Integrating Small Ensemble Performances Into Large Ensemble Rehearsals, Jacques Rizzo

Jacques Rizzo Retired Jbrizzo@optonline.net

For teachers who have daily ensemble rehearsals, be it choir, band, or orchestra, an ongoing challenge is having a sufficient variety of productive musical activities to keep students engaged. Some common activities are warmups, technical exercises, work in method books and theory workbooks, sight reading, and work on repertoire.

But there was one other activity I put 1 into practice that I found quite valuable: weekly small ensemble performances by the students for their peers. It was beneficial in several ways: 1) it provided an activity that students enjoyed that was quite different from the regular rehearsal, 2) it was challenging for students, as they were wholly responsible for rehearsal and performance, and 3) it focused student attention on the musical aspects of performance, as they were responsible for critiquing the performances of their peers.

A few weeks after the start of the school year, I divided the band (this could also work well for choral and string ensembles) into small ensembles - trios, quartets, and quintets - making sure that each ensemble was balanced with regard to student ability. That is, each ensemble had a more experienced student who could provide leadership as well as less advanced students. Some of the ensembles were made up of a single instrument (flute trio, trumpet quartet, percussion quintet, etc.). Others had mixed instrumentation (woodwind and brass trios, quartets, and quintets) to insure oboes, bassoons, tubas, etc. were included.

My only input was 1) the choice of music, to insure that the performance had every opportunity for success, and 2) guidelines for students to follow in rehearsal. The students in the small ensemble, after attendance was taken, worked in a practice room during the week and presented their performance before the band on Friday. The band members were responsible for informally grading the performance, and a guided discussion of the critique areas followed each performance. There was an ensemble performance every Friday, except for the first few weeks of school, the week or two before a concert when the entire band was needed for rehearsal; the last week or two of school when preparing for graduation; and shortened vacation weeks.

Students enjoyed the break from the normal rehearsal, working on their own. In all the years the program ran, I never had issues with student behavior. I think this was due in part to the pressure of preparing the performance for their peers, and the leadership of the more experienced students. These leaders, who had presented ensemble performances in previous years, let younger members of the ensemble know that every moment of rehearsal time was important if they were to be their best.

The obvious benefits of the program were the individual responsibility each student had to prepare his or her part, and the collaborative interaction needed to produce the group performance. But for me, the greatest benefit was the reflection on the musical aspects of performance required both of the students who were preparing the performance and those who were grading the performance. The carryover of this attention to the more musical aspects of performance into the playing of the larger ensemble was well worth the loss of a few students from rehearsal each week. 1 The Ensemble Critique Sheet, which was in a text on teaching band, was the inspiration for establishing weekly ensemble performances. Although I have searched my library, I haven’t been able to find the source.

1) Tune your instruments and play some warm up exercises. (Do this at the start of each session.) Then, together, play through each part. Check time and key signatures and take a moderately slow tempo. Help each other with fingerings and any rhythmic problems. Now that you’ve gone through each of the parts, decide who plays which part. If your ensemble has mixed instrumentation (for example, two trumpets, French horn, and trombone), the players should look on as each person plays through his part. 2) Each person should now play his assigned part by himself with the others helping him where needed. Keep comments constructive and positive. Make sure each person is playing their part correctly so they aren’t practicing mistakes at home.

1) Review each part individually. Correct any mistakes. 2) Play the ensemble through, looking for places that need work. If you have difficulty with different rhythms occurring simultaneously, play each part separately on that phrase, then add parts one at a time. For example, first work out the third part at the trouble spot, then the second part. Then fit the second and third parts together. Continue this way, adding one part at a time. After the trouble spot is learned, play the ensemble through again to see if there are other places that need work. 3) Mark breathing places and work on dynamics, articulations, tone quality, blend, etc., the things that will make your performance more musical. Concentrate on these musical aspects in your home practice.

1) Play the piece through several times, concentrating on the areas in the Ensemble Critique Sheet. If needed, review steps from

Day 1 and/or 2. This is the day to “get it all together.” 2) Rate your playing, using the Ensemble Critique Sheet.

1) Work on any remaining weak spots. Review steps from Day 1 and/or 2, if needed. 2) Play the piece through as if it were the actual performance.

Check posture and stage appearance, and decide who will announce the piece to the band. Rate your performance.

Play the piece through once, then perform it for the band. Good

Luck!

Day 1: Assign parts, work out individual parts.

Day 2: Put parts together; start to work on musical aspects of the piece.

Day 3: Review Day 1 and 2 as needed; rate yourself using the Ensemble Critique Sheet.

Day 4: Final check and polishing of the performance

Day 5: Performance.

© 2015 Jacques Rizzo

Rate performance and technical skills from 1 (poor) to 10 (superior).

Tone: Is the tone well supported? Even throughout the range of the instrument? Pleasing? Controlled? Expressive? How would you describe the ensemble tone quality?.................................................................................................................................................... ______ Intonation: Are the instruments in tune? Individually? In the ensemble (with each other)?........................................................... ______ Blend and Balance: Are some instruments too soft? Too loud? Is there a feeling of ensemble blend and balance? .......................... ______ Rhythm: Accurately interpreted? Precisely played? Is there an ensemble feeling for the rhythm?Agogic accents? .......................... ______

Technique: Controlled? Fluent?.................................................................................................................................................... ______

Tempo: Comfortable? Steady? Too fast? Too slow?........................................................................................................................ ______

Dynamics: Observed? Contrast?................................................................................................................................................... ______

Phrasing: Unplanned? Musical? Expressive? In proper style of articulation (legato/staccato/marcato)? .......................................... ______

Choice of music: Suited to group’s capabilities? ............................................................................................................................ ______

Appearance/stage presence: Posture? Is appearance disciplined? Do they communicate to the audience?....................................... ______

Total:............................................................................................................................................................................................ ______

General rating of musicianship: Excellent _____ Above average _____ Average _____ Poor ____