We're All in This Together: TB a cappella Choral Octavo

Bryan Sharpe's arrangement captures everything that makes the original song infectious while building it specifically for developing voices. The built-in solo feature, beatbox opportunity, and rhythmic body percussion sections give every singer something to own, whether they're finding their range or ready to take the lead.

Pure joy and ensemble confidence. The piece opens with unison energy, brings in playful vocal percussion that makes singers smile, features a familiar melody that audiences instantly recognize, and climaxes with full-group rhythmic celebration. It feels less like a concert piece and more like a moment where the whole choir gets to celebrate together.

Middle and high school choirs with mixed or developing voices will find this accessible and energizing. The TB voicing accommodates groups that haven't yet split into full SATB, while directors can easily expand the scoring to TTB, TBB, or TTBB depending on their ensemble's composition.

• Lock the vocal percussion part early. The notated beatboxing drives the energy of the whole piece, so have that singer rehearse independently and then anchor the ensemble's rhythmic confidence around their groove.
• Shape the phrasing around the text. This is contemporary pop language, not classical legit singing, so encourage natural speech rhythms and conversational dynamics rather than sustained, formal tone.
• Let the body percussion develop gradually. Start with the stomp and clap rhythms in isolation, add them under specific phrases, then bring in the full ensemble impact by performance time so it feels earned and tight.
• Feature the solo singer prominently in rehearsal balance. This familiar melody gets its moment, and the arrangement works best when that voice cuts through cleanly while the supporting parts sit behind it.

This works brilliantly as a closer on pep rally programs, end-of-year concerts, or any performance where you want to leave the audience with energy and lift. The contemporary pop style also pairs well on programs mixing classical and modern repertoire, giving choir students permission to be themselves while still making real music together.

• Singing a cappella with secure intonation while maintaining groove and rhythm
• Balancing solo and ensemble roles within the same piece
• Rhythm reading and execution across multiple vocal percussion layers
• Blend and balance in TB/TTB mixed voicings