Someone to Watch Over Me: Concert Band Conductor Score

Warren Barker's arrangement respects the intimacy of this Gershwin standard while giving your concert band a real role in the music, not just as backdrop. The optional alto saxophone solo lets you shape the piece to your ensemble's strengths, whether you feature a vocalist or spotlight an instrumentalist. At Grade 4, the writing sits comfortably for developing musicians while the arrangement's sophistication keeps rehearsals engaging and the performance polished.

Nostalgic and graceful, with the warmth of a song written in the 1920s but orchestrated with mid-century sophistication. The arrangement unfolds like a conversation between the soloist and the band, creating an intimate moment even in a concert hall.

Conductors seeking a showcase piece for a gifted vocalist in the ensemble, or directors wanting to add a concert band standard from the Great American Songbook to their repertoire. This works equally well for programs featuring instrumental soloists who can carry a singing line.

• Balance the soloist's line against the band's accompaniment carefully during rehearsal; the score's texture should support rather than bury the melody.
• Pay attention to the harmonic shifts beneath the vocal line. Small dynamic adjustments in the accompanying voices will highlight the richness Barker wrote into this arrangement.
• If performing the alto saxophone version instead of a vocal soloist, ensure the saxophonist understands this is still a song arrangement. Phrasing and breath placement matter as much as technique.

Program this as a standalone feature during a pops or standards-themed concert, or pair it with other Broadway or Gershwin selections for a thematic set. Its moderate length (3:05) makes it ideal for a concert centerpiece that won't overwhelm the rest of your program.

• Accompanying a solo line while maintaining rhythmic independence
• Playing with stylistic flexibility between classical band writing and jazz-influenced harmony
• Balancing exposed ensemble passages in a song-driven arrangement
• Responding to a conductor's cues that serve the soloist's phrasing rather than the written tempo