What The World Needs Now Is Love (arr. Kirby Shaw): Choral Instrumental Pak

Kirby Shaw's jazz waltz setting transforms a pop anthem into something your ensemble can sink their teeth into musically. The arrangement preserves everything that made the original resonate in 1965 while opening it up for instrumental colors and harmonic sophistication that keeps singers engaged through rehearsal and performance.

Warm, unhurried, and genuinely hopeful. Shaw's waltz arrangement creates a graceful container for the song's message, with enough harmonic color to keep the listener engaged across multiple verses. It breathes like a conversation rather than a statement.

Choirs looking for repertoire that bridges pop accessibility with jazz arranging craft. This works especially well for groups with strong jazz ensembles or those programming a concert that needs a contemporary feel without sacrificing musicianship.

• Treat the waltz meter as a natural sway rather than a strict count; the lilt should feel organic to the phrasing, not metronomic.
• Shape the dynamics across the full arc of the piece instead of singing at one level throughout; Bacharach's melodies reward careful, intentional dynamic sculpting.
• Balance the voice parts so the instrumentation feels integrated rather than accompanying; think of the ensemble as one unified sound.
• Let the rhythm section establish the groove early in rehearsal so singers can feel the pocket before worrying about precision.

Place this in a mixed program after something heavier to reset the emotional temperature, or pair it with other Bacharach/David songs to create a cohesive set. It also works beautifully as a concert opener that establishes an intimate, sophisticated mood from the start.

• Reading and executing jazz rhythmic figures and swing inflection
• Balancing melodic lines with instrumental accompaniment
• Sustaining vocal tone through extended phrases in a slower waltz tempo
• Responding to harmonic complexity while maintaining clarity in text