Who Could Ask for Anything More?: SAB Choral Octavo

Jay Althouse's arrangement captures the vitality of Gershwin and Ira's greatest hits while keeping the writing accessible for SAB choirs. The eight-and-a-half-minute span gives you a substantial concert moment without requiring an extended rehearsal commitment, and the combination of familiar melodies with skillful harmonic writing keeps singers engaged while audiences immediately connect with every tune.

Buoyant and glamorous. The arrangement sweeps you from one beloved melody to the next with the ease of a night out at a 1930s jazz club, balancing romantic warmth with rhythmic vitality. It's simultaneously nostalgic and contemporary, celebrating timeless craft without feeling precious or dated.

Any SAB choir seeking to program sophisticated American song without technical barriers. Directors wanting to celebrate Gershwin's genius while building singers' comfort with jazz idioms and syncopated rhythms will find this medley both audience-friendly and musically substantial.

• Shape the legit phrases with clear phrasing arcs; even in a medley format, each song deserves its own musical architecture rather than strung-together hits.
• Balance the jazz vocabulary (blue notes, unexpected harmonic turns, syncopated rhythms) with clarity; don't let the style become an excuse for imprecise intonation or lazy articulation.
• Use the recorded accompaniment strategically during rehearsal to lock ensemble rhythms, especially in passages where Gershwin's syncopation works against traditional metric patterns.
• Allow the middle voices (altos and tenors in SAB voicing) to shine in moments where they carry distinctive material; this arrangement doesn't relegate them to harmonic fill.

Program this as a centerpiece in a pops concert or a Gershwin-themed event, where its recognizable tunes and accessible voicing will delight mixed-age audiences. It also works as a high-impact closer to a formal concert when you want to shift energy and remind everyone why popular song endures.

• Singing in SAB voicing with secure part independence
• Interpreting jazz phrasing and syncopated rhythms
• Handling blue notes and chromatic harmony with accurate intonation
• Balancing homophonic and imitative textures within a single medley
• Sight-reading multiple song transitions and key changes