that comes from singers who understand jazz phrasing intuitively. The arrangement sparkles with Hendricks' characteristic humor and precision, creating a performance that feels both polished and alive, never stiff or academic.

SSA choirs seeking repertoire that honors jazz tradition while remaining genuinely singable at the intermediate level. Directors wanting to introduce vocalese concepts and jazz history to students who may have little prior exposure to the style will find this piece both musically substantial and educationally rich.

• Pay close attention to rhythmic placement in the syncopated passages; these sit slightly ahead of or behind the beat deliberately, so lock them in early and be consistent across the section.
• Treat the articulation markings as character direction rather than mere notation; clean consonants and shaped vowels will bring out the playful storytelling quality Hendricks brought to the piece.
• Balance the solo voice (if assigned) against the ensemble without letting the background parts recede into accompaniment; all three lines carry melodic weight and should blend as equals.
• Use the recorded version as a rhythmic and interpretive reference, but encourage your singers to understand the underlying swing feel well enough to perform it independently.

This works beautifully on a concert celebrating American vocal jazz or as a bridge between a traditional show choir set and more art-song-focused programming. Consider pairing it with other vocalese arrangements or instrumental jazz standards to build a cohesive set that demonstrates how singers have conversed with jazz instrumentalists across decades.

• Swing phrasing and jazz articulation
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythms over a steady pulse
• Balancing multiple melodic lines within a three-part texture
• Understanding vocalese as a compositional and interpretive tool
• Building rhythmic independence within ensemble context