Strike Up the Band: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Jack Bullock's arrangement captures the infectious energy of this Broadway classic while remaining accessible to Grade 3 bands. The inclusion of the often-omitted verse adds structural interest and gives your ensemble a chance to showcase more than just the familiar tune, making this a crowd-pleaser with real musical substance.

Strut and swagger fill every measure. The piece moves with the optimism and rhythmic snap of 1920s Broadway, full of brass shine, syncopation, and that unmistakable Gershwin sparkle that makes you want to hear it again the moment it ends.

This arrangement suits developing concert bands ready to tackle a genuine masterwork without overwhelming complexity. Conductors programming an American music focus or a pops concert will find this immediately rewarding for both ensemble and audience.

• Balance the melody across sections when the main theme first enters; the traditional tune should sing clearly without one family drowning out the harmonies beneath it.
• Lean into the swing feel during rhythmic passages to capture the jazzy character Gershwin intended, even at a moderate tempo.
• Shape the dynamic sweep toward the rousing conclusion carefully; build gradually rather than jumping to full volume too early, so the final climax has maximum impact.
• Articulate the secondary material in the verse distinctly to help audiences hear the contrast between what they know and what they're discovering.

Program this as an opener or closer on a mixed concert; its familiarity and upbeat character make it an ideal anchor for a set that includes more challenging or unfamiliar works. It also pairs naturally with other Great American Songbook selections or as the centerpiece of a pops-themed program.

• Reading swing rhythms and jazz-inflected articulations
• Balancing melody and harmony across multiple sections
• Dynamic shaping and phrasing in a popular idiom
• Ensemble precision at moderate tempos with syncopated rhythmic figures
• Understanding arrangement conventions and how composers adapt familiar material for wind band