Life needs a little spice, right? If Marco Polo went to great lengths to find it, well there must be a good reason. We may love a certain food, but now and then we just need to try something different, or at least I do.
I think music is not that different. I listen to a few styles mainly, however it’s always great when a friend turns me on to something or someone I don’t know.
As far as performing music, I feel the same way. My career did a good job of exposing me to lots of music, even in my symphony orchestra job.
We played the usual classics, and liberally sprinkled in was popular music, movies, and I expect that to continue to grow. As orchestras search for audiences, they will keep expanding the programs.
Before I started my job in St. Louis, there was even more variety. Salsa, jazz, marching band, oh let’s not forget that. How else do you think you can really learn how to play loud? So yeah, I really am glad to have had so many opportunities.
But what happens when the average trombonist looks for material for a recital? Gets a little harder to really find a lot of music besides piano and trombone. Oh there’s the brass quintet repertoire, trombone ensembles, a jazz combo can liven things up, but is that all there is?
If it seems like the list kind of stops there, what can you do about it? Maybe we can play a rare tune for woodwinds and trombone (do I have you tell you about the Stravinsky Octet?) but my awareness of other ensembles thins out pretty quickly.
Well, have you ever heard something you really liked, maybe in a movie, or wherever, and wondered if it could sound good being performed by trombone? I’ve had that happen many times, and lately, I just decided to find out. I don’t how many I’ve done exactly, but I “stole” quite a few tunes written for other instruments, and wouldn’t you know, they all sounded pretty good on trombone. That’s just my opinion of course, you can listen yourself and decide. (see my retirement concert on this website)
And recently, I have strayed even further from the instrument of choice, and I must say, it really opened up the possibilities.
Maybe you could introduce the world to the first ever arrangement for trombone, bass drum, and alto flute! Ok that’s a stretch, but you just never know until you’ve tried.
My goal here is to make you open your mind to the possibility. The only limit is the one you put on yourself.
If you’re still in an educational situation, or lucky enough to have willing colleagues, you can enlist them in your efforts. Often I found friends were glad that I’d asked!
You may find that you actually need to compose something yourself. I never took any class in composition (oh yeah Gerry, we know, we’ve heard your tunes!) but it sure beats paying a commission. And the new creative opportunity may just help you as a musician to know a little bit about that process. You may be a little more generous to that composer of the piece you had to read through today, that you thought was stupid!
My enjoyment of music really expanded as I took on these new efforts, and the more you do anything, the better you get at it. (usually!)
So consider finding something new to put on your next recital/performance, or even writing/arranging something. I think you’ll find it worth the challenge, and hopefully, you’ll enjoy the new spice. It could just be that your audience appreciates the new dish as well!