Article
Practising in the New World: Strategies for Preparing Contemporary Music for First Performance
Music Performance Research
(2015)
Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to investigate the practice
strategies used by a professional orchestral musician to prepare for a première. A
member of the woodwind section of one of the top seven orchestras in the
United States was interviewed for approximately six hours about strategies used
to prepare newly composed music and factors that determine the amount of
time needed to prepare prior to first rehearsal. For the interviewee, practising
generally focused on anticipating how his part fitted into the ensemble through
score study and preparing for what the conductor might demand. He also
discussed rehearsals and how these rehearsals anticipated the performance. The
practice strategies discussed by the interviewee were designed for use in the
unique circumstances associated with preparing for the first performance of a
new work: learning difficult and original music, without an aural model, in a short
amount of time. These included the use of various types of technology (e.g.,
recordings, notational software, recording software) that were often used to
create an aural model of the piece being practised. The application of strategies
to pedagogical situations is discussed.
Keywords
- orchestral,
- practice techniques,
- expertise development,
- music performance,
- music practice,
- instrumental music,
- aural model,
- technology
Disciplines
Publication Date
2015
Citation Information
Jennifer Mishra. "Practising in the New World: Strategies for Preparing Contemporary Music for First Performance" Music Performance Research Vol. 7 (2015) p. 65 - 80 ISSN: 7155-9219 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jennifer-mishra/11/