But it did grease my always-spinning mental wheels.
Let’s ponder this for a second. Isn’t EVERY performance essentially a literature recommendation in-and-of itself? When we put our ensembles on stage, we are tacitly stating, “This piece of music has merit in some way – either for the members of this ensemble, for this audience, in this setting, or some combination of the three.”
In today’s Choral Buzz, we share a performance of "Sanctus" from Martin’s Mass for Double Choir by the University of Louisville Cardinal Singers (Kent Hatteberg, conductor). Rather than guess at the reasons for presenting that work at an ACDA Conference, I simply asked Kent directly. He replied, “I programmed the work first and foremost for my ensemble, for their education. But also in this instance, there is something inspiring about Martin’s setting of the Sanctus. It’s a very inward- looking setting of a declamatory text.”
It might make an interesting pedagogical study if every conductor performing at an ACDA conference could write a brief statement for each piece on their program identifying the raison d’etra for the inclusion of said work. Could you explain your reason for programming every piece on your concert?
Marie Grass Amenta says