"Let It Go" from Frozen is widely considered one of the best Disney movie songs ever. With its tasteful melodies, creative scoring, and some easy syncopation, Michael Story's new arrangement for your developing concert band serves as a multilevel educational experience. The percussion 1 part can be played either with traditional concert band instruments or as an easy introduction to drumset performance. (2:10)
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Kristen Anderson-Lopez is a composer and lyricist whose work on Disney's Frozen earned her an Academy Award for Best Original Song alongside her husband Robert Lopez. Her gift for crafting memorable, emotionally resonant melodies has made her songs essential listening in music education settings. Anderson-Lopez's compositions balance accessibility with sophisticated harmonic language, making them ideal for teaching students how popular music can contain real musical substance.
Why we love this
Michael Story's arrangement respects the song's emotional architecture while keeping the ensemble parts genuinely playful and engaging. The decision to offer Percussion 1 as either concert percussion or an introductory drumset part gives directors real flexibility when teaching rhythm section fundamentals. At Grade 1.5, this sits in that sweet spot where students feel they're playing something substantial without drowning in technical demands.
What to expect
Soaring and introspective, yet buoyant. The arrangement captures the song's breakthrough moment while keeping the texture light enough for young musicians to hear themselves and each other. There's a sense of quiet triumph here, not bombast.
Who it's for
Developing concert bands looking for repertoire that excites students without overwhelming them. This works well for ensembles ready to move beyond pure drill material and into pieces with genuine melodic and harmonic interest. It's equally valuable for directors introducing rhythm section roles to bands that haven't had dedicated percussion soloists before.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the melody across multiple voices rather than letting a single part carry the song; this keeps developing players invested and prevents any one section from feeling exposed.
Use the syncopated rhythmic figures as a teaching moment for precision; even simple syncopation demands clear articulation and steady pulse from the ensemble.
If you're using the drumset option for Percussion 1, have that player shadow the dynamic arc of the band so the kit enhances rather than dominates the texture.
Shape the phrase endings with a slight ritardando to let the lyrical content breathe; this song lives in its emotional moments, not in technical display.
How to use it
Program this as a set closer or second-to-last piece on a concert where you want to send the audience out with something contemporary and singable. It pairs beautifully alongside lighter concert band standards or as a bridge between classical repertoire and pop-influenced works in a mixed program. The duration at 2:10 makes it ideal for filling specific concert slots without requiring padding.
Skills your students will build
Reading and performing syncopated rhythmic figures at moderate tempos
Balancing melody across multiple instrumental voices
Shaping lyrical phrasing in a popular song context
Introduction to drumset or expanded percussion roles in concert band
Responding to dynamic and emotional direction beyond metronomic precision
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