I'm Shipping Up To Boston: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Sean O'Loughlin's arrangement captures the infectious energy of the Dropkick Murphys' version while keeping the orchestration accessible for Grade 3 bands. The infectious melody and driving rhythm make this a piece your students will actually want to play, and the sports anthem connection gives them immediate cultural context and real-world relevance.

Exuberant and propulsive, with the buoyant swagger of a folk melody turbocharged by rock instrumentation. The piece bounces along with infectious rhythm and cheerful momentum, delivering the unmistakable energy of a stadium chant without sacrificing musicality.

Directors programming concert or popular music selections for Grade 3 bands who want repertoire with genuine cultural currency and appeal to their students. This works equally well for groups building confidence with more contemporary material or for those looking to connect music education to the wider world their students already inhabit.

• Lock the rhythmic precision between your rhythm section and woodwinds during the main theme; the jig character depends on crisp articulation and tight ensemble playing at a brisk tempo.
• Bring out the melody in the brass without letting it overshadow the active accompanying figures in the lower voices, which carry much of the harmonic and rhythmic character.
• Balance the rock and roll edge with the Irish jig foundation; lean into the syncopation and energy without losing the dance-like quality that makes the piece distinctive.
• Use the two-minute-fifty-second length to your advantage in rehearsal by running complete takes frequently, building stamina and maintaining the high energy throughout.

Position this as an opener or closing number on a concert celebrating world music or contemporary popular styles; it energizes an audience immediately. It also serves as an excellent introduction for students new to rock and pop arranging, showing how traditional folk material translates brilliantly to concert band instrumentation.

• Playing jig rhythms with precision and clarity
• Maintaining groove-based ensemble cohesion in contemporary styles
• Articulation control across contrasting melody and accompaniment figures
• Executing syncopated passages in a fast-moving context
• Reading and interpreting arranging choices that blend folk and rock idioms