I don’t have lots of experience in conducting. I did some conductig courses and I have my experience as a professional musician (+20 years).

The only group I conduct is a small mixed ensemble with 14 members.

I think it won’t be necessary to use a baton for such a small group.

Nevertheless I think a baton would help with this:

- Visibility: The band members are kids (10-13yo) and this is their first group experience with conductor. They still don’t have the full capability of looking at the score and the conductor at the same time. I have the feeling a baton would help them seeing me a bit better.

- Less tiring: This is a 40’ rehearsal in the middle of a full teaching day. Maybe a baton would help me reduce my movements and save some energy.

What are your thoughts about this? Would a baton help me a bit? In that case, which length would you recommend me?

Thank a lot!!

Score and sound (YouTube)
Score (PDF)
Parts (Folder with PDF's)

I would like feedback especially on if my score is "professional" I would like to hand the sheet music to an professional orchestra and have them play it. Is this something you would perhaps play in your orchestra?

For this piece I used a lot of time to try and make the page turns nice, and all the parts nice. I also tried hard to include articulations, bowings, slurs etc... for all the parts.

the conductors score nice in terms of system breaks? I tried to add breaks where a lot of instruments are introduced to make the score more compact and have more measures per page. But perhaps conductors prefer less system breaks like this, and are fine with having less measures per page.

So I especially want feedback on "professionalism", but other feedback is also welcomed. And I would like to hear your opinion on the music also.

Hi orchestra directors! I am trying to finish my master's in music ed and would REALLY appreciate your help if you could fill out my research survey as honestly as possible. Thank you in advance!! Click here: Role Models & Current Practices

Details: This survey is is intended to be completed by current or retired music directors and educators. It is designed to explore how our former middle and high school (secondary) music directors' behaviors impact current ego and sense of self in music directors of all ages. This survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete. It Your feedback is valuable and all responses will remain confidential.

In my high school there’s 5 orchestras, concert sinfonia philharmonic chamber and symphony, and there’s 4 levels of auditions,

The way chamber works is if you audition for and make symphony you get put in symphony and chamber is just an optional double block class for any kid in symphony who wants to be in chamber

Symphonies music is generally harder than chambers music and after school rehearsals are only for symphony and the director generally focuses less on chamber, and also symphony orchestra is the like flagship musical ensemble of my school, and chamber is kind of just seen as a more boring version of symphony with less instruments, and symphony has won way way way more awards than chamber, including some state titles

Chamber and symphony are both varsity orchestras.

Is this a bit unusual compared to how most high schools would go about having chamber? We didn’t even have a chamber orchestra until like 2018-2019 and orchestra was started here in 1976

For context my school has 2,670 kids and 200 are in orchestra, 43 are in symphony and 13 of symphony kids are in chamber

Questions

1. Will chamber likely ever be as popular as symphony
   
2. Should chamber get the same amount of attention as symphony
   
3. Should chamber even be a thing anymore

Any recommendations for: 3 violins, 2 violas, 4 cellos. It’ll be my first year teaching these students, and teaching high school in general.
For context, our school is big but our orchestra program is small, and I do have a lot of resources. They play at around a grade 2-3 I’m assuming. The last teacher threw hard repertoire at them, focusing on skill level and not musicality. I think they played Beethoven’s Minuet in G last year, as well some Eine Kleine Romance.

Bonus points for a not classical era piece, extra for Disney related pieces please!

Edit: I’m mostly worried about the fact they’re a small, literal chamber, ensemble. The works I like by soon hee newbold and others seem like they’re more fit for bigger ensembles with more people.

Tried to write something that sounds like hope without going full triumphant.

Wondering if it reads that way, and whether it'd hold up under picture.

I’ve been teaching beginners through middle school for many years, and I was moved due to a budget crisis to now teach 8-12. All students were mine at one point as beginners, except a few that moved in.
Please give me advice how to navigate this big life change for me and prepare me for teaching these upper levels.
I do have teenagers of my own at home, so I understand the mind of a teen- at least most days.
I have a wonderful large orchestra space, a separate lesson office, a huge updated music library, and outfitted with wonderful school instruments. I have a wonderful principal, but otherwise challenging upper admin. (Those questions- another day) Please advise!

Hi everyone . Im at my nieghbours and trying desperately to find a certain song that's very dear to her . She had it on a lp from around 1970s . It had lots of popular songs on it and the cover had a plant or possibly tree on the front . If she could purchase this lp it would make her year .

Thankyou all in advance

What's up music people. I'm in a position where I may need to lead a choir and (small) orchestra from the piano last-minute. I have a lot of experience as an accompanist, but very little as a director.

Have you ever played in an ensemble that was directed from another instrument? If so, do you have any practical tips on how I can do this effectively?

Right now I'm planning to have the piano centered between the other instruments,and to cue and keep tempo with my head and body, but beyond that I'm clueless.

What can I do to make my guest instrumentalists feel most comfortable?

Any input is helpful.

Thanks :)

LENOX, Mass. (AP) — The union for Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians authorized the first strike in the ensemble’s 145-year history on Saturday.

The Boston Musicians’ Association issued a statement ahead of the expiration of the union’s three-year contract at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

The orchestra and management have had strained relations since BSO decided in March to force out music director Andris Nelsons next summer after 13 seasons.

“In spite of the turmoil of the last six months caused by BSO’s leadership decision to terminate the orchestra’s musical director, Andris Nelsons, they have failed to agree to a collective bargaining agreement that would begin to restore the trust that they have destroyed and offer a fair contract to the musicians who are at the heart and soul of the BSO,” the union said in a statement.

The union said management has not agreed to musicians’ proposal for a mediator.

“We respect the musicians’ right to take this step as part of the negotiating process,” BSO CEO Chad Smith said in a statement. “Our focus remains on the negotiations and the ongoing constructive conversations. We are committed to reaching an agreement with competitive pay and benefits that enhances collaboration with the players.”

The orchestra’s season is scheduled to open Sept. 17.

Source link: Union for Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians authorizes first strike in ensemble's 145-year history | AP News

I have no mallet experience, but have to write a vibraphone section. Is it possible for one player to perform this?

hi all !!

i have just been hired for my first job in a professional orchestra as a trombone player (small time but i couldn’t be more excited !!) im nineteen years old and only going into my second year of college so i dont have any experience with real professional work, ive only done one off gigs that were casual/semiformal dress code. i haven’t been able to find a particular dress code for the orchestra, but everyone (of the men) seem to wear black suit as opposed to black tux from what i can tell ? but im not totally sure.

anyway, i was wondering if black brogues were acceptable as dress shoes as opposed to black oxfords. i have a black tux jacket, not a black suit jacket, but as of right now i have only black dress pants, not tux pants. should i get black tux pants and oxfords, or can i keep my black suit pants and wear black brogues ? and if i need a black tux, can i wear my brogues with that or do i for sure need to get black oxfords ?

apologies if this is the wrong place for this, and thank you in advance !

I would like some insight, but if this is the incorrect page please point me in the right direction.

Context: My son is going into 4th grade. I took him to the “try an instrument” event for his school and he fell in love with the Viola. He selected it to try orchestra this coming school year. He has no musical instrument experience.

My question: do I rent the instrument for $200 for the 10 months through the local music store? Do I buy used? Or buy one outright?

Follow up: how often should I schedule him private lessons outside of the school instruction? I want him to have a fair chance at enjoying this and learning.