Read through my most recent articles:

• A year of Progress
• Review: Nottingham Symphonic Winds, Lakeside Arts Centre

See a full list of articles.

 Subscribe to latest articles.

See more upcoming events.

Learn about the ensembles I've had involvement in:

• Harlequin Brass Ensemble
• Leeds College of Music Wind Ensemble
• National Saxophone Choir of Great Britain
• Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra
• Phoenix Concert Band
• Yorkshire Wind Orchestra

Listen to my thoughts, ideas and compositions via my new podcast.

+iTunes +ZENCast +Zune +My Yahoo!

 Subscribe to podcast.

I have worked in most areas of music and the issue of choosing repertoire has always been a key one where those choices have been mine to make.

When I left the RNCM convinced that I knew it all, I was quite sure that only quality music should be considered and that “rubbish” was for others to play. Up to that point there were plenty of people around to give opinions on what was good and what was awful. In a way, it was hard to disagree with opinionated young music students so everyone tended to go with the flow.

Out in the real world, initially with my own little orchestra, I needed to ensure that the people who paid the fees were happy with our work. This meant playing the music that the public wanted to hear, regardless of my own tastes and preferences. It also meant playing that music well, which was not as simple a sit sounds. I had to learn to respect all types and styles of music; to analyse the elements needed to create the right effect and to develop the techniques required to reproduce the sounds in a live situation.

We had to deal with everything from vocal styles to methods of amplification and synthesis. In the end, I was so engaged in the practical issues of reproducing the sounds authentically, that I had quite forgotten to judge the music by my “sophisticated” standards. I am not trying to say that there are no bad pieces of music out there. It simply depends on the criteria for success as to whether a piece works or not. You need to take all the factors into consideration, in order to choose the best repertoire for your situation.

When I took over the YWO I was only interested in conducting the sort of repertoire that the college bands were playing. After all, my players are all former music students with far more experience, and a lot more emotional commitment than any second year college student. I played many public concerts at college to small elite audiences and soon the YWO began to get used to outnumbering their paying guests on a regular basis. To this day college concerts can be very sparsely attended and even BASBWE conferences do not guarantee an audience for the type of challenging repertoire that is sometimes played.

To make matters worse, wind ensembles need large rooms in which to perform. Smaller venues are cheaper and easier to fill, but no one will come back if they have been deafened by the orchestra for the duration. Certainly, the issue of how we play loudly is a different subject area, and one which I will discuss both separately and in specific articles on this site.

When I planned concerts with lighter, more audience friendly repertoire, the players were often less respectful of the music and this attitude was not conducive to creating committed and communicative performances. At the same time, treating some of this repertoire with the ultimate respect produced some excellent musical playing that seemed to please everyone, particularly when the arrangements were of very good quality.

In the end it was clear that repertoire needed to be found which fulfilled most of the requirements of the functioning amateur musical organisation. Music would have to be emotionally interesting, within the capabilities of the listener to enjoy, have the right level of challenge for the group, have enough substance to justify the time in rehearsal and fit into the instrumental combination available without having to buy in harps, etc.

In the world of wind music today, it is sometimes thought, that there are two distinct factions. The two could be described as the elitists and the populists. Put simply, those who like modern, contemporary repertoire with tonal and rhythmic complexities, and those who want to play arrangements of pop music and other concert music.

Now I can think of living examples of both stereotypes and probably so can you. The fact is that I could not survive in my day-to-day work without being able to manage both extremes well.

There are compelling reasons for the opinions of both camps. The worst of the contemporary repertoire is often very predictable in the use of the instrumental forces. How many “modern” pieces have you suffered through with screeching clarinets wailing saxophones and “oh hooray” another fanfare figure for the brass. The populist repertoire is full of ABA predictable repetitious, thematically challenged pieces with more style than substance.

All of this is of course based on the extremes of each faction. There are excellent arrangements by very good musicians that work extremely well for wind groups. I have not had many phone calls from Hal Leonard to arrange music for them; the people who are commissioned are very good, in general, at what they do.

Similarly there are fantastic, challenging, contemporary pieces that would be fascinating to hear without having to be a college graduate or a nutty professor.
The fact is that if the music is played in a way that keeps the interest of the audience throughout each work, concentrating on keeping it alive with energy and communication, making each work individual by respectfully adhering to the phrasing, articulation and balance, and not playing things too loudly, the audience will but into it with you.

As a conductor, do not be frightened to say, “I simply do not like this piece and I’m not going to programme it!” Never mind what the other conductors are doing. You need to be able to interpret it and sell it to your audience and your players. Also, be prepared to stand by the choices you make.

I have heard much about building up a following, or educating the audience and in my experience you will not manage to do both at the same time. The following for the NSWO had slumped to an all time low prior to my taking them over in January. The people simply did not like the music. Actually they didn’t like some of the music, and that seemed to put them off the rest. Since taking over I have programmed a variety of styles of work and I have demanded the same respect and musical attention be given to all the music. The audience have returned and are applauding Holst, Hosay, Ticheli, Sparke, Whitacre, and even dare I say Anderson.

In the next concert there will be Sun Paints Rainbows on the Vast Waves as well as the premiere of the full Radio Days suite; two entirely different ways of writing for the same group. When we perform the works I will “sell” them to the audience and interest them in the experience that they are about to have. We will also stylistically vary the way the works are presented and I would bet that the Bedford leaves a lasting positive impression on the band’s followers.

If you know of a piece that you feel falls into the category of “worthwhile challenging contemporary music, which will work with any audience” send me the details on the guestbook page and I will put the names up on the site.

More to come on this subject soon!