Looking for some fresh ways to think about choral programming and repertoire? Explore these unique strategies!
Storytelling through Programming
This April 2024 programming webinar was led by Matthew Myers (associate director of choral activities at Washington State University) and Raul Dominguez (Director of Choral Activities at Pacific Lutheran University). The video includes chat links to their handouts and resources.
Matt and Raul led us through a creative concert programming process, demonstrating ways that choral conductors can cultivate themed concert experiences that lead both performers and audience members from one song/element to the next with engagement and aesthetic connection.
– Consider overarching themes and connections for a concert program.
– Explore sources of engaging repertoire from a diverse group of composers.
– Connect music making to social/emotional learning *Consider themes based on local stories or history to engage with other local organizations.
– Consider options for flow from one choral piece to the next.
– Explore assignments, projects, and guest lecture opportunities to engage in the music’s context.
Programming Music from Across the Globe
Check out these tools for Programming Music from the Global Majority. The resources include a checklist and a video from a webinar featuring Kimberly Waigwa, Anthony Cabrera and Kathleen Hanson.
Strategy Screen
By: Jane Ramseyer Miller
These are the questions that I ask as board and staff when making decisions regarding strategy, programming or collaborations.
Programming Choices
- Does it fit and enhance our mission of building community and creating social change?
- Does the project effectively and directly confront homophobia? Does this project challenge our comfort-level as an organization (in a good way)
- Is it transformational, inclusive, authentic and innovative?
- Will our members and staff get excited about this project?
- Does the project support or increase our artistic quality, or if not, does the benefit in another area outweigh this goal?
- Does it integrate with our other activities or concert theme?
- Does the project fit with our organizational Roadmap and core strategies?
Operational Choices
- Do we have the capacity or will it build capacity?
- Are the staff time and resources demanded for this event balanced with the income in will bring in for the organization?
- Is the project marketable – will it build or deepen audiences?
- Will it build on brand identity and reputation?
- Is the project financially sustainable or affordable?
- Does it build on or reinforce our competitive advantage?
- Does the project support our movement to the next stage of our organization’s development.
Artistic Product: who we are – what we offer
- Art that provokes audience to think and moves people to action – challenges bi-trans-homophobia – challenges the status quo.
- Art that evokes emotion: sadness, joy, laughter, longing, courage, pride
- Art that is accessible in content, understanding, medium, price.
- Art that is compelling artistically: enjoyable to hear, technically engaging
- Art that challenges our performers and is performed with competence.