Turn The Beat Around: SATB Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement captures the infectious groove of this dance classic while making it entirely achievable for a cappella choirs. The energy is front and center, but the voice-leading stays clean and musical; your singers get to feel the funk without sacrificing blend or clarity.

Pure movement. The arrangement pulses with the irresistible momentum of a dance floor hit, built on grooves and rhythmic layers that make you want to shift your weight. It's playful and propulsive, accessible enough to feel fun but sophisticated enough to hold attention through all 12 pages.

Any a cappella ensemble comfortable with rhythmic complexity and contemporary repertoire. This works equally well for show choirs building a concert set, collegiate groups seeking crowd favorites, or community choirs looking to refresh their sound with music their audiences actually know.

• Lock into a steady internal pulse before attempting the syncopated rhythms. This groove lives or dies by rhythmic confidence, so count subdivisions during rehearsal even after your singers feel secure.
• Shape the repeated phrases with subtle dynamic shifts rather than singing them identically each time. Small crescendos and decrescendos keep momentum alive across the 12 pages.
• Treat the percussion syllables and vocal percussion parts as integral to the arrangement, not decoration. Crisp articulation on these elements drives the entire feel.
• Balance the solo moments against the ensemble so the featured voice sits naturally within the group sound rather than standing apart from it.

Place this near the end of a concert where you need energy and audience connection. It pairs naturally with other contemporary pop or R&B arrangements, or program it alone as a statement piece if you want a moment that feels genuinely current and engaging.

• Syncopated rhythmic reading and execution
• Maintaining groove while singing complex harmonic movement
• Layering independent rhythmic ostinatos across the ensemble
• Balancing solo presence with group cohesion in contemporary arrangements
• Stylistic interpretation of funk and R&B idioms