Page 22 - 2018-BMR-April

Recording Your Band To Better

Ensemble Outcomes

Dr. Bradley Genevro

Every day I take the podium, I work Not only from a pedagogical planning the next rehearsal as well
towards achieving higher performance standpoint, but it also assisted me as pinpointing deficiencies in our
outcomes and musicianship for my in being more aware of the broader ensemble development pertaining
ensembles. Often, I think the ensemble scope of developing the ensemble’s to tone, intonation, balance, blend,
can attain these outcomes by us simply musicianship. The way I thought a rhythmic clarity, articulation, style,
having more instructional time. With phrase sounded while conducting and and phrasing. All of this information
extra time, I can teach them how to being part of the physical process of was extremely useful and was
play better in tune, how to play more music making, was, in many cases, paramount in assisting me in
stylistically accurate or even to play not accurate when siting and listening achieving our ensemble goals. Excited
with better balance and dynamics. to it objectively. On the podium, I was about getting to work and using this
Then, at the end of the day, the shaping the phrase a certain way but, newly discovered resource, I started
ensemble does not elevate their level upon further review by listening to recording every rehearsal and began
of performance to what I had expected the recording, it was not translating using those recordings as a means of
of them. I, like all of us, sit and try to correctly to the listener. It is much rehearsal planning and preparation.
figure out why it played out the way like our recorded voice. Most of us to There were immediate changes in
it did. What did we do, or not do, do like to listen to our recorded voice, our ensemble. We began playing
that created a disconnect between our because it does not sound like us to with better and more consistent tone,
goals and outcomes? Have you ever ourselves. Once you start recording intonation, balance and blend, but
considered this happens not because rehearsals and listening, you will it was very slow in developing. It
we have failed to provide accurate find that, in many cases, how you was one where students looked and
information but, instead, we failed thought it sounded is not exactly waited for me to tell them what they
to provide an opportunity for our how it actually sounds. I also became needed to do to make it better. Many
students, and ourselves, to access the aware that I would get so focused on times, I would ask for the ensemble to
complete information that is present at a specific issue that I was unaware alter the way they played a particular
each and every rehearsal? With many of egregious mistakes happening in passage only to have them, in their
of us holding rehearsals in a room other areas. The recording devise does minds, do it that way I asked for it
that is acoustically less than perfect, not lie. It tells you like it is. If the only to have me respond, “no, that is
why should we not take advantage of ensemble is out of tune, it will tell not it.” I would be met by confused
using recording devises that, in many you. If balance is not good, you will looks from the ensemble. I never
cases, can hear better than we or our hear it. If your ensemble tone is quite understood why the confusion
students can? inconsistent, it will be very apparent and blank looks. I moved from the
I was very fortunate to have my to you and everyone listening. The podium back to where the students
mentors instill the importance of first step in fixing a problem is to were sitting and was amazed at what
recording rehearsals early on in my admit there is one. With the initiation I heard. It sounded nothing like what
career as a conductor and teacher. of recording my rehearsals, I realized I was hearing from the front of the
I realized that my recording devise there was so much I could do to ensemble. How could they achieve
could hear better than I could in my make myself better and, in turn, my what I was asking them to do, if they
rehearsal room. I started recording ensemble better. could not hear the differences I was
my rehearsals and, upon listening Initially, I exclusively listened to the referring to? It wasn’t until I brought
and analyzing, realized how much rehearsal recordings. Each rehearsal principal players up to the front of the
more efficient I could be in rehearsal recording was a treasure-trove of room and played a passage for them
using those recordings as a resource. information that would assist me in from the conductor’s perspective,

Bandmasters Review • April 2018 20 Texas Bandmasters Association