Composition Matters

I am grateful to Drew for this invitation to exchange our thoughts and concerns about what has proven to be a delicate and challenging dynamic in the field – the interaction between orchestra musicians and composers. I am grateful to my fellow panelists for not shying away from the gnarliness of some of the issues that are responsible for this oft-lamented rift.

A unique aspect of this discussion has been the attempt to focus on these two components – musician and composer – of a complex paradigm that also involves conductors, residency directors and orchestra ED’s, artistic administrators, marketing departments, boards, audience and, to the extent that they influence residency design, foundations and grant programs. It isn’t easy to focus on this one component of such a complex dynamic without bringing in all of its other nodes, but I think it has been fruitful to try to do so.

I am coming away with a sharper understanding of one particular aspect of this relationship, at the heart of many issues we’ve discussed: clearer expectations will greatly improve communication.

Not all composers will avail themselves of opportunities for contact of various sorts with musicians, and not all of them will function equally well in these various contexts. Although there is disagreement about whether or not composers should be expected to develop the verbal and social skills that would enable them to participate richly in these forums, I would suggest that it is certainly every composer’s responsibility to know what kinds of engagement with players (and students, audience, etc.) has been his/her strongest suits, and to keep this in mind when discussing plans for residencies. At the recent orientation sessions for this year’s Music Alive residencies (the scion of the original Meet The Composer residency program elsewhere discussed here, now co-sponsored by MTC and ASOL), at which Roberto, Jennifer and I were all in attendance, we honed in on this issue as well – residency activities, including and especially those involving musicians, should be designed to engage the specific people skills of the composer, not to fulfill or please funding organizations, board members and the like. Composers need to know themselves so they can influence this planning.

And accordingly, musicians’ expectations of their interactions with composers need to be clear in their own minds, and need to be heard by those who will organize these interactions. Orchestra members should be empowered to articulate clearly what they hope to achieve in their interactions with composers, and these hopes and needs should be communicated to the composers during the planning process. Not all players will avail themselves of opportunities to have increased contact with composers. Of course, there will always be, at a minimum, the potential for basic rehearsal discussion, but it should be clear what expectations the composer, the orchestra administration and the conductor might have of the musicians in the course of residency and rehearsal.

Would I, personally, want to close down a restaurant continuing these energetic discussions with orchestra musicians? Yes! and I have done so. These experiences are always the ones that leave me full of idealism and energy to continue writing for that most gracious and miraculous creature, the orchestra. Thank you!!