All Star: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Michael Story's arrangement brings genuine rock energy to a grade 2.5 score without sacrificing playability or balance. The flexibility built into the percussion section, allowing Percussion 1 to transition between traditional band sounds and drumset feels, gives you real options for differentiation and student interest. This is the kind of modern repertoire that reminds young players why they joined band in the first place.

Propulsive and modern, with the kind of rhythmic snap that gets audiences leaning forward in their seats. The arrangement leans into the original's pop-rock swagger while staying grounded in traditional concert band colors, creating a piece that feels both contemporary and approachable.

Concert bands at the middle school and early high school level will find this arrangement scaled appropriately for developing musicianship without condescension. Directors programming for audiences that include families unfamiliar with classical concert repertoire will find this a bridge piece that generates real excitement while maintaining musical integrity.

• Lock the kick drum and bass line together in the rhythm section; this groove is the foundation of everything else, so give them rehearsal time as a unit before integrating the full band.
• Balance the melody between woodwinds and brass so the hook remains clear; resisting the urge to let brass overwhelm will keep the pop sensibility intact.
• Approach the percussion 1 part as an opportunity to introduce drumset voicing to students who may have only played snare and bass drum; if using traditional band percussion, assign the part to a single player to maintain cohesion.
• Maintain a steady tempo throughout; this piece relies on groove, and any wavering in time will flatten the character that makes the arrangement work.

Program this toward the end of a concert or as a standalone pop/rock set to send audiences home energized. It pairs well with other contemporary arrangements in the Belwin Pop Young Band series and works particularly effectively on family concerts, holiday concerts, or spring pops programs where audience connection matters as much as musical challenge.

• Groove-based rhythmic precision and ensemble lock
• Balancing melody and harmony across mixed instrumental colors
• Introduction to drumset voicing and coordination (percussion 1 part)
• Maintaining consistent tempo and energy in contemporary styles