A Recipe for Success
As the school year begins, one chief responsibility that ensemble directors must undertake is selecting repertoire. Some pieces within the repertoire provide a meaningful experience that ultimately grow the appetite of the musician and nourish their musical development. While some pieces spark the joy and love of music that is so vital, others begin to develop or reinforce skills that help students approach an unfamiliar work. In a similar manner to cooking, some recipes are instant favorites, others are traditional delights, and others incorporate new flavors to which one may have not experienced. The recipe for each part of the meal is an important step, and so too is selecting the repertoire to provide effective intellectual and musical nutrition for the students.
The ensemble director becomes a master chef by selecting a recipe (repertoire) that considers the ingredients (elements) of music found within against the musical appetite (needs) of the students. It is not a matter of just planning one grandiose meal (e.g., a spring concert), but making sure that everyone can make healthy eating choices every day – and as they eat leave no crumbs!
Elementary ensemble directors might not know exactly who will be coming to dinner at the start of each year. Still, there are a number of choices for repertoire that allow them to whet the appetite and nourish the growth of their new musicians, and attract and pique the interest of new students who learn from their peers about being in a music ensemble. Directors who see experienced students returning at the start of a year are able to move beyond basic ingredients and plan a more elaborate menu. Regardless of the menu, the ensemble director must devote appropriate prep time, recognize how ingredients (elements) work together, and possibly learning/reviewing techniques that will be important for the students to realize. Directors can utilize other chefs (other directors or clinicians with a specialty area ) to prep ingredients (smaller passages that require skill development) and bring smaller portions of the recipe to fruition.
Sometimes in cooking, one must make a creative substitution for a crucial ingredient that is missing. So to in music ensembles, creative substitutions can be necessary so that students still get a meaningful experience and are properly nourished. Some directors take advantage of flexible ensemble parts, re-write/orchestrate small passages of the music, or even reassign parts for a single piece of music to ensure that the recipe (the repertoire) is as close to the original and recreated as authentically as possible. Directors must move through this are with caution, as a substitution too far removed may leave the audience thinking the steak they ordered tastes suspiciously like fried calamari.
Many chefs will taste as go, paying particular attention to the various aromas and flavors that arise as the dish comes together. While it is hard to taste a score, making short audio recordings periodically throughout the school year (even of scale exercises or warm-up chorales) can be helpful to directors understand how well students and the entire ensemble are doing through this process. Depending upon the progress, it may even lead a director to making a repertoire (recipe) change that will better serve (nourish) the students.
The reality is that a fast-food or an AYCE (All-you-can-eat) mentality does not work for music ensembles at any level. Short-cuts and preservatives are often are a part of the fast-food process, and buffets do not necessarily favor society’s sense of moderation in all things. Similarly, short-cuts in teaching and repertoire that completely ignore or hide areas on which an ensemble needs to improve upon will not serve the students interest in and love of music. An ensemble can still eat decadently and enjoy a satisfying, rich meal (concert), but it will take time, patience, and preparation. Conscientious long-term rehearsal plans lay the groundwork for ensembles to perform works from the repertoire to which students may be generally unfamiliar or not aware they were capable of enjoying.
As this school year beings, there are basic questions directors can consider once they get back in the kitchen (rehearsal room).
- Who is coming to dinner? (students)
- How many large gathering meals do I need to plan for? (concerts)
- What recipes will provide a valuable experience for the students? (repertoire)
- Which skills and techniques will the students and I need to learn?
Throughout the year, consider programming a concert from the perspective of a dinner party. Just as a full course dinner features multiple dishes, likewise a concert can include multiple works by a variety of composers that nourish and engage both audience and student musician. Sometimes an entire menu is influenced by specific theme, cultural, or flavor. Directors can likewise create a variety of themes for concerts that connect, engage, and enlighten the audience in a novel way. I have included some ideas below for both high school and middle school groups.
Appetizer – Fanfare/Opener – Consider bright and crisp lines and textures that are easy enough to aurally digest and excite the performer and audience. Maybe not thought of as a traditional fanfare, Kevin Puts “Charm” works really well in this regard. I really like this new work by William Owens for younger groups.
Soup/Salad – A word of caution: avoid soups that are too hearty so guests don’t fill up for the rest of the meal. A lyric work or chorale with soothing textures and lines works in nice contrast to the appetizer (fanfare/opener). Consider a new work like Cheldon Williams’ lovely transcription of Florence Price’s “Adoration”. I am delighted to share a new lyric work for younger bands entitled “Abalone Sunset”, but don’t forget pieces like the beautiful lines in Anne McGinty’s “The Red Balloon”.
Main Course – An essential work that nourishes the musician, and enlightens the audience. Some directors may call this a core repertoire work or essential repertoire. Regardless, the goal is for the students to have a quality experience with that piece of music. Pieces like First Suite in Eb by Holst or Pageant by Persichetti fall into this category for me, but there are so many great choices on this continuum. For younger groups, Kentucky 1800 works really well for this kind of experience, but even “The Forge of Vulcan” by Michael Sweeney is a great choice! I cannot emphasize how important for the experience to be one of quality!
Sides – An emerging work that sparks curiosity and interest of the audience and musicians. Side dishes can be their own star of the meal, so do not be surprised if one of these pieces takes focus off an essential or core repertoire piece! A recent addition to the repertoire that I have witnessed this phenomena is with Nicole Piunno’s Blue Radiance. Brian Balmages’ “Jungle Dance” is a unique work that continues to build on itself as the piece moves along.
Dessert – A march, novelty, or transcription of a popular work. A whole menu of sweets does nothing for one’s nutrition, but a work of this kind at the close of a concert is truly a chef’s kiss to our most important audience – mom and dad! Pieces abound here like Tribute to Count Basie, Bandology by Osterling, or even a unique experience like Scott Watson’s Extraordinary Machines of Clockwork and Steam! Tim Loest’s “Friends of Freedom” is a great original march option for younger groups.
Cooking and music are both essential human activities. Cooks and directors serve others the best way in which they are able. They bring people together, experiences are shared, and everyone moves from it nourished. Go to the kitchen, plan a meal, and make sure no one leaves any crumbs!
