My Musical Musings Blog | betsyleebaileymusic.com - The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey

Rewards of Good Stress

4/14/2024

Rehearsals make me happy.

Some people just don't get that statement. Why would anyone enjoy and even get a thrill out of doing the same things over and over again? Well, it is a process to make music the best it can be or for the performer to learn how to give his best performance possible. It can be a tiring process, but it can also be so joyful.

When I went to the Tabernacle Choir rehearsal the other night, fond memories came flooding back. I actually felt nostalgic about getting yelled at by conductor Mack Wilberg to "Shape it!" At that rehearsal he was asking the choir to shape a musical phrase a certain way like he demonstrated. When they then sang the phrase over again, they sounded so much better. Shaping makes such a difference.

How can a group of performers figure that out without a director showing them what to do and demanding that they rehearse it until they've got it right?

My daughter Ms. Workman could almost pass for a student!

My daughter teaches at a Middle School in SLC. She was asked to host a district Honor Band Festival this past weekend. (She even ended up filling in for a Tuba spot.) Selected students came from five different schools to join in this concert, but first they had to rehearse most of the day. They got to learn and later perform three challenging pieces. They practiced with an excellent and somewhat formidable guest conductor. They began at 10:00 am on Saturday morning and worked towards the concert that started at 5:00 pm.

Dr. David Fullmer, now Director of Bands at Snow College in Utah, had been my daughter Cami's High School Band director. As the host of the event, she invited Dr. Fullmer to come. He was still as demanding as ever, trying to coax the very best out of these students in their first ever Honor Band experience.

Some of Cami's students said they were very stressed out during rehearsal. One kid actually left and didn't come back to play in the concert. Cami had spent time during the week trying to prepare her students for this event. She said it would be taxing and that they might feel the pressure and stress of working very hard. As a teacher, she wanted them to know that some STRESS is good. Without it, you wouldn't see any GROWTH.

After the concert, her students who stayed through it all reported that they really felt so good afterwards. They recognized that they had learned a lot and all in all, had fun.

Isn't that great? Those are the rewards of working hard through demanding rehearsals.

Adjudications

3/8/2024

Yesterday I went with my daughter's Middle School chorus to a choral festival. Each of the three schools in the district sang 2-3 songs and the judges scored their performances. The hosting High School choirs also sang a few numbers.

This experience took me 'way back to the last time I remember being at a middle school adjudication. That was in Pasadena, Texas in the late 1960's. I remember wearing the chorus "uniform" of an A-line skirt and jacket in spring green with a light yellow blouse. Those were our school colors, light green and yellow. Just comparing how the kids dressed then compared to how they "almost" dress now pretty much made my stomach turn over. That and the cell phones.

Funny how back then, even in middle school, I felt like going to school was a privilege. I guess because I was in accelerated classes, I was grouped with kids who shared my love of learning. We were pretty competitive, but just doing school related tasks. Guess we were just a group of nerds. I remember enjoying school. I especially loved my art and music classes. We had a pretty large middle school chorus, too, probably near 100 students. Music, band, chorus and orchestra were big in Texas schools.

My daughter teaches at a Title 1 school where many of the students are from refugee families. Not only do they come from different cultures and speak other languages in their homes, many of their parents had very little if any formal schooling. Her students struggle and hardly get any support from home.

The adjudicators were very generous and took some time to work with her students. First, they talked a bit about how to overcome stage fright. Then they worked on posture, breath, matching pitches and rhythm. They knew that my daughter had already worked with them on these very things, so they had to be careful not to make it seem like she wasn't doing her job. The things they said to build her up were very nice, too. They even wondered if she acted and sang professionally on the stage. That really helped Cami feel better, too.

These two judges were very good at always building up not tearing down. It takes a special person to walk that fine line!

Planning Choir Music

8/17/2023

One of the most difficult tasks for a choir director seems to be choosing music. It isn't so hard if the THEMES are already chosen, but that rarely happens. It doesn't even matter if the choir is a Children's Chorus for Elementary School, a Community Choral Society, or a Church Choir. The problems for the directors are the same. Picking pieces for their groups to sing is time consuming and hard.

First, you've got to find MUSIC THAT SUITS YOUR GROUP. That can mean that the song that you heard another group sound so good doing just may not work for your group. So your first thoughts are dashed to pieces.

You need to find songs that your ACCOMPANIST can manage. Or sometimes you have no regular accompanist, but the other options for accompaniment aren't that great, either.

