 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Faith
Date: 2003-03-07 21:18
Hello everyone,
I'm new here, but have enjoyed dropping by to look at your posts. I'm in a community symphonic band and would appreciate your suggestions for concert themes. In the past we have done, Tributes, blues and jazz, sousa, Western pieces, operatic, around the world, etc. So far, I've thought about a possibility of Symphonic Hymns and Dances (any pieces that fit this would be great); another is America! (compositions reflecting our land). Any advice of possible music or creative themes would be greatly appreciated because I would like to contribute an idea. Thanks!
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-03-07 22:31
Are you in the Austin Symphonic Band? I've heard good things about you guys (I'm in Corpus Christi). If you guys haven't done this already (or at least not done it into the ground), what about a Texas theme? Or a Texas movies theme? Or a Texas music theme (Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, etc.). Heck, why not a musical interpretation of Texas Monthly's "10 Worst Legislators."
Texas is the greatest state in the land, so the musical pickins are abundant.
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-03-07 22:51
Faith, It seems that our local symp and my concert band picks music that relates to upcoming holidays/ meetings etc. For example, Veteran's Days, Chr/New Years, etc and specials such as our annual Chataququa [as in NY, just cant spell] band gig in Tulsa. Its kinda like the "reasons for a party" !! Luck, Don Was a TX resident, Ralph, for 5-6 yrs, OK now, its good too!!
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Wendy
Date: 2003-03-08 03:38
Don said, "specials such as our annual Chataququa [as in NY, just cant spell] band gig in Tulsa"
Why do you have a Chautauqua band gig in Tulsa? What is that? I'm just curious because I live about 90 minutes from Chautauqua in NY. In fact, our community band is looking into playing and spending a weekend there in August.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-03-08 03:46
> I'm just curious because I live about 90 minutes from
> Chautauqua in NY. In fact, our community band is looking into
> playing and spending a weekend there in August.
And Chautauqua has a very good music & arts festival every year (I used to live about 90 minutes or so from Chautauqua, too ;^)
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2003-03-08 07:01
Our symphony orchestra has done 55 concerts in 10 years and every year, one or more is programmed to a theme. This focusses the choice of pieces and is easier to put together. That having been said, the range is usually still enormous !
These themes (as with any themes) should translate to band nicely and have ranged eg from :-
"Invitation to the Dance", "The Sea", "TSO at the West End", "An Night at the Opera" (I,IIand III !!), "Latin America", "Russian Masterpieces", "Soiree Francais", "Showtime in America", "A Night at the Proms" etc. Many of these were used to show off visiting soloists' talents. Because of these themed concerts, happily, we have people waiting in the wings to solo with us !!! We also try to build in solos from our orchestra members where possible. Choosing programmes is a difficult task at times, but we think having the 3 principles below applied to every concert, we get the balance right more often than not. (We could however be just a tiny smidge biased !). These would be in order of importance :-
1) Music that the audience recognises, (crowd pullers)
2) Music that the players will enjoy, (orchestra pleasers)
3) Music to widen the knowledge and experience of both orchestra and audience. (?educational role)
I hope this has been helpful Faith,
BobT
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-03-08 13:46
TKS, Wendy, Mark, Bob, Yes, Chautauqua just isn't spelled like Albuquerqua, a "good day ", learned something! Our Tulsa Ch. is an historical/educational series of lectures/concerts, maybe a week's duration, in June. We are preparing several numbers, the major one is Ives' America, much more difficult than it "sounds" [for us]. Also, the old "pot-boiler" M. N. and Noon in Vienna, Huckaby's [new] "Heroic Sketches", and a couple more "jazzy" numbers, I have a blues-solo on bass cl! The B W says, get moving!! Nuff for now. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Faith
Date: 2003-03-10 16:34
Ralph,
Yes I am with the ASB. Wow, that is really neat that you have heard of us. This is my 2nd year as a member of the band and I enjoy being part of it.
