 |
| Elise Favia concerto competition winner |
December 14, 12:00pm at Oakcrest School) we will perform selections from the full Nutcracker ballet and the Bellini oboe concerto, with Elise Favia, the MYO Henrietta Anderson Concerto Competition Winner.
Choosing repertoire for any youth orchestra is tricky. Many aspects need to be considered regarding the members of the ensemble and the organization as a whole*:
- Overall technical level
- Individual technical level
- Organizational culture
- Individual character
- Capacity for improvement over short and long periods of time
- Musical style preference (to a limited extent)
Most of these areas are easily defined the more time you spend with the students and organization. Even then, it can be difficult to predict the year ahead.
Then there are conductors like me: newbies. I spent a fair amount of time getting to know my predecessor, Paul Kim (now at ODU), picking his brain for those intangible bits of insight a conductor gathers through rehearsal and performance. Though Paul's insight has been very useful, it barely scratches the surface of what is needed to program a season in the blind. So I did what every conductor learns to do: learn everything you can and then... guess.
When new to an organization the most useful thing to consider is the organizational culture. So in this case, what direction do the leaders (both administration and parents) see the youth orchestra going in? Growing, improving, rebuilding? How do the key players in the organization's management approach barriers and problems that arise? What are the life goals and interests of the core student players? Certainly not an exhaustive list, but it starts the planning process.
 |
| Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky |
Therefore, my arrival at programming Tchaikovsky's epic ballet as our first major project together was relatively easy, though not at all quick.
MYO is certainly growing. This year alone there are many major changes, including schedule changes, rehearsal and performance re-location, and my arrival. The McLean Orchestra's Executive Director, John Huling, has to be the calmest one-man administration I have met so far in the orchestra business. For sure, he does not do the job entirely alone, as he would readily admit. However, in the words of Shakespeare
How many thousand of my poorest subjects
Henry IV
Are at this hour asleep! O sleep, O gentle sleep,
Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee,
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down
And steep my senses in forgetfulness?...
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.
Henry IV. Part II
 |
| NA Bulldog |
Therefore, the two things to balance regarding repertoire selection are challenge and fun. My lifelong belief is that a deeply moving piece of music that is worth performing well will overcome a lack of technical ability. Furthermore, technical ability can and will be improved by focusing on the musical elements needed to produce a highly moving musical experience. Instrumental technique does NOT exist in a vacuum. Musical direction is the sole motivator for technique development.
So, Nutcracker seemed like a logical choice. Though this piece will test us greatly in the realms of individual technique and ensemble cohesiveness, I rest my decision on the inherent beauty and easy accessibility of the music. No matter the objective outcome of the performance, the difficulty of the piece will engage, excite, and educate all of us. In education, the perfection we seek is in growth. Better IS perfect.
