The Way You Look Tonight: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Rick Stitzel's arrangement captures everything that makes this standard endure without overwhelming young players. The moderate swing tempo and streamlined voicings let the melody breathe while ensemble members focus on locking into the groove together, making this an ideal entry point into jazz band repertoire.

Relaxed sophistication. The tune unfolds with the warmth of a classic movie moment, swinging gently without any sense of rush. There's something inherently elegant about Kern's melody that shines through even in its simplest form.

Jazz ensembles at the beginning stages, where reading fluency is still developing and players need straightforward harmonic movement to build confidence. This works equally well for middle school groups finding their footing in the jazz idiom.

• Set a comfortable swing subdivision in rehearsal before full tempo; having everyone feel the triplet-based pulse underneath will tighten articulation across the section.
• Balance the melody line so it cuts through the rhythm section without forcing. Grade 1 voicings often mean the tune sits vulnerable, so dynamic control matters more than volume.
• Anchor rehearsals with the recorded accompaniment early and often. Beginners benefit from internalizing the groove before tackling full ensemble entries.

Open a jazz concert with this to settle the audience into an evening of standards, or pair it with other Kern material to build a themed set. Its accessibility makes it perfect for a mid-year performance that showcases how far beginning players have come since September.

• Reading swing notation and interpreting triplet-based rhythms
• Balancing melodic lines with rhythm section accompaniment
• Phrasing within the structure of a 32-bar song form
• Responding to chord changes at a fundamental level