Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2013
17
If I Only Had One More Rehearsal !
Creating Efficient and Effective Rehearsals
Have you ever uttered the phrase,
“If I only had one more rehearsal?”
As we near a concert or contest
date it always seems there is never
enough rehearsal time. There are
many external forces that inhibit
our productivity in rehearsals;
constant interruptions, scheduling
conflicts, and early release days
just to name a few. However, there
are many factors within our control
that can increase the efficiency of
our rehearsals.
Inefficient rehearsals are
commonly marked by similar
symptoms: students don’t hear
or follow the given instructions;
students are not engaged in the
rehearsal; you have to re-teach
or rehearse sections of the music
multiple times, and many more.
While we cannot control many
external factors impeding our
rehearsal time, we are able to
control our preparation, method of
communication and the techniques
we utilize in rehearsal to share our
knowledge of the music.
PREPARE
Know the Score
The best form of preparation
for rehearsal is for directors to
have a thorough knowledge of the
music. An extensive knowledge of
the score enables us to interpret the
composer’s intent and educate and
assist the ensemble in bringing the
music to the listener. It also
assists in the development
of the rehearsal timeline
and plans. Without true
understanding of the
music and all its inherent
details you are not able to
effectively teach students
about the piece or how to perform
it with clarity and artistry.
Although your daily schedule
is extremely busy, it is essential to
build in time to study the music.
Only you can study the score and
prepare lesson plans, so keep this
in mind and consider delegating
administrative tasks. With constant
interruptions during the school day,
it may be beneficial to study away
from school or before students
arrive. The amount of study and
planning time corresponds to the
difficulty of the work, but there are
common elements that should be
consistent in your study.
What To Study
The Big Picture
• Composer
• Background of the composition
• Form
• Overall melodic style
• Harmonic style and language
• Large musical events
• Emotional impact
• Technical problems (player and
conductor)
• Similarities and differences
(within the piece and between
other pieces by the same
composer)
The Details
• Metric and rhythmic structure
• Melodic content and shape
• Harmonic effect in phrases and
other formal units
• Stylistic language
• Timbre and texture
• Growth and phrasing
Study with rehearsal in mind
In order to interpret the
composer’s intent and plan
effectively for rehearsals you must
analyze and study the music to
determine the following:
• Those voices that are primarily
responsible for pulse and
pitch
• Exact balance and blend
of lines within phrases and
degree of dynamic contrast
Phi l l ip L . Clements