Shallow (from A Star Is Born) (arr. Rick Stitzel): Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Rick Stitzel's arrangement captures the emotional weight of the original while fitting comfortably into a Grade 3-4 ensemble's technical range. The vocal showcase gives your soloist a genuinely rewarding moment, and the big band backdrop provides enough textural richness to keep the ensemble engaged without overwhelming the arrangement's elegant simplicity. This lands perfectly for concerts where you want contemporary material with real artistic credibility.

Intimate and cinematic. The arrangement draws you into a quiet moment of connection between two voices, with the band providing lush but unobtrusive accompaniment. There's a theatrical quality to it, even in a concert setting, that gives your ensemble a chance to show emotional maturity alongside technical skill.

Jazz ensemble directors who want to program repertoire that speaks to students' musical lives and interests without sacrificing artistry. This works equally well for groups with a strong solo vocalist already in place or as a vehicle to develop one.

• Balance the vocalist's vulnerability against the ensemble's support. The rhythm section should be present but never aggressive; this ballad lives in restraint and space.
• Establish the harmonic foundation early in rehearsal. Make sure the piano voicings and bass line sit together clearly so your soloist has a stable platform.
• Shape the dynamics across the entire form rather than playing any section at full volume. The arrangement's power comes from its trajectory, not from immediately filling the room.

Place this as the centerpiece of a spring concert or as a bridge between a straight-ahead jazz set and something more pops-oriented. It also works well as a final piece in a concert designed around film and Broadway music, where it serves as a reminder of contemporary music's theatrical power.

• Accompanying a vocal soloist with sensitivity and flexibility
• Interpreting jazz voicings and comping patterns in a ballad context
• Understanding dynamic shaping and phrasing across a full arrangement
• Reading and executing contemporary jazz notation and idioms at mid-level difficulty