What's Up at the Symphony? (Bugs Bunny's Greatest Hits): Full Orchestra Conductor Score

This medley captures the anarchic energy of classic Looney Tunes cartoons without sacrificing orchestral color or musicianship. Brubaker's orchestration gives every section meaningful moments while maintaining the playful, propulsive spirit that makes the piece irresistible to performers and audiences alike. It's the kind of concert staple that reminds everyone why school orchestras matter.

Seven familiar cartoon themes collide in a burst of orchestral chaos and charm. The orchestra becomes a pit band, translating the visual gags of Saturday morning animation into sound: sudden key changes, comic timing, broad dynamics, and moments of genuine lyrical beauty nestled between pratfalls and punchlines.

This score serves conductors leading Grade 3 orchestras who want repertoire that delights both performers and audiences. It works equally well for concert programs seeking a showstopper or for orchestras looking to build energy and musicality through repertoire that students genuinely enjoy playing.

• Lean into the comedic timing. This music thrives when sections land their musical "gags" with precision and clarity; a rushed or sluggish tempo undermines the cartoon sensibility that makes the arrangement work.
• Balance the competing melodic lines in the medley transitions. Each theme needs to emerge clearly as it takes the spotlight, so adjust dynamic relationships between sections as materials shift.
• Treat the percussion writing as essential orchestration, not decoration. The cartoon effects and color changes rely on articulation and rhythmic clarity from timpani, snare, and cymbals to land properly.
• Use rehearsal time to isolate passage work in the upper strings and woodwinds. Faster figurations under the main themes can blur if sections aren't secure in rhythm and articulation.

Program this as a centerpiece of a pops concert or family concert where it can anchor the second half with maximum impact. Pair it with another lighter work to build a program arc that keeps young audiences engaged, or use it as a finale that sends the concert home on a joyful, familiar note.

• Executing rapid orchestral tutti passages with unified articulation and rhythm
• Managing quick entrances and exits as themes transition through the ensemble
• Reading through key signature changes and harmonic shifts within a medley structure
• Responding to expressive and dynamic contrasts that support comedic intent
• Balancing melody and accompaniment when multiple lines compete for attention