Your BUDGET is tight, so you either have to use music that already exists in your library stacks or be very creative and frugal.

Seems I've spent my life doing the creative and frugal route. Many times I have searched and searched for that perfect piece for my chorus only to run out of time. So I just wrote one. Or, I didn't have an accompanist, so I just directed from the piano bench. Or I got around not having much in the budget by strategically using music from the library stacks or my own private files and only afforded that one new piece I just had to have.

In the end, PLANNING is a matter of being AWARE of upcoming needs and situations and by using your own CREATIVITY to work things out. It can be done.

This version of "Away in a Manger" came about because of some particular circumstances we had one year for our Ward Choir. I had a good choir of about 20-25 voices, a lovely young high soprano soloist, and a very inexperienced accompanist. (That year, we actually did several a cappella pieces on our Christmas program because our pianist could only handle a couple of songs. In order to fill out the program, we had to do a cappella pieces!)

Christmas in July

7/19/2023

Can't help but notice all of the "Christmas in July" action going on right now. From Hallmark movies to special sales, for good or bad, Christmas is the biggest holiday to be commercialized.

For musicians, though, they have to look ahead to get prepared for shows and concerts six months out. For schools, music teachers HAVE to prepare in July for the end of Fall semester concerts. It's just the way things work.

I have been noticing people asking for help and guidance to find new music and programming ideas for their shows. This doesn't surprise me. THERE IS SIMPLY SO MUCH STUFF OUT THERE to sift through. Teachers and Choral Directors have quite a job trying to come up with fresh material year after year.

Some schools don't have a dedicated music program, so the classroom teachers must provide their own numbers for the "Christmas Sing" Concert at the school. Most teachers just do the same songs each year. Now as a grandma of many, I cringe at going to hear the same songs year after year, concert after concert. Maybe try a five year rotation...

There is something to be said for having a few numbers on the program that are TRADITIONAL. But, if just for the sake of the long-suffering audience, it is so refreshing to have most of the program different from year to year. That said, you don't want all of the songs to be completely brand new, either. Singing at least a few old favorites helps the audience appreciate the show better.

Having a THEME to help unify the show is ultimately the best programming device the teacher or director has. Many times through the years, finding a good THEME for a concert has been the best and yet hardest part of my job as a director. I have spent days, perhaps months, scouring music stores for just the right theme songs for my shows. (That was in the olden days.) Now, having access to online sources and many chat groups for advice, the job seems so much easier.

Some of the Christmas Holiday show THEMES (songs) I have used are "Holiday Harmony," "Be a Santa," "Walking in a Winter Wonderland," "Caroling, Caroling," and "Under the Christmas Tree." Another theme song that became a fun show is "The Greatest Christmas Card in the Whole Wide World." These last two theme songs I actually wrote because I ran out of time searching.

Fortunately at my schools, we did not have to worry about being "politically correct." We just sang a wide variety of songs --- from winter fun songs to Nativity songs, even a few Jewish songs. All were appreciated.

Anything BUT a Formal Concert

5/12/2023

When a High School Chorus concert has a lot of energy, variety, and fun music, it is sure to be enjoyable -- even for us older folks. My granddaughter's school is quite big. It seemed like the large wide stage was filled at some points with at least 200 hundred kids! The choral teacher had five different choirs including Men's Chorus, Women's chorus, Jazz Choir, Concert Choir, and A Cappella, plus a Bell Choir. That's a lot of kids!

The teacher announced that the concert would be about "Movin' On," so all of the songs were about moving or traveling. "Life is a Highway," "Route 66." "Fly Me to the Moon," "Moon River," "Leavin' on a Jet Plane," and plenty more. We heard such a variety from many decades and genres --- from pop to county to folk songs to Barbershop to jazz. This was anything BUT a formal concert. They started out with all of the singers lying down on the floor of the stage and waking up to sing "500 Miles." Getting a bunch of kids to dance together on stage is quite a feat. It was entertaining to watch how some kids are very coordinated and some NOT, but the amazing part was that they were all trying!

By the Finale, they were all "Dancin' in the Streets" as well as out in the aisles of the auditorium. Such a fun show!

