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Forums — General Discussion
From memory or with the music, that is the question.
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From memory or with the music, that is the question.
Friday, May 9, 2008 3:18 PM
Author: Not Found
Hi all,
Does your college/university require memorization for student concerto competitions?
I'm curious to see if wind/brass/percussion divisions from other college/universities require or encourage memorization from their students.
Please post the requirements for your concerto competitions and if you like - your personal views about the concept of memorization.
I look forward to your responses.
Cheerio,
Julia Nolan
School of Music
The University of British Columbia
Comments
Friday, May 9, 2008 9:31 PM
Author: Patrick McCulley
Hi Julia,
Our school doesn't require memorization of concertos, though we encourage it. Students in the saxophone studio do have to play one piece from memory each semester. It is interesting to note that nearly all the finalists in the recent NASA competition played most, if not all, of their music from memory. Clearly we are moving in this direction.
Steve
Saturday, May 10, 2008 12:55 AM
Author: Jodi Slagel
The University of Iowa required memorization for both Concerto Competitions, Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. My personal view is that memorization is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it frees the performer to be more expressive. On the other, a memory fault could be disastrous, thus increasing the stress level for even the most steel-nerved performers. "Proceed with caution" (?)
Tim Owen
1st Armored Division Band
U.S. Army
Monday, November 17, 2008 2:39 AM
Author: Adam Risch
I've often seen/heard this statement, that memorization "frees the performer to be more expressive." How is this so? How is this provable?
I've never felt more free without the dots before me; in fact, the opposite has seemed true, so much so that I've NEVER performed without the notation. Perhaps my weakness in this regard has kept me from finding my true levels of musicianship.
Personally, I feel that I am freed by having the notation before me. Anyone else find this to be the case?
Monday, November 17, 2008 5:49 PM
Author: Adam Risch
Oh yes, LSU does require memorization for its concerto competition.
Friday, December 19, 2008 3:54 PM
Author: Not Found
In my opinion, it looks nicer to the audience that the performer is not looking at a sheet of music. I don't know the reasoning behind this, but when I watch a pianist who is not looking at his music verses one that is, it seems like it's more exciting to see what the pianist does with his whole body (head/eyes included) than it is to see one who is just keeping his eyes on the music.
Also, there's no stand in between you and the audience. Just feels nicer.
Does it allow one to play more expressively or not? For me it is easier, but not because i don't have the music. But because by the time I have something completely memorized, it is so engrained in me that music just flows out like wine. So it's not really the actual memorizing, but the way of getting to the point of memorizing, that makes it more expressive.
Memorization
Friday, October 22, 2010 1:51 AM
Author: Miami University Libraries
UCA is now enforcing its memory requirement for its concerto competition. I think if you consider yourself a concert artist, you should be able to perform from memory. However, so much of the saxophone repertoire is complex and contemporary and doesn't lend itself to easy memorization like a Mozart Concerto would.
Friday, October 22, 2010 4:19 AM
Author: Rheuben Allen
[QUOTE=jackiel;1130]I think if you consider yourself a concert artist, you should be able to perform from memory. However, so much of the saxophone repertoire is complex and contemporary and doesn't lend itself to easy memorization like a Mozart Concerto would.[/QUOTE]
For what it's worth, I once attended a performance by one of the "Big 5" orchestras in which the principal clarinetist played the Mozart Concerto... from a score.
Friday, October 22, 2010 10:48 PM
Author: Not Found
Nebraska-Lincoln doesn't require memorization for the audition, but does require it for the concert performance.
Memorization is a tough subject. I think that most people who are good enough to solo with an orchestra are good enough to memorize music. As stated above, though, the complexity of some of the repertoire if just too much to handle sometimes. I don't think any less of people who perform with scores. It's a bit of a safety net...just in case a memory blip happens.
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