Strike Up the Band: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Brubaker's arrangement preserves the swagger and forward momentum of Gershwin's original while making the piece accessible to intermediate ensembles. The voicing is clean enough that younger players can execute it successfully, but it never sacrifices the sparkle and character that make the tune instantly recognizable. For concert programming, this fills the need for a genuinely rousing opener or closer that audiences know and directors can prepare without extensive rehearsal time.

Strike Up the Band radiates optimism and forward motion. The piece moves with an almost marching-band directness, yet the orchestration sparkles with detail. There's a contagious energy here that makes audiences smile and players feel like they're part of something bigger than themselves.

This arrangement works for Grade 3 concert bands and wind ensembles seeking a piece that sounds substantial and celebratory without demanding virtuosic execution. It appeals equally to directors programming a summer pops concert or a regular season concert where a touch of American vernacular adds welcome variety.

• Lock the tempo early in rehearsals. The energy of this piece lives in its forward pulse; any dragging robs it of its character. Use a clear, confident conducting pattern to establish the groove from the first reading.
• Emphasize the marcato articulations in the brass section. They define the playful character and should sit clearly in the texture without sounding forced or heavy.
• Balance the melody between sections according to where it sits. When the tune moves to clarinets or saxophones, allow them space to sing; when it returns to brass, let that section command the room.
• Pay attention to dynamic contrast in the tutti passages. The climactic moments need real power, which means earlier sections must stay measured so the peak feels earned.

Program this as an opener to establish an upbeat, confident tone for the concert, or close the first half with it as a palate-cleanser before shifting to more serious repertoire. It also works beautifully on a patriotic or American themes program, where its connection to the Great American Songbook adds cultural context without feeling didactic.

• Executing marcato articulation with consistent articulation across the ensemble
• Maintaining steady tempo in a march-influenced form
• Balancing and shaping melody when it passes between different instrumental families
• Playing at varied dynamic levels while preserving the piece's characteristic forward momentum
• Reading concert band score layouts with multiple doublings and sectional configurations