I asked a question about a technique that he uses in his music called "overtone reinforcement." This is a very cool concept. Not only does it imply that certain partials will give the sound more thickness, but it also implies that there is another counterpoint and voice leading schema at play.
My approach to orchestration is backwards to that of most composers. I write highly chromatic two-part counterpoint in a lot of my music that is frequently supported by chords. Orchestrating counterpoint is really hard. I'll usually pick a pitch that is central to the counterpoint and support it in the instrument above it or below it that sounds just right. This gives my compositions a particular edge.
Orchestras are a problem in today's world. We don't have a lot of them left and a lot of them don't like to do new music. Therefore, composers have to write flexible instrumentation. We have to provide versions of our pieces that might be able to work for different ensembles, too. By adding more meat to the sound, we can make a smaller orchestra sound like a larger ensemble.
I also wanted to write a little bit about how composers and conductors can work together in order to solve the orchestra problem. If you're a graduate student writing an orchestra piece, the sad fact of the matter is that it is probably never going to get performed.
I tried a crowd sourcing strategy about three months ago in order to publicize my orchestra piece. I looked up several small colleges and universities and sampled recordings of their orchestras. I then emailed their directors and shared my music with them. I got very mixed responses. Some expressed concern that their ensemble might not be able to handle a new work. That's understandable. There was one conductor who sent me a very agitated email. It came across as, "How dare you ask me to use my orchestra!" I don't know...he was probably having a bad day.
Across the country, composers are being deterred from writing for this ensemble because their piece will probably just sit on the shelf of some dissertation pantry. This is unfortunate. Composers should write for orchestra because it is a wonderful ensemble. Conductors should try and program new music because it helps their performers grow. As a result, we all get to share a richer music making experience.
This is a big theme at this festival...community. Musicians can no longer afford to be institutionalized, compartmentalized, and individualized. It's about collaboration of composers, performers, conductors, and all types of musicians...with an emphasis on community.
Maybe, it's time for us musicians to start thinking differently about the orchestra situation. I know it's a problem, but maybe if we started thinking about solutions rather than emphasizing the problem, we might start getting somewhere. Is it just me, or is there something really convoluted about a composer saying, "I shouldn't write for orchestra because it will never get play," or a conductor saying, "I shouldn't program new music because I just don't have the budget or resources to do it," or, "I shouldn't program this music because my populace will hate it?"
I'm lucky that I've gotten three opportunities to use the orchestra at my institution over the last three years. There's other colleges and universities though where we have those conductors who don't like to program a lot of new music. Anyways, I have to go conduct some business before later. Please feel free too share your thoughts and feelings as a comment in response to the orchestra situation.
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