The singular most important part of having a successful festival experience is the selection of the music to be performed. Many fine young musical organizations have had unpleasant experiences at festivals due to this problem. I believe I speak for the majority of adjudicators when I say this. Let’s take a few minutes and explore this subject.

The music to be performed must be “art” music, according to our handbook. What is “art” music? Better, we might ask what isn’t “art” music? So called “pop” music doesn’t qualify, that we know. The problem lies in the gray areas such as using selections from Broadway musicals. Music from “The Lion King” wouldn’t be acceptable, but the Overture from “Candide” would be fine. Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Greensleeves” is a go whereas, John Lennon’s “Imagine” is questionable. Avoid rock charts for all groups. The rule of thumb here is: if in doubt about a composition, don’t play it! I know this whole subject is argumentative, but why push the envelope? Save that “cute” piece for a home concert for the Mom’s and Dad’s.

Next — select music that proves that the group can play in a variety of periods, styles, and tempi. Avoid spending your entire performance time playing a single piece, works from the same composer, and/or music from the same period. Demonstrate the versatility of the group within the short time you are permitted. Don’t feel the need to play everything in your folder. Selecting music that is ideal for your students takes some time and thought. We always want to challenge our groups with difficult music, but many directors pick music beyond the technical proficiency of their musicians. A group might not perform as well at a festival due to nerves (directors, too). Be sure to select music into your ensemble’s strengths, not weaknesses. “American Overture for Band” just doesn’t work if you don’t have a powerhouse French horn section. A weak trombone section in your jazz ensemble shouldn’t be featured in a difficult soli section. The second movement of Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 5” just doesn’t work for your orchestra without a decent English horn player. Singing in French can be dangerous if the director has difficulty pronouncing the language.

Not being a purest, you will find no opposition from me for substituting instruments or voices in ensemble work. It’s OK to use baritone saxes in jazz trombone section parts, alto saxes to help out the French horn section (thank goodness for saxes), third violins to replace violas, and altos to help cover the tenor part if there are none, when that’s all you can do. Just don’t feature them.

I have one BIG request to consider. Please, use only one on a part in jazz festivals (that’s the way the music was written). We don’t require this, but it just makes good sense. Let players filter in and out on different charts so everyone gets a chance to perform. Have those not playing at the time sit in chairs off to the side, but onstage. Finally, in selecting your music, place the emphasis on the ensemble. Don’t play a concerto grosso featuring your great principal violinist, nor a jazz ballad featuring that wonderful trumpet player with the ensemble as merely the accompaniment. Many times the question arises regarding the playing of original works verses transcriptions or arrangements. If it is a good composition it doesn’t make any difference. After all “Pictures at an Exhibition” wasn’t written for orchestra originally, but it is heard more that way than for piano. Also, a nice mixture of standard literature and contemporary compositions displays the breadth of a musical organization. Dig in to that old file cabinet now and then and pull out an “old warhorse,” but also be sure to get out to hear performances of new works.

Sight-read daily. When you have played everything you own, temporarily swap libraries with a colleague to have different music to play. Remember, nothing has more influence on your festival experience than the selection of the music (although rehearsal does help!). Think of the categories of evaluation in our festivals. Quality of sound, technique, musicality, and all other factors are directly influenced by the music performed. You can’t play something musically if you can’t cut it technically. You can’t play with great sound if the music is out of your range. Give your young musicians every opportunity to succeed in festivals — select your music with care.