Roar: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Michael Story's arrangement captures the infectious drive of the original without losing the pop sensibility that makes this song so engaging for young musicians. The Grade 2 setting opens this certified hit to developing bands that rarely get to perform music their audiences actually know and love, creating genuine excitement around rehearsal and performance.

Bright, propulsive, and unrelentingly positive. The arrangement channels the defiant optimism of the original while maintaining the rhythmic cohesion that young bands need to feel confident and connected.

Directors programming for developing concert bands who want to build student investment through contemporary material. This works equally well for groups seeking a crowd-pleasing contest selection or a concert opener that energizes an audience from the first moments.

• Keep the rhythmic pulse steady and driving throughout. The power-pop feel depends on a confident, unwavering tempo that supports the groove even when dynamic shifts occur.
• Balance the melodic line against the harmonic texture so that the hook remains crystal clear. In pop arrangements, clarity of the main tune is non-negotiable.
• Let the sectional dynamics breathe. The contrast between verses and the big moments makes the energy arc feel earned rather than exhausting.
• Shape phrases with intention rather than playing through them. Even uptempo pop benefits from careful attention to where lines want to land and breathe.

Program this early in a concert to set an upbeat tone, or use it as a counterweight to a season dominated by classical or traditional band repertoire. At 2:30, it fits naturally into themed programs celebrating American popular music or works well as the final selection before intermission.

• Maintaining consistent groove across long phrases
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in a pop-rock idiom
• Dynamic control within a mid-tempo, energetic context
• Rhythmic precision in syncopated passages
• Sectional independence while supporting an overall pop sensibility