Three Myths about Selecting Contest or Festival Repertoire

Having the chance to hear bands from all over the country is a wonderful perk for a college band director!  Truly, every region has it’s own approach to band, it’s own flavor (!), and I always take new ideas with me after judging at a festival.

So, in the interest of passing on a few repertoire-related observations, here are the things that I have seen first-hand (or hear from judges/colleagues sitting nearby in the balcony) that relate to the music selections–it is by no means definitive, but it might help pull the curtain back just a bit!

3. Myth: Avoid standard repertoire (in other words,”Pick tunes the judges won’t know!”)  Adjudicators will expect all directors to adhere to their own interpretations of standard rep., so do not even bother trying to perform it, as there is no way to predict what they want!

Fact: I mean this with all seriousness–what adjudicators want is an understanding of style (dance vs. lyrical, and so on), a good sense of intonation, melodic and accompanimental phrasing, notes that reach the end of the bar lines, and clear technique.  I have never seen a clinician dock points because a director chose to broaden time in, say,  a Grainger piece, as long as it is evident that the ensemble had a superb sense of time throughout.  Or, if a director has their own take on a Sousa march, fine!  That’s what they were made for!  Obscure music does not mean the adjudicator will ignore the need for the musical elements listed above!

2. Myth: Harder=Better!  Last year’s state champion played a hard piece by Mackey, so if we want to compete, we must play a similarly hard piece.

Fact: See the “Fact” above–if last year’s state champion accomplished those musical goals previously listed, then it is largely irrelevant that they played Mackey or Steve Bryant or Maslanka!  Judges often look for an appropriate level of challenge, but once that level surpasses the student’s collective ability, it is almost impossible to perform musically!  In this sense, harder music can cause more problems than it solves.  This does not mean challenge is to be avoided, but challenges tend to call for a moderately high degree of mastery if one is attending an adjudicated event.  Experiment with tunes that may, at first, seem a tad bit less of a technical challenge, and see how the students respond with phrasing, style, and musicianship!

1.  Myth: Every band must play “Wind Ensemble” music.  ”Symphonic Band” may seem like an old-fashioned word to some, and it may feel less progressive.  However, I can assure you, when a band has been artificially cut down to the bare minimum of numbers reflecting nearly one-to-a-part, it does not mean that “wind ensemble” music is appropriate!

Fact: If we recall that Maestro Fennell developed the wind ensemble concept with the finest wind, brass, and percussion musicians at Eastman, then we might expect that the music for such an ensemble would highlight the virtuosity of those very individuals.  Virtuosic wind music that is sparse in texture was not conceived by starting with a set number of players; rather, it was simply the number required to hear each and every tone color in the ensemble with clarity, allowing for virtuosity to speak.

So, if your players are not yet to the point where they EACH have a virtuosic control over tone, technique, intonation, and expression, it may be a greater benefit to combine your bands and perform some of the outstanding repertoire for larger symphonic ensembles.  Consider the sounds each player creates to inform your band’s repertoire style (symphonic band vs. chamber-like wind ensemble music) so that you may provide the best possible performing environment!

As the new schoolyear looms closer, dig around the back of those cabinets in the music library!  There might be a good, old, yellow, aged, symphonic band standard waiting to knock your students right out of their seats.

Hey, it is new to them!  Like a prime time re-run in the summer!

For more repertoire ideas, check out the latest episode of Wind Bands of Every Flavor, featuring a panel discussion of great openers, chorale-style pieces, “big” pieces, and closers!

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