You Make Me Feel So Young: SAB Choral Octavo

Jay Althouse's arrangement captures the casual swagger of the original while keeping the part-writing manageable for mixed choirs. The piece swings effortlessly and gives your singers immediate permission to loosen up; it's exactly the kind of standard that reminds audiences why jazz repertoire belongs in concert programming.

Warm, nostalgic, and inviting. The piece floats on a gentle jazz rhythm that feels like a conversation over drinks rather than a formal performance. There's joy in it, but never strain; the harmonies settle in comfortably even as they move.

Show and jazz choirs will find this a natural fit, but concert choirs looking to refresh their programming with accessible, recognizable material will connect with it immediately. The three-part voicing works well for ensembles with developing singers or mixed voice sections where you need flexibility.

• Treat the rhythm section parts (available separately) as essential to the arrangement's groove; the piece breathes differently without that rhythmic anchor.
• Balance the melody so it sits comfortably over the harmony parts, especially where the alto and bass lines move independently.
• Lean into the swing eighth-note feel; this isn't straight classical time, and your singers should feel the lilt in their phrasing.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock in the tempo and style during early rehearsals, then gradually shift the singers' focus to listening to each other.

Pair this with other mid-century standards to create a jazz or American songbook set, or use it as a palate cleanser between heavier classical or contemporary pieces. It works equally well as a pops concert anchor or as a lighter moment in a mixed-repertoire concert.

• Swing rhythm interpretation and jazz phrasing
• Balancing melody and harmony in three-part writing
• Listening and blend in mixed SAB voicing
• Stylistic flexibility and moving between classical and jazz idioms