Strike Up the Band: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin / arr. Jerry Brubaker
Grade: 3 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0002662
$75.00
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Description
There's something inside us that 'loves a parade,' and George Gershwin's Strike Up The Band moves the pulse a bit quicker in everyone. Jerry Brubaker presents this playable, yet sparkling version for today's concert band or wind ensemble. Rousing, it is! (2:30)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Strike Up the Band: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
262
SKU:
00-PK-0002662
More about this title
About the Composer: George Gershwin
George Gershwin (1898-1937) bridged concert hall and Broadway with unmatched fluency, composing music that was both intellectually rigorous and immediately engaging. His gift for melody and harmonic sophistication made him a central figure in American music, and his works remain staples of concert band and orchestra repertoires because they showcase genuine compositional craft alongside popular appeal.
Why we love this
Brubaker's arrangement captures the infectious swagger of Gershwin's original without sacrificing the harmonic and orchestrational details that make the piece musically substantial. At Grade 3, it sits in that sweet spot where students get real musical satisfaction from playing a recognizable standard, and audiences respond immediately to the energy and humor. The 2:30 runtime makes it ideal filler or a spirited concert opener that lands with genuine impact.
What to expect
Bright, propulsive, and unapologetically cheerful. The piece bounces along with the optimism of its era, full of brass punctuation and swaggering melodic gestures that make players feel like they're part of something spirited and fun. There's a rhythmic buoyancy that lifts the ensemble, even at moderate difficulty.
Who it's for
Concert bands and wind ensembles at the intermediate level who want to program a work that audiences recognize and students enjoy executing. This arrangement works equally well for community bands, school groups working toward contest or concert repertoire, and ensembles building confidence in reading contemporary concert band scoring.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the brass section carefully during the main theme so melodic lines emerge clearly; this piece thrives on transparency rather than weight.
- Emphasize the syncopated rhythmic figures in the reeds and lower woodwinds; they're what give the arrangement its contemporary snap.
- Shape phrases with a light touch in the first section, then let the energy build naturally as material returns with fuller orchestration.
- Lock the tempo steady from rehearsal to performance; the piece's charm depends on rhythmic precision and forward momentum.
How to use it
Open a concert with this to set an upbeat tone and draw immediate audience engagement, or place it mid-program as a palate cleanser between heavier works. It pairs naturally with other American standards and early 20th-century concert band repertoire, and its recognizable tune makes it especially effective in community or pops concert settings.
Skills your students will build
- Reading syncopated rhythms in mixed ensemble textures
- Balancing independent melodic lines within a brass-heavy section
- Executing clean articulation in fast-moving passages
- Responding to clear phrase shapes and dynamic shaping in a concert arrangement
- Maintaining ensemble cohesion through tempo-dependent material