Still Into You: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Michael Story's arrangement brings "Still Into You" into the string orchestra world without sacrificing the song's infectious energy or the melodic hooks that made the original unforgettable. The addition of optional keyboard and percussion parts gives you flexibility to build the arrangement as your ensemble grows, while keeping the foundation accessible for Grade 1.5 musicians. Programming a contemporary rock song alongside classical repertoire signals to students that their musical tastes belong in the concert hall.

Bright, propulsive, and unapologetically contemporary. The arrangement captures the original song's emotional warmth and propulsive energy, translating the rock production into string textures that feel modern rather than forced. There's a genuine sense of fun in the parts, with rhythmic vitality that invites musicians to commit fully to the energy.

String orchestras at the developing stage, where students can handle straightforward rhythms and clearer parts but benefit from energetic, recognizable repertoire that sustains their focus. This arrangement works equally well for groups building ensemble experience or for programs looking to engage audiences with music that reflects what students actually listen to.

• Nail the rhythmic precision in the opening sections by having strings lock in on the pulse before layering parts; this song's drive depends on rhythmic confidence, not speed.
• Balance the melody line across your section so it sings through even when accompanying figures surround it; mark exposed passages in rehearsal.
• Use the optional keyboard and percussion parts strategically: introduce them gradually across rehearsals to build energy and give students ownership of the arrangement's development.
• Keep the tempo steady and confident throughout; this piece thrives on groove, so avoid rushing into the faster passages.

Pair this with a classical string piece on a concert to create programming variety that acknowledges your ensemble's growing musicianship across genres. It works especially well as a spring concert closer or as part of a pops-style program where contemporary writing sits alongside more traditional repertoire, signaling to families that orchestral music includes the songs that matter to young musicians.

• Maintaining rhythmic precision within rock-based groove patterns
• Balancing melody and accompaniment across string sections
• Reading and executing articulation markings that define modern string textures
• Responding to optional instrumental layering as parts are added and removed