This Train (arr. Kirby Shaw): Choral Instrumental Pak
Arranged by Kirby Shaw
Item: 35-PK01172070
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Description
For SAB and SSA voicings, the spiritual, "This Train," takes on new life with driving vocal and instrumental rhythm. Gospel rock style harmonies fill the work, and the energy is simply nonstop from beginning to end. A dynamic choice for concert or show choir.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK01172070
More about this title
About the Arranger: Kirby Shaw
Kirby Shaw's influence spans five decades and six continents. A doctoral graduate in choral conducting from the University of Washington with additional training in music education and choral composition, Shaw has worked with ensembles at Colorado State University, the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and Southern Oregon University, where he currently directs the Jefferson State Choral Coalition. His collaborative experiences include one-on-one sessions with vocal legends like Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, and Jon Hendricks, the latter famously telling him, "Man, you don't make mistakes!"
As a composer and arranger with over 2500 published works, Shaw has created music performed worldwide and translated into nearly 20 million copies sold. His output earned multiple ASCAP awards, and his most recent commission came from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Beyond arrangements, Shaw co-created the musical Scroogical, a contemporary adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and performs with Just 4 Kicks, a jazz-focused a cappella quartet. His teaching style combines technical rigor with contagious humor and infectious energy.
Why we love this
Shaw's gospel rock treatment injects genuine rhythmic vitality into this spiritual without relying on cheap tricks or oversimplification. The layered harmonies demand engagement from singers while remaining accessible for developing ensembles, and the instrumental parts unlock new textural possibilities that simple vocal arrangements cannot provide. For directors seeking something that genuinely energizes a concert rather than filling time, this delivers.
What to expect
Propulsive and joyful, with the kind of forward momentum that builds naturally from the opening and never lets up. The gospel rock harmonies create warmth and sophistication underneath the driving rhythm, giving singers something genuinely satisfying to chew on even as the piece moves relentlessly forward.
Who it's for
SAB and SSA ensembles at the concert and festival level, particularly those comfortable with contemporary styles and rhythmic independence. Show choirs will find this especially valuable for programs that need authentic energy without sacrificing musicality.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the rhythm section (bass, drums, if using) with your vocalists in early rehearsals; the gospel rock pocket drives the entire piece, and any rhythmic fuzziness undermines the energy Shaw built into the writing.
- Balance the SAB and SSA voicings if performing both simultaneously, as the divisi can easily overwhelm the ensemble blend; strategic mic placement or section-to-section doubling works better than trying to balance everything at once.
- Push the dynamic range wider than your first instinct suggests. Shaw's "nonstop energy" only lands if you truly contrast the quiet moments with full power, not just soft versus medium.
- Lean into the gospel rock articulation and phrasing from bar one; swing the eighths slightly and commit to the style, as a straight classical approach will drain the arrangement of its essential character.
How to use it
Place this near the end of a concert to capitalize on its kinetic momentum and leave audiences energized. Pair it with other spirituals arranged in contrasting styles to show the spiritual tradition's range, or nest it within a show choir set where its straightforward joy provides necessary contrast to more theatrical pieces.
Skills your students will build
- Rhythmic independence in gospel rock style
- Blend and balance with instrumental accompaniment
- Swing interpretation and contemporary phrasing
- Reading SAB and SSA voicings simultaneously
- Sustaining high energy across extended dynamic arcs