YOU MADE IT TO THE SUMMER! (ALMOST).
By now, you've completed your pinnacle end-of-year performances and are likely buried in assessment activities, some of you are already in audition mode for the fall. I bet many of you are enjoying the feeling of success for having achieved excellence (note: excellence comes in all shapes and sizes and definitions) - and if you're not taking a moment to sit back and enjoy the accomplishment that was the 2023-2024 School Year? I'm here to tell you: YOU CRUSHED IT . AGAIN. CONGRATS!!! I've put together a few thoughts below- happy reading - TOPICS: Small Ensemble Playing, Assessment and Ratings at Festivals, and Rules about Repertoire choices!
How Small Ensemble playing brings out the resilience in music students
On April 9-11, 2024 at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus, the OBA/UTSC Small Ensemble took place with 48 small groups over 3 days. With the exception of just a few: The majority of these groups were student-led/self-directed. I was onsite for the 3 days and I had a chance to listen in to performances and adjudications – and this year – more than previous years – I saw a level of resilience which I had not seen before. I’m sure you witness this firsthand, day after day in your classes and rehearsals. Despite facing various obstacles and uncertainties (particularly given the social environment we’re in),
students still display remarkable resilience in their ability to adapt, learn, and grow.
I witnessed over 500 students organizing themselves, managing themselves and their peers through warm ups, performances, adjudications and the entire festival process. Yes, their teachers were present but the majority were hands-off. I saw and heard students quickly adapt and embrace change and new ideas. I saw leadership like I have never seen before. There was even a school with 7 ensembles, student conductor/leaders for each group and they all have a succession plan for when those grade 12 students graduate. They have organized warm up routines, excellent inter-ensemble verbal and non verbal communication skills, and as mentioned – leadership. ALL of this from a weekly get together, outside of class (during lunch or after school) in a smaller, inclusive atmosphere of friends and colleagues.
A different teacher told me that she paired students together and she watched as kids who would have never associated with one another, suddenly became close friends.
ALL STYLES of music were performed including rock/jam groups with no sheet music or theoretical learning in the mix.
Music teachers play a crucial role in supporting and nurturing this type of resilience and independence. Your encouragement, guidance, and belief in your students empower them to pursue opportunities like this (and in some cases, think outside the traditional box and move away from repertoire that we would explore during large ensemble class/rehearsal time).
Consider a unit, module, lesson – or a designated weekly lunch hour in the room to promote small ensemble rehearsals! Whether you are hands-on as their advisor or totally hands off – you will have given your students the venue to create and collaborate – a safe space - in fact, the safest space in the school - your music room!
.png)
Festival Ratings in 2024
*Preface: The following short article does not represent or express the views of the Ontario Band Association.
BUT: As an OBA Festival chair in 2024 – I did notice some things in my travels. I have formulated an opinion which I’d like to share here.
No matter what we say, how much we try to promote the educational experience (the clinics with the guest adjudicators), the enrichment,
the overall festival experience….its UNDENIABLE that your students will be anxious (as some of you will be) to open up that envelope to see how you’ve been rated.
Adjudication panels change from year to year
It’s important to remember that every clinician/adjudicator’s style is different. Most festivals do have a meeting beforehand to lay out general expectations as well as to chat about what is going on in the schools in terms of levelling and standard. Also remember that each adjudicator’s interpretation is unique, and their comments, opinions, and feedback will be based on their own impression as well as their backgrounds.
Rubric Graphs and post performance clinic versus overall rating
The rubric checkmark locations on the grid don’t always correspond to your rating. It is possible for you to have medium or high levels on the scale in the different categories and not receive a gold or silver plus. Similarly, you may have an amazing and resourceful session with your clinician. Ratings are at the agreed upon discretion of the adjudicators. They will always have strong reasons for giving you the rating which they did.
