The Best Of Chicago: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Paul Murtha captures the infectious energy of these three Chicago classics without sacrificing the horn writing that made the originals so memorable. At Grade 2, this medley avoids the trap of oversimplification by keeping the rhythmic vitality and harmonic color intact, so students play arrangements that actually sound like the songs they know rather than watered-down versions. Programming this offers bands a chance to engage audiences with recognizable hits while building appreciation for how professional arrangers adapt songs for young ensembles.

Energetic and groove-oriented, with the kind of propulsive forward motion that made Chicago's records irresistible on radio. The horn lines drive everything; you hear them as the song's backbone rather than as accompaniment. There's a celebratory quality throughout, especially in the transitions, that keeps the three songs feeling connected even as they shift character.

Concert bands performing at Grade 2 looking to connect with audiences through contemporary repertoire. Directors seeking music that engages students through familiar melodies while maintaining genuine artistic content rather than novelty arrangements. Ensembles wanting to program hits that demonstrate how professional rock music functions as compositional material.

• Balance the horn section carefully in "Make Me Smile." These lines should sit just above the rhythm section, never buried beneath upper woodwinds or soft trumpet melody.
• Lock the ensemble rhythm in "25 or 6 to 4" by having students count through the driving section as one unit. This tune hinges on precision, not rubato.
• Let the saxophones and low brass establish the groove at the outset. They set the pocket for everything else in the arrangement.
• Separate the three tunes clearly in rehearsal before linking them together. Each has its own character, and defining those individual identities first makes the transitions smoother.

Slot this as a spring concert opener to set an upbeat tone, or use it strategically between heavier classical selections to reset audience energy. It works particularly well in a "hits through the decades" concert alongside music from other eras, showing how rock became a serious compositional tradition. Consider pairing it with other pop or rock transcriptions at similar levels to build a thematic second half of the concert.

• Maintaining steady rhythmic groove across an entire section (8-16 bars of continuous pulse)
• Balancing individual voice independence within ensemble texture, particularly between horns and other sections
• Executing smooth section-to-section transitions in medley form
• Playing with stylistic awareness of rock versus classical idioms
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythmic figures common to popular music