The Art of Programming

A professional musician must acquire an extensive repertoire of music that can be performed in many different opportunities. Music that spans the ages, from many different countries and of differed styles. Many times our concerts as students consisted of what we were studying that semester. Other times we had the luxury of performing favorite pieces and in other circumstances, we performed what had already been planned as much as a year in advanced. Upon graduation, one must think carefully about what music is appropriate in a given circumstance.

The following are some thoughts to consider while preparing your concerts.

• Know your audience
  It is helpful to have an idea about the people for whom you will be performing. (see other page The Elusive Audience).
• Length of the concert
  Consider your audience. How long should your program be? Should there be an intermission between two long parts or make the concert shorter and without a break. Be sensitive to your audience how long can they sit without a break, how long will their attention remain?

• Concerts with a theme?
  A theme would provide a thread for the audience to follow For example: music of all one style (all Baroque, all Impressionstic) or Music of one style from diffeent countries, music about a cartain topic ( Night, Moonlight etc.)

• What order to perform your music?
  Chronological, Stylistic Periods, Number of persons (solo, duo, trio etc.) Which piece should be first? Are yo up to that one first? Is your audience ready‘ to hear that first? Which piece should be just befor intermission, which one just after intermisson? Think about the length of each piece perormed...Do you have many shoirt little pieces? That may be a lot of clapping... Is it possible to group them in some way and have the applause after the groups?

• Program Notes
  Program notes are very helpful. They give your audience a deeper understanding of the music. Consider perhaps including some of your own personal insights on the piece as well as the traditional documentation. I have found program notes particularly useful when playing contemporary music-music that the audience may have difficulty understanding or appreciating. Another very important consideration about programing is the mood that the pieces create. Even if you are in a cronological order, sometimes it can be difficult present a serious and perhaps meloncholy piece following a bouncie happy atmosphere.