Heathens: Concert Band Conductor Score

Victor López's arrangement distributes the iconic melody across multiple sections, ensuring every student in the band gets a moment in the spotlight. The Grade 2 setting keeps the technical demands reasonable while preserving the song's driving energy and recognizable character, making it an excellent choice for recruiting concerts where student engagement matters as much as polished performance.

Driving and anthemic, with an energy that comes from the rhythmic foundation as much as the melody itself. The arrangement captures the song's radio-friendly accessibility while maintaining the alternative edge that makes Twenty One Pilots distinctive, creating a modern rock sound that energizes both players and listeners.

Concert bands working at Grade 2 level who want to program contemporary repertoire that students actually know and care about. This score gives every section a chance to play the melody, making it especially valuable for recruiting concerts or mixed-ability ensembles where you need to feature multiple voices.

• Lock in the rhythmic groove from the opening moments. The steady pulse underneath the melody is what makes this track distinctive, so establish that foundation before the melody enters.
• Balance the melody line across sections as it passes from one group to another. Since multiple parts carry the main theme, ensure consistent phrasing and dynamic shaping so listeners follow one cohesive musical line.
• Keep the energy controlled even during louder passages. Rock arrangements can encourage over-blowing; maintain clarity and precision at all dynamic levels.
• Pay attention to the recorded reference. The original recording's rhythmic feel and tempo will guide your interpretation and help the band capture the song's authentic character.

Program this at a recruiting concert or community event where building audience connection matters alongside musicality. The familiarity of the song and the shared melody work across the ensemble make it ideal for that strategic moment when you want students and spectators alike to feel fully engaged.

• Rhythmic precision in rock and pop idioms
• Melodic independence when passing thematic material between sections
• Balance and blend across ensemble voices
• Sustaining energy and focus through contemporary popular music forms