We Are Young: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

This arrangement captures everything that made "We Are Young" a cultural moment while remaining completely accessible to Grade 1 bands. The drum introduction and driving energy mean your students won't sound like they're playing a beginner chart, even though the technical demands stay manageable. Programming a contemporary hit this well-written builds genuine excitement in rehearsal and gives young musicians the confidence that comes from playing something real.

Infectious energy from the first drum hit. The arrangement opens with momentum and sustains it throughout, delivering the anthemic quality of the original without requiring advanced technique. This is pop music that sounds current and feels good to play, with the kind of straightforward accessibility that makes beginning musicians sound more experienced than they are.

This is written for beginning concert bands ready to tackle contemporary popular music with confidence. If your students know the Glee version or have heard the original, they'll connect immediately to the arrangement and bring that recognition into the rehearsal room.

• Lock the rhythm section into the drum introduction from the recorded track. Having bass drum and snare lock that opening before the full band enters ensures the energy carries through from measure one.
• Balance the pop melody against the supporting voices so the tune sits forward without the accompaniment getting buried. These charts thrive on clarity.
• Keep the tempo steady but not rigid. The recording runs 2:30, which gives you a reference for pacing while leaving room for the band to own the groove.
• Let the enthusiasm in the writing show. This piece invites a lighter touch than much symphonic band literature; allow the natural lift of the melody to drive the sound.

Pair this with other pop selections from the series to build a contemporary pops concert, or feature it as a standalone moment in a mixed program to give audiences a familiar touchstone. The 2:30 length and high energy make it an excellent closer for a spring concert or a fun contrast when programmed alongside more traditional concert band literature.

• Maintaining steady tempo in a groove-based chart
• Balancing melody against rhythmic accompaniment parts
• Playing with stylistic awareness of pop and rock idioms
• Reading contemporary notation and rhythmic figures
• Responding to recorded accompaniment cues