Walking on the Moon (arr. Craig McLeish): SSAATB Choral Octavo

Craig McLeish's arrangement captures the hypnotic groove of the original while opening it up for accessible SSAA voicing. The piece maintains the song's infectious bass line and laid-back reggae feel, giving singers something genuinely fun to perform rather than a dumbed-down version. It's the kind of arrangement that sounds deceptively simple until you're rehearsing it and realizing how the parts lock together.

Weightless and meditative, like floating through a warm night. The arrangement luxuriates in space rather than packing every beat with notes, letting the reggae pulse breathe and the vocal lines float above it. It's music that feels easy to sing but satisfying to listen to.

Mixed or treble choirs looking to program contemporary pop music with harmonic substance and accessibility. This works equally well for high school ensembles building confidence in non-classical repertoire and community choirs wanting to explore modern pop arrangements that respect both the source material and the singers.

• Ground the ensemble in the reggae rhythm by having singers internalize the skipping hi-hat pattern, even if they're not singing it. This rhythmic foundation makes everything else land correctly.
• Balance the independence of each voice part without letting anyone get lost. The sopranos carry the melody, but the altos and tenors create the color that makes this arrangement distinctive.
• Resist the urge to rush. The original's magic comes from its restraint and pocket feel. Slight drag can actually work in your favor here.
• Record a rehearsal with just the bass line and rhythm section (or accompaniment track) so singers can practice locking in with the groove between rehearsals.

Pair this with other pop or world music influenced pieces in a concert exploring rhythm across genres. It works as a strong lighter moment in a heavier program, or as an opener that signals to the audience you're taking them somewhere interesting. The four pages make it manageable alongside larger choral works without requiring months of rehearsal time.

• Singing syncopated rhythms in a reggae feel
• Maintaining rhythmic independence from the bass line while staying connected to the groove
• Blending four distinct voice parts into unified harmonic color
• Phrasing for flow in contemporary pop music rather than classical song structure
• Intonation in mid-range (altos and tenors) where blend issues are most audible