The Short End of the Stick

So music directors talk about visions for seasons, eh? For me, the programming process sometimes makes me feel like one of Frank Herbert’s Guild Navigators, trying to find a safe path through the information overload of an infinite array of options. So maybe it IS a matter of vision, though not in the sense meant in the question!

At the DPO programming is centered around a 25-plus-page Word document called “The Wish List”. On it I have information on repertoire, soloists, and program ideas. It’s a master list of pieces we want the orchestra to play. “We” means everyone collectively, since the Wish List contains input from musicians, trustees, marketing and other staff, audience members, plus my own ideas and those of Executive Director Curt Long.

When an idea strikes me, it goes on the Wish List. When I hear a piece on the radio that turns into a “driveway moment” it goes on the wish list. When a rep suggestion comes to me (which is pretty often), it goes on the Wish List — with that person’s name or initials, so I know where it came from.

Here’s the Wish List at work: A few years ago one of our musicians put in a request for Schuman’s New England Triptych. It’s a piece I like, but don’t really love, so unlikely that I’d to program it myself. But it’s a good piece and it’s on the List, so I’ve regularly shopped it to guest conductors. When one of our 08-09 guests recently chose it to open their program, I caught the musician on her way into rehearsal and the news seemed to make her day. Chalk one up for the Wish List!

For me, it’s not a matter of getting divine (or infernal) inspiration to create a vision for the season. It’s a matter of creating a balance between many varying (and sometimes competing) interests…

We need to play standard repertoire. We need to play new music. We need to play classics of the 20th century. We need to play worthy unfamiliar rep. We need to keep the musicians excited about the rep
they play. We need to keep the audience interested, engaged, happy, and eager to return. We need to create something that our marketing folks can be enthusiastic about so they can successfully promote and sell to the audience.

So I guess the vision for the season comes down to this: pleasing everybody all of the time! Just another easy part of the conductor’s job, I guess…

For me, navigating the path through all the options and requirements is both a solitary and three-step collaborative process: (1) lots of detailed study of the Wish List and the past repertoire list to create the broad outlines of the season with “must-dos” and “must-haves”; (2) close collaboration with my Executive Director on budget guidelines and musical objectives; (3) regular meetings with an active Program Committee comprised of musicians, trustees, and staff.

I know that many of my colleagues either avoid or bemoan the idea of Program Committees. But I’m happy to have one to work with. It’s a group of really knowledgeable music lovers who care deeply about the orchestra in general and repertoire in particular. The 08-09 classical season went through a total of 12 drafts and I found the Program Committee’s input invaluable. They serve as a sounding board, but I also use them to help me make decisions. On several occasions I’ve reached a point where I’ve got a few equally viable options for a particular slot on a program and it almost breaks my heart to, as John Sebastian once sang, “say yes to one and let the other one ride,” I’m more than happy to let the Committee make the decision.

Vision? I dunno. But to announce a season and have folks excited about what’s coming up is certainly something to look forward to!