All Star (arr. Matt Conaway): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Matt Conaway has captured the essential swagger of this track while keeping the orchestration accessible for developing players. Grade 2 bands get to play something genuinely contemporary that generates real enthusiasm in rehearsal and earns authentic applause at concerts, which matters more than many traditional selections for building student commitment to the program.

Infectious and straightforward, with the kind of melodic hook that lodges in your head immediately. The arrangement sparkles with energy without overwhelming young players, maintaining the original's cheerful confidence while respecting the technical limits of developing musicians.

Young concert bands hungry for repertoire their audiences actually know and care about. This works particularly well for programs looking to balance classical fundamentals with material that keeps students engaged and reminds them why they joined band in the first place.

• Anchor the groove in the rhythm section. Lock the kick and snare pattern early in rehearsals so the rest of the band can settle into the pocket rather than chasing the beat.
• Balance the melody across voices instead of letting it get swallowed. Assign the main hook to clarinet, trumpet, and alto sax in layers, and resist the urge to crank dynamics at transitions.
• Lean into the rhythmic bounce. This arrangement lives in the space between rock and pop, so resist playing it too literally. Let the natural swing of the phrasing breathe.

Program this as a concert opener or closer to energize your audience and shift the mood from formal to fun. It pairs well with a mix of concert repertoire as a palate cleanser, or save it for a spring pops concert alongside other contemporary hits.

• Maintaining steady rhythm in rock/pop grooves
• Balancing melody and accompaniment within a rock texture
• Phrasing contemporary material with appropriate stylistic inflection
• Coordination between melody and rhythm section voices