Rock This Town Cover Image

Rock This Town: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts

$45.00 USD
$45.00 USD
Skip to product information
Rock This Town Cover Image
Rock This Town: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts

Rock This Town: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts

Arr. Nick Baratta

Grade: 2.5 (Medium Easy)

Item: 00-MB9862
$45.00
Shipped

One moment…

Description
Remember the Stray Cats? This is their big hit, in an exceptional version by Nick Baratta. It's a real swinging tune, and Nick has pulled out all the stops in creating this chart. Get your best trumpet player ready for this excellent solo opportunity. This is one of Nick's best arrangements to date!

Rock This Town: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

No sample pages found.
Sample Audio
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Pops for Marching Band
Publisher: Alfred Music
UPC: 029156915532
SKU: 00-MB9862

More about this title

About the Arranger: Nick Baratta

Nick Baratta

Nick Baratta earned his BM in Music Education and Applied Percussion from The New England Conservatory in 1980, studying percussion under Frank Epstein of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Vic Firth. He served as director of bands and percussion instructor in the West Genesee Central Schools for two decades while simultaneously building a reputation as Creative Director and arranger for the West Genesee Marching Band, which accumulated 30 New York State Championships and three national titles at the Festival of States.

Baratta has maintained an active career as both a private percussion instructor and prolific arranger since 1980. His arrangements and compositions have been performed at major festivals including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, MENC National Convention, Bands of America, and the Percussive Arts Society National Convention. He served as an All-State selector for Percussion for the New York State School Music Association and has consulted with high schools on competitive marching band design and repertoire. His work has been published by Alfred/Belwin since 1987.

Why we love this

Baratta captures the swinging energy of the original while crafting an arrangement that sits perfectly at Grade 2.5, making it accessible without sacrificing the drive that makes this tune memorable. The spotlight on your lead trumpet player is genuine and musical, not a gimmick, and the supporting brass and reed voicings give the whole band something engaging to do on the march.

What to expect

This arrangement captures the infectious, uptempo swagger of the original without losing the essential Stray Cats swagger. It's energetic and fun to play, with enough rhythmic snap and a clear melodic hook that audiences and students both recognize and enjoy.

Who it's for

Directors leading bands at the middle school level or early in high school season will find this a rewarding choice. It works equally well for groups developing their marching fundamentals and those looking for a crowd-pleasing pop hit that builds ensemble discipline.

How to get the most out of it

  • Lock the rhythm section into a tight pocket with the snare and bass drum. This tune lives and dies on the groove, so clarity and consistency in the percussion foundation make everything else swing.
  • Let your lead trumpet player own the melody but balance them so they're heard above the harmonies underneath. The contrast between solo and section playing is where much of the arrangement's appeal lives.
  • Approach the tempo with confidence and keep it steady. A relaxed, grounded pulse will let the swing feel breathe naturally.
  • Work the horn sectionís articulation separately. Clean, uniform tonguing in the background figures will keep the texture crisp and support the soloist without muddying the sound.

How to use it

Program this as a mid-show energizer or closer on a pops-themed marching program. It pairs well alongside other classic rock hits and gives your band a moment of levity while showcasing one of your stronger players.

Skills your students will build

  • Maintaining a steady swing feel and groove
  • Supporting a featured soloist with clean harmonic accompaniment
  • Balancing tuning and blend when playing sustained background parts
  • Articulation clarity and uniformity across a section
  • Marching while executing rhythmic precision in rock style

You May Also Like