Programming is Everything

9/10/2022

Many school bands and choirs and orchestras, as well as Community and Church choirs are starting up again after the summer hiatus. Directors are planning ahead to concerts down the road. Even Primary Song Leaders are busy preparing for the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentations. Here is some good advice from the renowned Choral Conductor Mack Wilberg of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. A while back, he shared with the Choir his views on selecting music for the Broadcasts. His counsel applies to all of us as musicians. (Enjoy this repost from 2014)

Programming is everything. When you choose songs to perform for a choir concert, talent recital or even a Primary program, how the songs will work together in their order of presentation is very important. We were singing "Climb Every Mountain" yesterday getting ready for the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast, when our director Mack Wilberg explained the order of things. Because "Climb Every Mountain" ends in such a dramatic way, the song that follows it must be something extra special. "There are not many places you can go after "Climb Every Mountain." So, he talked a little bit about his thoughts on programming. "Whether you want to believe it or not, this is show biz."

What he meant was that most people associate the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with songs of a religious or classical nature, definitely not with "show business." And many classical musicians don't even want to think of themselves as functioning in the "commercial world." They serve the art not the public. Yet, music is meant to be performed for an audience and so it becomes a business (whether you like it or not) to please your "public" and keep them coming back for more.

So, in programming a finale number on the broadcast to go one step beyond "Climb Every Mountain," Mack had us sing "Come All Ye Nations of the Earth" which indeed goes well beyond the majesty and scope of "Climb Every Mountain."

Many school and church choir directors forget that programming is everything. They may think that it does not matter the ORDER in which the songs are sung, or even their MESSAGES, or KEY RELATIONSHIPS, or how much fussing with REORGANIZING the players or SHUFFLING music has to happen in between the numbers. But those things really matter very much! The ideal arrangement of songs in a concert should create a nice EBB and FLOW leading to a CLIMAX. The arrangement of topics, styles and genres should also take the listeners on a harmonious adventure. They should be arranged in such a way to engage the listener and keep their interest over the entire length of the concert without wearing them out.

So, whether in a choral concert, band concert, piano or dance recital, school chorus concert, church worship service, or even in a Primary Program, how the songs work together really does matter! It is show biz, whether you want to believe it or not, and PROGRAMMING IS EVERYTHING!

Time to Prepare (Music) for Christmas

9/5/2022

Yes, I know that the temperature outside is frightful (103 degrees F) and the kids have just started the Fall semester of school, but September is always my signal to start preparing music for Christmas.

School concerts, Ward Choirs, Christmas Piano Recitals, Caroling Parties, and other Christmas Parties are all great reasons to start getting music prepared.

Over the years, I have put together many concerts, recitals and Christmas Parties. I was remembering some of the concerts my big family and a couple of other musical families collaborated on. For five years, together we did Christmas concerts during the Festival of Lights at the Washington D.C. Visitor's Center. After visiting the Visitors Center again this summer during the Open House of the Temple, so many memories came flooding back.

We sang holiday songs by many composers that featured our combined talents such as using vocal solos and different combinations of singers (and little grandchildren) as well as violins, recorders, guitars, and even a very talented dancer. We also sang some arrangements that I wrote specifically for us.

One favorite arrangement was "Sing a Christmas Carol" by Leslie Bricusse from the movie musical "Scrooge" combined with "Deck the Halls." (The counterpoint and use of melismas make it so much fun to sing!) The first iteration of this arrangement I wrote while still in college. My younger brother's High School a cappella choir performed it first. However, these many years later, I tweaked it a bit for our Family Choir. It gives me such joy to think that such a small family group of kids and parents could manage to sing in 6-8 parts and still stay balanced.

Enjoy!

"Sing a Christmas Carol" YouTube video

Indoor Percussion Concert

5/2/2021

Makayla, my oldest granddaughter, loves being involved in musical endeavors. She sings, plays the piano, tuba, flute, oboe, guitar, ukulele and who knows how many other instruments. Lately, she has taken to playing vibraphone in her high school's Indoor Percussion Ensemble. I happened to get the chance to attend this group's mini concert last week.

Because of Covid restrictions, the band director had to get very creative about just how to allow these kids to prepare for the competition as well as give a concert for their families and friends. They gave out 4 tickets to each family to come to one of three shows. Each show was only about 10 minutes, so it worked for our larger group to take turns using the tickets.

The rules for the competition were very specific as far as timing and how the students moved their instruments and props on and off the stage. In an actual competition, each movement would be timed as part of the 6 minute "show." In this unusual year of Covid, the rules stayed the same as far as timing, but the student performers had to videotape their entry for competition.

