This Is Why: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts

Nick Baratta's arrangement captures the propulsive energy of "This Is Why" while building in flexibility for marching band instrumentation and field deployment. The chart respects the original's drive without losing detail, giving your ensemble a contemporary rock piece with legitimate pedagogical substance underneath the accessibility. Audiences respond immediately to music they recognize, and this arrangement delivers that recognition without sacrificing musicianship.

Propulsive and grounded. The arrangement channels the original's insistent energy into a marching band idiom, maintaining forward momentum without oversimplification. You'll hear modern rock sensibility wedded to ensemble clarity, creating something that feels current while remaining accessible on the field.

Marching bands working at the Grade 3 level who want to program contemporary rock music with pedagogical credibility. Programs looking to engage audiences with recognizable repertoire while building student skills in rhythmic precision and dynamic control will find real value here. Pep bands and auxiliary ensembles can extract segments for shorter performance contexts.

• Lock the rhythmic foundation early. The groove is the song's spine, so have your front ensemble and pit establish the pocket before layering in melodic lines.
• Shape the dynamics across the entire chart rather than hitting intensity all at once. Grade 3 writing means the strength comes from building contrast, not starting loud.
• Balance the melody between your reed and brass sections. Baratta likely distributed it across both, so rehearse these voices independently first to ensure blend and balance.
• Consider how your auxiliary staging serves the groove. This arrangement works especially well when visual elements reinforce the rhythmic forward motion rather than compete with it.

Program this as a high-energy centerpiece in a concert or competition set where you want to pivot from traditional band fare into contemporary rock. The Grade 3 difficulty makes it a smart choice for the second or third piece in a program, after your ensemble has warmed up but before demanding technical passages. Pep band directors can lift the arrangement intact for athletic events or use selected parts for pre-show build.

• Locking rhythmic grooves and maintaining pocket across phrase lengths
• Balancing contemporary popular music against traditional ensemble balance principles
• Reading and executing dynamic shaping across multiple chorus cycles
• Translating rock idiom instrumentation to traditional marching band voices