Selections from Les Misérables (arr. Warren Barker): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

This arrangement gives concert bands access to music that students actually care about. The medley structure lets you program genuine emotional arc without requiring the full theatrical commitment, and Barker's orchestration sits perfectly in the concert band idiom while honoring the integrity of the source material.

The medley sweeps from the energy of revolution and street life through intimate personal longing, then builds to the soaring hope of collective action. You'll move listeners through defiance, heartbreak, comedy, and finally triumph, all in one concert moment.

Any concert band looking for repertoire that connects with student musicians and audiences alike. This works equally well for advanced middle school bands, high school groups, and college ensembles seeking accessible yet substantial contemporary music.

• Balance the transitions between selections carefully; each song occupies its own emotional space, so slight tempo adjustments between movements will prevent the medley from feeling rushed.
• The ensemble numbers demand full commitment from your full band. These moments need weight and presence to land the way audiences expect them to.
• Secure your solo voices early. Whether you use student vocalists or feature instrumental soloists, cast these parts with your strongest, most confident performers.
• Shape the romantic solos (I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own) with a rubato feel; concert bands often play these too straight when they call for genuine expressive freedom.

Consider this your anchor for a pops or contemporary music concert, or tuck it into a spring program where you want to showcase the band's emotional range. It also works beautifully as a finale that gives your audience something they recognize and love walking out the door.

• Sustaining musical line across extended phrases without losing shape
• Balancing solo voices with accompaniment textures
• Executing smooth key and style transitions within a single work
• Dynamic control in both soft ensemble passages and full band fortissimos
• Responding to rubato and expressive direction in popular music contexts