That's What I Like: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Smooth, groovy, and unapologetically modern. The arrangement channels the upbeat charm of the original hit, with bright colors in the brass and clean articulation in the reeds that keep the energy propulsive without feeling frantic.

Middle school and junior high bands looking for repertoire that speaks to their students' actual musical world. High school concert bands can program this as a crowd-pleasing opener or closer that demonstrates the group's versatility.

• Lock the rhythm section (drums, bass, piano) first. The groove is everything in this chart; once that pocket is solid, the rest of the band will sit naturally into the pocket.
• Pay attention to the syncopated figures in the reeds and brass. They should sit slightly laid-back against the beat rather than pushing ahead, which gives the arrangement its characteristic swagger.
• Use the dynamics marked in the score to shape phrases rather than playing at a constant volume. The rises and falls in the arrangement create the emotional arc of the tune.
• Balance the melodic lines between sections. Often multiple parts carry fragments of the main hook; blend them so no single section dominates the texture.

Open a concert with this to immediately connect with your audience and set a conversational, contemporary tone for the program. It pairs well alongside other accessible pop or musical theatre charts, or anchor a family concert where you want the band to feel current and engaging.

• Groove-based rhythm reading in straight-eighth and syncopated contexts
• Articulation clarity and style in pop idiom
• Part independence within a cohesive ensemble texture
• Dynamic shaping and phrase balancing across multiple instrumental sections