TMEA TEACHING IN TENNESSEE grounded in the repertoire that is appropriate for our students’ abilities and may lose sight of pieces we may never approach with our own group. Knowing the works of significant composers guides our programming practices. If we are aware of beauty in design of what we know to be the core works in our field, as well as staying abreast of new compositions, we are more apt to seek those traits in selections that meet the ability level of our students. As educational theory suggests, our curriculum should advance in a way that students revisit concepts over time (Bruner, 1960), connect to previous experiences, and participate in unfamiliar learning through careful scaffolding in their developmental zone (Hopkins, 2013). The musical signatures of significant composers will be present, in some way, in quality works at lower grade levels, and we can revisit concepts through increasing complexity over the course of a student’s time with us. PROGRAM FOR THE AUDIENCE, TOO. While an audience full of parents will politely and enthusiastically applaud every piece on the program, parents are also discriminating listeners capable of making critical assessments of what is being played on stage. Appealing to the intellects and aesthetic sensitivity of our audiences is always encouraged and will reap benefits that support our mission. Variety is critical. On a single performance, consider a combination of works that provides diversity in key structure, rhythm, orchestration, form, and development. A concert program that represents musical depth and is sufficiently unpredictable creates a landscape for thought with listeners. This kind of planning shows our commitment to programming through analytical thinking over visceral reaction. APPEALING TO THE INTELLECTS AND AESTHETIC SENSITIVITY OF OUR AUDIENCES IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED AND WILL REAP BENEFITS THAT SUPPORT OUR MISSION. Be prepared to talk to the audience about the music. While the music was selected with students in mind, the challenge is to engage the audience in the process (Reynolds, 2000). There is no shortage of works with an onomatopoeia title and composerwritten program notes filled with adjectives (fiery, soaring, majestic, etc.). Consider how these descriptions sound to an audience of working professionals and apply sparingly. It is always advisable to write your own notes from your analysis of the music. One of the most important advocacy moments can be found in an intelligent verbal program note telling listeners about the significance of the work that you have chosen—guiding their listening in challenging ways. If there is little to say about the music, perhaps it was not the correct choice. Intentional programming with audience in mind will make this an easy task. CONSIDER VALUE AND PITFALLS IN EDUCATIONAL MUSIC The body of repertoire for school bands has grown substantially. Between 2007 and 2012, 5,903 new titles were introduced, and 4,<strong>75</strong>8 were new original works for concert band (Weller, 2014). This is an important resource as it is widely available, designed to match curriculum, and suitable to a broad range of ensemble shapes, sizes, and abilities. However, disagreements have arisen regarding the format of educational compositions dubbed as made-for-school music (Budiansky & Foley, 2005)—most often written in a commercially successful template that, if used exclusively, can limit the musical content to which our students are exposed. Programming without careful consideration may result in a concert that contains several works exhibiting similar form and content. Educational compositions continue to be a significant source for assessment in the profession. A 2022 survey of Concert Festival Assessment programs in Tennessee found that the ten most cited composers were current popular names in the educational publishing industry and were cited 92 times (38%) in the 239 works performed. Of the ten, several were credited for the same piece more than two times, and the most cited composer had 23 performances (Kraus, 2023). This is not an aspersion on composers or their music—only an observation of the ubiquity of the medium. Certainly, selecting music for festival assessment involves scrutiny as success is attached to perceived teaching effectiveness (Hash, 2013), and the educational publishing template provides a trustworthy route. <strong>No</strong>netheless, we should be aware of patterns in our choices and the rationales that influence our decisions. While the impact of educational publishing on our repertoire is valuable, seeking diversity in content is our challenge. PRACTICE SENSITIVITY AND SENSIBILITY Current trends in cultural responsiveness challenge us to seek musical styles outside of the Western canon, and modern music education philosophy promotes a broad approach to music making as well as fluency in global music styles (Elliot, 1995). Following this trend, the band repertoire has been infused with many authentic works written by diverse composers. There are also works that, while well-intentioned, may cross into cultural appropriation—inaccurately borrowing cultural customs, practices, or ideas and written by a composer not of the culture. Similarly, repertoire influenced by political ideology, sensitive issues, and social critique requires a framework for discussion to be interpreted successfully. It behooves us to research our choices when considering music that may stretch cultural, social, and political boundaries. Programming from diverse and authentic perspectives can be a new horizon if approached intentionally, and these options exist. 12 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2023 | <strong>Vol</strong>ume <strong>75</strong>, <strong>No</strong>. 4
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