Description
The familiar favorite tune from the award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton, is set in a laid-back, light rock style with clever melodic nuances and richly conceived harmony, perfectly scored for developing band. Easy to play, this one is a winner! (3:15)
Percussion Accompaniment Track Downloads:
with click.
without click.
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More about this title
About the Composer: Lin Manuel Miranda
Lin Manuel Miranda burst onto the Broadway scene with Hamilton, a hip-hop inflected musical that reimagined American history for a new generation. His gift for crafting melodies that lodge in the listener's mind, paired with rhythmically inventive lyrics and unexpected harmonic turns, earned him Tony Awards and a Grammy and established him as a major voice in contemporary musical theater. For music educators, Miranda's work offers accessible entry points into musical storytelling and contemporary composition techniques that resonate with student musicians.
Why we love this
Douglas E. Wagner's arrangement strips away the vocal theatricality of the original and recasts the melody as an instrumental groove that sits naturally for developing musicians. The flexible instrumentation system means you're not locked into a specific instrumentation, and the included Teacher Map gives you real agency in matching parts to your ensemble's strengths rather than forcing your students into pre-assigned roles.
What to expect
The familiar melody arrives with a light rock ease that feels modern and conversational rather than grand. Harmonies are clever without being fussy, and the rhythmic content sits comfortably in the pocket. There's playfulness here, a sense that the tune knows it's clever but isn't trying too hard to prove it.
Who it's for
This arrangement serves developing band and mixed ensembles at the Grade 2 level who want to perform a recognizable contemporary piece without the complexity of early advanced literature. It works equally well for a school with robust instrumentation and for smaller ensembles or heterogeneous groups where flexibility matters more than perfect scoring.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock in the rock feel from the first rehearsal. This isn't a march or a classical piece; the rhythmic pocket matters as much as the melody. A solid rhythm section (even just bass and drums or bass and percussion) will anchor everything else.
- Let the string players use the extra fingerings and bowings provided. These editions were designed specifically for mixed ensembles navigating unfamiliar keys, so trust the editing and encourage students to use them rather than finding their own fingering patterns.
- Lean into the 'laid-back' character. There's no need to drive this piece forward aggressively. The melody sings best when supported by a relaxed, confident harmonic backdrop.
- Download and rehearse with the free percussion accompaniment tracks. Even if you have live percussion players, hearing the click track version during early sectionals will help students internalize the groove before ensemble rehearsals.
How to use it
Program this in a spring concert celebrating contemporary musical theater, or use it as a draw for families and community members who know Hamilton. At 3:15, it's substantial enough to anchor a segment without overwhelming a concert's arc. It also works well as a morale booster mid-rehearsal season when students need a win before tackling more demanding concert repertoire.
Skills your students will build
- Playing in keys with multiple sharps or flats with string fingering guides and wind voicings optimized for developing players
- Locking into a rock/pop rhythmic feel with emphasis on groove and pocket rather than classical articulation
- Ensemble balance and blend across mixed instrument families (brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion)
- Reading and executing flexible instrumentation assignments using a customizable part distribution system
- Interpreting contemporary harmonic language and melodic phrasing in a popular music context