new blood

it's always good to have a new perspective on something (and whether you embrace the new idea or not - well - that's another story altogether.) fresh faces often suggest new ways of thinking, which may steer you in a different direction OR invigorate an old concept that had gone to pasture sometime ago. my friend Jacob introduced the topic of rehearsal technique on his blog, and that really got me thinking. i have compiled my (ever-developing) opinion of rehearsal technique through my experiences as a student, as a bandleader, and as an educator. leading a session is truly an art, one that is never really emphasized in academia yet is essential to having a successful and satisfying musical experience with an ensemble.

how do i learn about RT (that's right, i got tired of typing the whole thing out)? i try to observe what others are doing while i am simply a participant. determining what is effective often depends upon the person receiving the instruction, their personality, their mood, and their abilities. masterclasses offer a great insight into working on something with someone you don't know, however lack the huge advantage of familiarity with all parties considered. when i watch someone give a masterclass or work an ensemble, i am constantly keeping a tally of what works and what doesn't. i'm not carving up the leader per se, just observing their technique (and you know who is incredible at this? Keith) i have learned that there a handful things that are characteristics of effective RT. in no particular order...

Rapport. as a bandleader, i want my fellow musicians to feel comfortable (my friend Erin once told me that she liked working with me because of 'how i am on the gig'. not just my good looks, i guess....) my musician friends will try stuff, no matter how zany or flawed it might be, if they like me and are enjoying themselves. as an educator i have discovered that my students will stick it out a bit longer, stay a bit later, try a bit harder if they are in a comfortable environment. that's on me. i'm not bringing cupcakes and booze to my rehearsals, but i am bringing a positive attitude and a sense of humor - even if i don't feel like it. i also respect their opinions. fellow musicians may have ideas about how to do something different and, whether i like the idea or not, i want them to feel like they can share their thoughts and not think i'll laugh them off. i want my students to understand that i am willing to answer whatever question they may have, and that i won't judge them regarding their question. lord knows i asked a ton of questions that everyone else in the room seemed to already understand, but rarely felt lousy about myself when given an explanation (and when i did feel stupid, how could the person talking to me handle it differently?)

Credibility. this is huge. as a bandleader, i need to know my charts inside and out, need to be able to play them better than everyone else, need to know how to convey my thoughts. as an educator, i need to know all about all of the parts, need to be able to field nearly every question that someone has with an informed answer, need to exhibit to them that i actually do know what i am talking about. nothing shoots RT in the foot like the leader revealing that he/she really has no idea about what to do in a certain situation. you lose the students. you lose the musicians. and you spend the rest of your days trying to build your credibility back up.

Preparation. as an educator, it's important to continue to do score study. i practice my students literature, listen to the pieces my groups are playing, occasionally sit down at the piano and work through stuff, and look at the scores. i don't do all of these all of the time, but try to keep up with a snippet of the aforementioned on a regular basis. as a student and as a sideman, i absolutely notice when the leader isn't prepared. they have lost me immediately, and (as mean as it sounds) need to prove to me that what they want to accomplish is a worthwhile goal. i could only assume that i have students and peers that feel the same way, and i certainly don't want to waste their time with my laziness or (heaven forbid) lose my credibility with them.

Objectives. this may be the most essential element to successful RT. as an educator, i need to know what i want to get done and how much time i've got to accomplish it. various levels of intensity + various sections of material usually = success. i am thinking of attention spans (knowing that mine sucks) and how long i can get high quality work out of my students. as a bandleader, i work tirelessly to keep the fellow musicians engaged in what's going on. everyone wants a sniff of the action eventually. everyone wants to like your project initially. i try not to get too long-winded with my stories or descriptions. more & more of the pro players i meet are ALL about playing the music, then shooting the shit afterwards. my teacher John told me once that i needed to do more playing & less talking, about a 90-10 split. as a sideman, i've got one eye on the music and one eye on the clock. union gigs, stuff you have to travel for, music that sucks, and fatigue all benefit from efficient RT.

so... do i do all of these? let's just say i'm a work in progress.