Repertoire

Articles to read:

Two Left Feet: Wonky, Comedic Marches for Band (Grade 4-5)

Keep your audience on their toes - or not. They'll be hard pressed to keep tapping in time to these off-balance marches!

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Australian Music for High School, University, Youth & Community Full Orchestra

Looking to diversify the repertoire for your orchestra? Whether your musicians are just starting out, or ready for a big challenge, there's a work by an Australian composer with your name on it!

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Does our repertoire reflect our people?

Well, does it? If the answer's no, then we've got work to do. Here's how to get better.

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6 band works you must hear, program and perform (that you probably don't know)

Here are 6 incredible band works for ensembles from Grade 1-5 you need to hear, program and perform - that just happen to be by women composers.

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Three grade 3 pieces to promote independence and creativity

So much of our job is telling players what to do and how to do it. It's so easy for us to get stuck on the podium, dictating to students every element of what and how to play. It feels good - we say something and the sound improves! Yay! But this method is actually really inefficient. What if the students could be making their own judgements about the music, adjusting in the moment and, essentially, rehearsing themselves? Sound impossible and idyllic? It's not.

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Why Can’t the Students Pick Their Own Music?

I received this question from a colleague at the end of her tether, wondering what she should tell parents who were hounding her, and students who wanted to play endless concerts of Harry Potter, Star Wars, Pharell Williams and Beyonce. "We like that music, why can’t we play it in band?"

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Podcasts to listen to:

S2E4: Plan, Reflect Adapt - How to Make Progress in Rehearsal

How can we set ourselves up to listen better in rehearsals? What can be planned in advance, and when do we need to adapt our plans? What tools can we use to make our rehearsals more efficient? What does good feedback for players look like, and how can we deliver it in a sensitive way? We tackle all these questions and more as we explore the nitty gritty of middle rehearsals.

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S2E3: First rehearsals - trust, expectations and listening like crazy

It's the all-important first rehearsal! What is needed from both conductors and players in the first rehearsal? How does stress play a role? How do we navigate the dynamics of conducting professional versus educational orchestras? How can understanding attention help us set more reasonable expectations for ourselves, and the musicians?

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S2E2: From paper to performance - score study, imagination & listening like crazy

How do you effectively prepare and study a score before rehearsals? How do you create your own vision for the piece? Should you listen to recordings? What about MIDIs? How do you prepare for a world premiere where no recording exists? We tackle all the curly questions to help you boost your score preparation.

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S2E0: Better Rehearsals - Trailer

What do players need from conductors from before the first rehearsal up to the performance? Dive in with us in this sneak peek of our newest season!

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S1E7: Engaging Players and Audiences with Thematic Programming

The how and why of thematic programming to engage your players and (new) audiences.

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S1E6: Discernment: How to Pick Quality Music

How do we determine artistic excellence? How do we select music that is appropriate for our ensembles, audiences and performances?

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S1E5: Finding New Music: Being A Repertoire Detective

Where and how to look for new repertoire.

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S1E4: The Concert: Creating An Emotional Journey

Curating transformative experiences for performers and audiences.

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S1E3: Creating Balanced, Contrasting Programs

Make your audience and players hungry for more with programs that are varied and balanced.

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S1E2: Make Real Music Faster with Appropriate Repertoire

Get to real music making faster by selecting appropriate music. 8 Common ensemble problems caused by repertoire choice and how to avoid them. The 80/20 rule for selecting music that is the right level for your ensemble.

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S1E1: Setting Goals for Guaranteed Growth and Learning

The building blocks of repertoire selection: where do you want to go, and how long have you got to get there? Tools and strategies to feel ready and prepared for every performance. Set goals that ensure your ensemble members progress holistically throughout the year, both as musicians and as people.

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