And they had to wear Masks. (Never a good look for stage performers.) Anyway, they embraced the instruction and coordinated their masks to match their Pirate costumes. The theme of their show was MUTINY. The music told the story of Pirate captain who kept and hid most of their loot for herself. When the crew members discover this, they mutiny and throw her overboard.

Regardless of not being able to see the expressions on the performers faces, their performance was still executed very well. It was 6 minutes of exuberant fun! Makayla gave me the instruction to sit right in front of the stationary instruments (xylophones, drums, marimbas, vibraphones, etc.) so we could see the real show. That meant I got a front row seat to see the mallets in action!

Another proud grandma moment!

Taking on a Life of Its Own

10/28/2020

Publishing your music means giving it away.

One of my mentors said this to me years ago. I didn't really believe him then. At that point in time, I had not written very many songs and I had not had anything published as yet. I had supposed what he meant was that the music publishing business was not very lucrative. Whereas, that statement is probably true, I think he had a different meaning in mind. He wanted to warn me that sometimes a song will take on a life of its own.

Composers tend to think that what they write down is how a piece of music will be used and performed forevermore. (After all, they take great care to include all the intended notes, AND also performance directions using dynamic, tempo, and expression marks.) That, it turns out, is a very naive notion.

First of all, composers tend to write for a certain occasion and set of performers. They imagine in their minds the product as they are writing. Well, in reality, the end product will always be subject to the talent and proficiencies of the performers. They may execute the notes according to the score, but the performers will also add their own interpretations. They may have a completely different idea about how it should be performed!

For example, TEMPO makes a big difference! A song the composer intended to be performed upbeat, will have a completely different flavor if performed at a slower tempo. The mood may go from "charged with excitement" to "peaceful and quiet" like a lullaby.

Then, there are experiments with RHYTHM and BEAT. A song can become something completely different when the melody and chord progression is played against a Latin or Rock beat, or changed to Waltz time.

INSTRUMENTATION can also change the entire song. The composer who wrote for a large choir with orchestra may be shocked to hear his song performed by just a soloist and guitar. He may also be delighted.

As a COMPOSER, I have been surprised and mostly delighted when I hear how my songs are being used. Surprised at how widespread across the world they have been performed. Delighted to hear of and sometimes get to visit a school or Church when my music is being performed or watch a cover on a YouTube video..

There have been times, though, when I scratch my head and wonder how the performers came up with their unique interpretations. That's when I remember what my mentor told me that "publishing your music means giving it away."

It is TRUE! Sometimes a song will take on a life of its own.

NEW - Unison and 2-Part Version A simplified version of "Building on a Legacy of Faith" is available FREE for solo, duet, or small choir or family group, or other Missions to use as their Mission Song.

Jingle Bells by Tchaikovsky?

12/12/2019

As I have gone to school concerts and other Christmas concerts this season, I have been amazed at how many versions of "Jingle Bells" have been performed. School band and chorus versions have been the most widely varied. "Jingle Bells" with African drumming was interesting. Always love renditions with handbells. Even Rick Elliott's organ solo in the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert was a bluegrass version of "Jingle Bells." But my favorite had to be the "Nutcracker" version sung by a High School Men's Chorus. The choir teacher made a brief statement in her introduction that this performance would be unlike any other on the concert and the boys would be "stretched out of their comfort zone." Oh, my! She was right! But she also said that it would be good for them. (Okay, how she got those boys to do what she had them do is beyond my experience!)

The song began with the regular "Jingle Bells" chorus sung in a recognizable way --- but then --- suddenly the music changed to weave in strains from Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" ballet. The boys were still singing the words to "Jingle Bells" but were singing rhythms and motifs from the famous "Nutcracker Suite." Not only were they singing parts of "Trepek" and "Waltz of the Flowers" but they were also doing --- wait for it --- CHOREOGRAPHY! They stayed in their positions on the risers, but were doing Port de bras, Pirouettes, and Battement tendu. Yes, indeed, these boys were doing their best to interpret the music with their best ballet moves, although modified to stay safely on the risers.

The audience was enchanted. The boys were delightful. Not sure any one of them could execute any of the moves expertly or even keep on the beat, but they tried their best. It was kind of a mess visually as a group, but individually, the boys stayed in character and gave the performance of their lives. Such fun! The audience erupted in rapturous applause. There were a few stand out performers that I am sure will be starring in upcoming High School Musicals. (At least they were not afraid to cut loose on stage!)

Told ya boys could sing --- but who knew they could also dance! Next stop Ballet West!

The Music of Betsy Lee Bailey copyright 2020