I've got new music, so where do I start?

With the summer in full swing, we've all had some time to relax after the school year, get back in shape, and revisit some of the music we've worked on before.  But, the Region/All-State Band audition music will be posted soon and that means it's time to dive into some new etudes and solos!

So, where do we begin on this new journey?  Should we just dive right in and start practicing, or are there other steps first?  Here's a couple ideas:

• First, obtain the correct copy of the music required.  Sometimes, only one publisher produces the book/solo, but in some cases there are a lot of different versions by different editors.  In most cases, the differences are minimal, but that is not always the case!  Look for and editor's or publisher's name listed with the music, and then consult an online catalogue (such as the wonderful print music distributor Hickey's Music) or a local music shop (like H&H Music).  When in doubt, check with a teacher (including me!)

• Next, find a high quality recording (or two, or three!)  Recordings are a great way to get ideas about how the music should sound, and can even help us develop our own decisions about how we want to play our instruments.  Listen to multiple people's performances, even if they don't play the same instrument as you!  Give a quick listen before you start playing, but then come back to these AFTER you've read through your piece by yourself.  Come back next week for a blog about how to find high quality recordings and determine what on earth that even means!

• Now it's time to play your new music!  Take the time to get through the entire work, marking in your music the difficult sections that will require practice.  Are there any parts that are the same?  What about parts that are similar, but have some changes?  Where is the most exciting part of the music?  This is a good opportunity to ask yourself these big questions before you get going with your practicing.  But as always, practice smart.  It's always exciting to play something new for the first time, but still take out your tuner, metronome, and pencil before you start.  Which segues nicely to...

• Make sure you understand all of the funny words on the page!  A lot of composers (especially the old, dead ones) like to use languages other than English with music.  These words are descriptive, but often leave us with some legwork to understand what they really meant.  Most often, these words will be Italian, but if the composer was of a different background, they may have used their own language.  It is not uncommon to find markings in French, German, or other languages as well, if the composer was of that nationality.  If you don't understand a word, look it up in a dictionary, such as the Naxos Glossary or the OnMusic Dictionary.  If you can't figure out what language it is, look up the composer at IMSLP to find out their nationality to start!  Knowing the difference between terms is important to play music at the right tempo and in the right style; there is a huge difference between Allegro maestoso and Allegro giocoso and it's your job to make the distinction!

• Lastly, enjoy!  Learning new music is fun, and doesn't need to be a linear process.  These few steps will get you going, but you'll need to revisit them.  After practicing for a while, have a listen to a new recording to get a new perspective.  Later, look up the composer's biography to find out more about their background and compositions.  (Don't worry, I'll have information up here soon about high quality online resources!  So for now, just stay away from Google Translate for your musical terms!)

Keep checking the TMEA website for their postings on the audition music.  It should be posted around July 25th for the TBA conference.  Next week, I'll have information here about high quality recordings, as well as upcoming posts about online resources, practice tips, and more.  

Also, please "Like" my Facebook page and follow me on Google+  to receive updates on this blog as well as other information!  I am available beginning August 4th for lessons in Tomball, so please contact me or submit the "New Student Information Form" to set up your first lesson!

Happy practicing!