The Short End of the Stick

In a nutshell, programming is a straightforward procedure accomplished through complex means; straightforward in that it’s no more than selecting just the right combination of works that ‘fit’ together, but complex because it requires a vast knowledge of the repertoire. I had the fortune in my younger years in Germany to work as an assistant to a very thorough Music Director. We would sit together in his office for hours, including late evenings and weekends, batting programming ideas back and forth and discussing in depth the merits of why piece B should follow piece A, and the reason that piece C won’t fit into that concept at all. Thus, long before I was programming as Music Director, I was able to experiment widely (and wildly) in theory and thought.
The basic premise: select an evening of pieces that go together, comparable to finding the right harmony in putting together a multi-menu gourmet meal, rather than simply letting your cherished guests loose on a smorgasbord. The concept of balance is an important element, both finding balance between the works within each individual program, and finding a balance arching over the entire season.
I request in advance from my board very concrete budget parameters regarding guest artists and orchestra sizes. Equipped with that financial framework, I then take into account what repertoire the orchestra hasn’t performed in a long time, or not at all, or is aching to perform again. Add to that my personal artistic mission to inspire and challenge audiences. Like every musician, each conductor has special interests: those composers and styles that we feel a symbiotic connection to. In addition to my (Teutonic) love of the three B’s, I personally have a distinct interest in re-discovering works and composers who I feel don’t deserve the neglect that history has heaped upon them, similar to a truffle hog. I also feel strongly that symphony orchestras shouldn’t relegate themselves to the role of a musical museum and I genuinely enjoy collaborating with (living!) composers.
Over the years, I’ve gotten into the habit of writing down titles of lesser-known pieces that I’ve heard, or read about, and generally find intriguing. When it comes down to the fine points of actually planning concerts, I review the list time and again. I prefer to take about six months between starting a season’s planning by booking concert dates and venues with my General Manager, and presenting a more-or-less programmed season to my Artistic Advisory Committee. That’s time wisely used to think, conceive, jettison, germinate and review.