You Really Got Me: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Michael Story's arrangement captures the infectious energy of the original while building in structured improvisation opportunities for every band member. At Grade 1, it genuinely plays easy without sacrificing the drive that makes this tune unforgettable. Directors get a piece that energizes rehearsals, meets creative standards, and keeps students engaged from first read-through to final bow.

A blast of confident, driving rock energy with a hook that lodges itself in everyone's head. The piece moves with swagger and attitude while staying accessible, making students feel they're playing something genuinely cool rather than just completing an exercise.

Beginning concert bands and younger ensembles ready to engage with rock and pop styles. This works equally well for grades 5-6 through early high school, depending on your students' experience and reading level.

• Keep the tempo steady and driving throughout. The groove depends on rhythmic confidence from the entire ensemble, especially the rhythm section.
• Shape each improvisation as a real musical moment, not a throwaway measure. Encourage students to listen to their section mates and respond musically.
• Balance the melody so it cuts through the accompaniment. The hook is memorable only when it's clearly heard.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to support students learning their parts and to demonstrate stylistic phrasing in the groove.

Program this as a concert opener to energize the audience and set a contemporary tone, or place it midsection to lift energy after a heavier classical work. It's ideal for pops concerts, end-of-year celebrations, or any concert where you want to showcase your ensemble's versatility and fun.

• Improvisation within a fixed harmonic structure
• Maintaining groove and steady time in a rock idiom
• Listening to ensemble balance and sectional blend
• Reading and performing rhythmic patterns in a contemporary style
• Creative expression within structured limits