I want to thank everyone for your great suggestions. Give me ideas to think about. Usually, we play 3 subscription concerts with themes a year then we play Mother's Day, Father's Day, Fourth of July...we also have a fall concert in the park as well which keeps us pretty busy :0). I wanted to contribute in another way if possible...besides playing. Thanks again!
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Author: Eileen
Date: 2003-03-10 18:17
Once we did a circus theme concert in band. You could play circus marches and maybe have an animal theme for the other pieces. We decorated the stage in a circus wagon motif. I still have some photos. It looked cute.
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-03-11 13:05
Texas, huh? How about a western theme. You could start out with John Williams' "The Cowboys." One of his lesser known works, but a really good piece. I know there is an orchestra arrangement from "Dances With Wolves" that has a beautiful horn part. Has any of the Copland stuff been transcribed for band? Or Grand Canyon Suite by Grofe? Perhaps some themes from westerns or tv shows...that would bring back a lot of memories from the audience.
Have fun.....programming music is to me one of the most enjoyable things to do.
Jean
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-03-11 13:52
Texas, huh? How about a western theme. You could start out with John Williams' "The Cowboys." One of his lesser known works, but a really good piece. I know there is an orchestra arrangement from "Dances With Wolves" that has a beautiful horn part. Has any of the Copland stuff been transcribed for band? Or Grand Canyon Suite by Grofe? Perhaps some themes from westerns or tv shows...that would bring back a lot of memories from the audience.
Have fun.....programming music is to me one of the most enjoyable things to do.
Jean
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-03-11 13:52
Texas, huh? How about a western theme. You could start out with John Williams' "The Cowboys." One of his lesser known works, but a really good piece. I know there is an orchestra arrangement from "Dances With Wolves" that has a beautiful horn part. Has any of the Copland stuff been transcribed for band? Or Grand Canyon Suite by Grofe? Perhaps some themes from westerns or tv shows...that would bring back a lot of memories from the audience.
Have fun.....programming music is to me one of the most enjoyable things to do.
Jean
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-03-11 13:53
Texas, huh? How about a western theme. You could start out with John Williams' "The Cowboys." One of his lesser known works, but a really good piece. I know there is an orchestra arrangement from "Dances With Wolves" that has a beautiful horn part. Has any of the Copland stuff been transcribed for band? Or Grand Canyon Suite by Grofe? Perhaps some themes from westerns or tv shows...that would bring back a lot of memories from the audience.
Have fun.....programming music is to me one of the most enjoyable things to do.
Jean
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-03-11 13:53
Sorry about that triple post...the site wasn't responding...or so it said.
Jean
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Author: Faith
Date: 2003-03-11 15:18
It's funny that you should suggest Cowboys...We just did that piece for our Westward Ho! Concert. Jim Wider, flutist (WOW, just a great musician) was the guest artist. I'm really liking the cirus idea though :0), sounds like a lot of fun. I'm glad I posted here because I'm getting a lot of great suggestions. Thanks everyone!
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Author: Faith
Date: 2003-03-11 15:36
Okay guys. Flutist Jim Walker, not Wider (I'm thinking of another artist).
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Author: andreak
Date: 2003-03-11 16:12
Our community band's spring concert is usually a benefit for some other organization. I can recall one in the past that was a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club, and this year we picked Children's Miracle Network. The selections aren't all "kid's songs", but it does make for an appealing lineup by mixing them in.
A few selections from both concerts that appeal to the younger set, but don't have to be all kids songs:
Children of the Shrine (Shriner's theme march)
Teddy Bear Rag
Theme from Wizard of Oz
Cartoon Symphony
parts of the Grand Canyon Suite (can you hear the donkey noises?)
Our direcotor is a retired Marine, so we've done the Patriotic theme/Veteran's Day concert theme many times.
We also have done performances for Oktoberfest - polkas and traditional folk songs, a few Sousa marches.
We're located on the Mississippi river, so we've had River Songs and Dixieland type themes also.
Most important, have fun!
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Author: squeaker
Date: 2003-03-12 05:51
I was in a community orchestra where we did an "Across the Lake" theme in which we played music that was by all english composers - I thought it was great!
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