They Can't Take That Away from Me: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Warren Barker's arrangement captures the sophisticated swing and emotional warmth that made this song a standard, while keeping the Grade 4 instrumentation balanced and transparent. The built-in flexibility for either a vocalist or instrumental soloist means you can feature whatever talent you have on hand without compromising the arrangement's polish or impact.

Sassy and smooth at once. There's a conversational ease to the melody paired with harmonic elegance underneath, all delivered with the confidence of a standard that has earned its place in American culture. The arrangement invites both intimate moments and fuller, more spirited passages where the whole band swells behind the soloist.

Directors fielding spring or outdoor concerts who want a piece that feels sophisticated without being technically forbidding, and who have at least one capable soloist (vocalist or E-flat/B-flat instrumentalist) ready to shine. This works equally well for concert bands wanting crossover repertoire that keeps audiences engaged and students proud of what they've achieved.

• Balance the accompaniment so the featured soloist (vocalist or instrumentalist) sits clearly above the ensemble without requiring them to oversing or strain. Grade 4 wind writing can easily obscure a solo line if the brass section doesn't stay under control.
• Establish the style early in rehearsals by anchoring the rhythm section. This tune depends on a relaxed, swinging feel rather than a march-like pulse, so work with your percussionists and lower reeds to lock in that groove.
• If you're using a vocalist, allow them a brief solo rehearsal with your accompanists before the first full band run-through. Coordinating breath points and phrasing between soloist and ensemble prevents the arrangement from feeling rigid.
• Take time with the legit melodic passages. Gershwin's craft lies in how he shapes longer phrases; rushing these moments flattens the emotional arc the arranger has carefully preserved.

Position this in the second half of your spring concert as a genuine highlight piece that shifts energy without exhausting the ensemble. It pairs naturally with other Great American Songbook arrangements or straight concert fare, giving your program a sophisticated pop element that audiences always appreciate and that doesn't feel out of place in a formal concert setting.

• Balancing a featured soloist within an ensemble texture
• Maintaining a relaxed, swinging rhythmic feel rather than metronomic precision
• Reading and executing transparent, mid-grade orchestration
• Responding to harmonic colors typical of early 20th century popular song writing