Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (arr. Deke Sharon): SSAA Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement captures the hypnotic quality of this synth-pop classic while making it work beautifully for SSAA voicing. The piece maintains the song's iconic melody and atmospheric character, giving your singers a contemporary tune that feels fresh in concert while offering genuine musical substance.

Dreamy and propulsive all at once. The piece maintains that signature '80s synthetic shimmer through purely vocal means, creating an intimate sound that somehow feels both intimate and expansive. There's a hypnotic quality that draws listeners in while keeping energy moving forward.

Any SSAA choir looking to program accessible contemporary repertoire that audiences recognize and enjoy. This works equally well for high school and adult ensembles seeking a crowd pleaser with actual harmonic interest.

• Shape the melody with attention to phrase contours rather than treating each section as rhythmically mechanical; the tune needs to breathe even in its repetitive moments.
• Balance the vocal texture so the upper voices don't overwhelm the harmonic foundation; Deke's arrangement benefits from clarity across all parts.
• Lean into the production values of the original without trying to recreate electronic effects; let your voices define the musical landscape instead.

Place this as a set closer or second-to-last number when you want to send audiences out in good spirits. It pairs well with other pop or contemporary arrangements and gives concert programmers a recognizable anchor point between more traditional choral works.

• Sustaining tone quality through repetitive melodic patterns
• Balancing part independence within a homophonic texture
• Interpreting contemporary popular music idiomatically within a choral context
• Maintaining rhythmic precision in minimalist harmonic settings