Sing, Sing, Sing: SSAB Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes has captured the pure joy and swagger of Prima's original in a choral setting that works beautifully for mixed treble voices while keeping all the rhythmic snap and harmonic sophistication intact. The independent vocal lines and built-in horn parts mean your singers stay engaged throughout, and the updated lyrics tie everything together without losing the tune's essential character. This is the kind of piece that lands with immediate impact in a concert and leaves audiences smiling.

Pure swing joy: bright, propulsive, and impossible to sit still through. The overlapping vocal lines and rhythmic independence create a sense of musical conversation, as if the whole choir is trading licks like a small ensemble, while the sassy horn parts and updated lyrics add a contemporary wink without losing the timeless big band energy.

School and community choirs looking for a high-energy opener or closer that appeals to singers of varied experience levels and keeps audiences energized. The SSAB voicing accommodates mixed groups, and the accessible yet sophisticated arranging works for intermediate-to-advanced choirs.

• Treat the rhythm section parts (included) as integral to the groove rather than optional accompaniment; even a modest rhythm section (drums, bass, keys) transforms the piece from a choral number into a genuine big band moment.
• Lock the swing feel early in rehearsal by isolating the offbeat figures in the voice parts and matching them to a walking bass or swing drum pattern so the ensemble commits to the style rather than drifting toward straight eighths.
• Balance the independent melodic lines in the chorus sections by rotating who carries the main tune and who supports, so soloists and section singers understand their role in each phrase and projection stays clear.
• Emphasize the sass and attitude in the phrasing; rhythmic precision alone will feel stiff, but playful articulation and intentional dynamics on the syncopated figures bring out Hayes' arranging wit.

Program this as your concert opener to set an upbeat tone immediately, or hold it as a closer to send the audience out grinning. It pairs naturally with other Great American Songbook standards or jazz-influenced pop arrangements, and it's equally at home in a pops concert, spring show, or community event where you want to showcase your choir's rhythmic and harmonic sophistication.

• Swing rhythm and syncopation in ensemble context
• Independent vocal line singing within a homophonic texture
• Jazz articulation and phrasing (emphasis on offbeats, stylistic release)
• Blend and balance with mixed voicing (SAB/3-part)
• Coordination with instrumental rhythm section