Virtual Insanity (arr. Mark Brymer): SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer captures the syncopated swagger of this funk anthem while writing for SSA voices in a way that doesn't sacrifice the groove or the song's character. The arrangement maintains the playful energy that makes the original infectious, giving your choir a contemporary pop vehicle that actually challenges their rhythmic precision and intonation in the best ways.

Sharp, slick, and propulsive. The arrangement pulses with rhythmic life and humor, capturing that joyful absurdity Jamiroquai brings to the original. Singing this should feel as good as it sounds.

Choirs looking for energetic contemporary repertoire that engages younger singers without condescension. This works for mixed ability ensembles because the foundation is solid even when parts are simplified, and strong singers will find plenty to sink their teeth into.

• Lock the syncopated rhythms by having the ensemble count subdivisions in sixteenth notes during rehearsal; the pocket depends on everyone landing together on the less predictable beats.
• Treat the vocal lines like the horn sections they mimic in the original recording. Crisp articulation and exact releases make the difference between sloppy and sharp.
• Record a rehearsal and listen as an ensemble to identify where the groove drags or rushes. Funky music reveals timing issues immediately.
• Balance the parts so the lead voice cuts through but the lower voices anchor the foundation; SSA voicing requires careful part independence.

Program this alongside other pop and rock arrangements in a concert built around contemporary music, or use it as a showcase piece late in the season when your ensemble has built the rhythmic confidence to nail the syncopation. It's also an excellent closer because audiences know the song and the energy lifts the room.

• Syncopated rhythm reading and performance
• Maintaining groove under complex rhythmic displacement
• Part independence in homophonic writing
• Contemporary vocal production and articulation
• Listening and locking with ensemble rhythm