Shake Your Groove Thing: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement respects the original groove while making it genuinely singable for developing 2-part ensembles. The contemporary feel combined with accessible part writing means your singers will actually want to learn it, and audiences respond immediately to the familiarity and energy. This is the kind of programming choice that proves choir can be fun and sophisticated at the same time.

The track pulses with easy confidence. Synthesizer textures and laid-back grooves create an atmosphere that feels current without trying too hard, inviting listeners into something warm and instantly recognizable. Your singers will feel the difference between performing this and performing typical concert repertoire, and they'll genuinely enjoy that difference.

Any choir director needing reliable contemporary repertoire for general audiences. It works equally well for high school ensembles building confidence with funk and pop idioms, community choirs that want accessible material with genuine style, and middle school groups ready for more sophisticated rhythmic and harmonic vocabulary.

• Establish the groove pocket early in rehearsal by having students listen to how the original lays back slightly behind the beat; rhythmic precision matters less here than collective relaxation into the pulse.
• Build the arrangement layer by layer during rehearsals, starting with parts individually before combining them, so singers fully own their line before managing ensemble coordination.
• Keep dynamic contrast minimal and intentional. This style lives in a narrower dynamic range, so shape phrasing through articulation and rhythmic nuance rather than volume swells.
• Encourage singers to feel the groove in their bodies during performance. Subtle movement that reflects the rhythmic character creates stage presence that matches the music's energy.

Reserve this for concerts where you want to shift energy and remind audiences why singers chose ensemble in the first place. It pairs well on programs with mixed repertoire, offering necessary contrast to heavier choral works. Consider programming it toward the end of a set when you have audience goodwill and want to leave people smiling.

• Rhythmic independence in funk and contemporary idioms
• Part singing with emphasis on locked rhythmic unison across ensemble
• Stylistic interpretation of popular music arrangements
• Vocal articulation suited to rhythmic speech patterns in contemporary music
• Understanding groove-based phrasing versus traditional legit singing approaches