The Standard in 2024 has gone up
We are now 2 full school years away from the last of the lockdowns. As we move into the future – while there is recognition that many programs and enrolments have changed forever – there is also an expectation that an ensemble attending a festival works on somewhat of a regular system of rehearsals. Whether it be weekly or daily. Entry levels have progressively gone up over the last two years and many programs are in healthy positions when it comes to performance practice.
Comparing your ratings between years
As mentioned, adjudicators change and the standard changes from year to year. If you received a particular grade last year, you employed all of the suggestions from your session, gave extra attention to the details in your recorded and written adjudications and rubric (and you made SURE that none of those things went wrong in this performance)– you are not guaranteed the same rating (or better) this year. If you received a lower rating this year, it really has no bearing on your previous year’s feedback.
Just Teach It!
So, you got a bronze. Okay. Kids will usually echo and emulate YOUR reaction. Bronze and Silver ratings are full of teachable moments. ALWAYS. It’s okay to not like it or agree with it but it’s such a great opportunity to work towards another/different achievement.
So what do you think? Should non-competitive festivals have ratings? There are other regions who have moved to the non-competitive (clinic only) model - should we be one of them?
Appropriate versus Inappropriate: This is not about appropriation, but it IS about Concert Band!
There is a very fine line between what types of repertoire are deemed appropriate for performances in festival/clinic based settings. Who decides what this criteria is? The festival organizers, along with their panels and teacher consultants - but - if the festival is a feeder to MusicFest Canada - The Nationals, the regional festival rules and regulations will typically mirror those set out by MusicFest.
What is deemed as POP? What should we avoid in Festival performances in Concert Band?
Top 40, Top 50, Top 100. Artists, groups. Eras and Decades (70's/80's/2010's/etc) Most things heard on the radio (wait, do we use the word radio anymore? - I meant most things heard on the spotify/amazon music/Itunes/youtube music/siriusXM). Disney Music. Any songs or tracks from Musical Theatre/Broadway/Show Tunes. Anything from a Movie (with the obvious classical exceptions). Any Television or streaming program themesongs. Video Game Music.
What is programmatic music and why is this so confusing?
My best definition here is: Programmatic is something with a definitive story, theme, and is lighter (or opposite, EXTREMELY dramatic) in nature. Examples: Clouds, Stars, The Sky, The Sun, the Moon, the Sun or moon EXPLODING, the Alien invasion, The Kings, The Queens, The Castle, The Troll under the Drawbridge and MOAT in the castle, the bears which drop out of trees in Australia, Zap Zap Pew Pew, Electricity, Power, Water, waves, drowning, Ships and Pirates, Sailing, Race Cars. This list could really, be an entire teacher's page update on it's own. Here's the confusing part: Most of this is generally acceptable for festival performances, but use your discretion. This music is lighter in nature, it is usually composed or arranged by Educational Music composers and publishers and it serves a specific purpose (ie Themed concerts) and, in many parts of Canada and the USA especially, it's a GO-TO category for directors who need to focus on recruitment and retention.
What is a possible definition of Contest/Festival Repertoire and which genres fall into this heading?
Let’s start this section off with utter confusion: SOME Programmatic music is also considered Contest/Festival Music. There’s a blurred and fine line between the two. Look at any festival syllabus and you’ll see several examples in every level/grade. Traditionally though, Festival repertoire includes overture style pieces, ABA formed larger/longer (multi-sectioned) works, Marches, Fanfares, Theme/Variations, Lyrical and slow/expressive music, and Technical Band works with section features/rhythmic and thematic diversity.
What’s the bottom line here?
At most festivals, you are required to play a selection from a syllabus AND ensure that you have contrasting selections. 99% of the time, this means that you need slow/lyrical material. I know that this is a tough pill to swallow for some folks but here goes: If you are participating in a concert band festival, just don’t play POP. It likely will not be adjudicated, won’t be clinic’d/workshopped, and it won’t be considered towards a rating or an invitation to Nationals (where POP is disallowed firmly). If you EVER have questions about which genres are appropriate, how to contrast and balance your programme, or if you need specific title ideas – PLEASE REACH OUT ANY TIME!
