Comments for Rusty Banks http://sequenza21.com/banks A composer/performer shares thoughts on how we piece it together. Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:34:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on With the band… by Rusty Banks http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=73&cpage=1#comment-317 Rusty Banks Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:34:19 +0000 http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=73#comment-317 Yeah, the royalty thing is interesting. It's not like it's easier to write band music, and in terms of all the technical work (instrumentation, part generation, transpositions, notation) it's actually more work. Is it really a difference in band vs orchestra though? Or is it venue (academic vs. non academic)? I've always noticed that I receive much lower royalties from performances at universities. I assumed their licenses were cheaper, which I'm not against, but I don't know. Yeah, the royalty thing is interesting. It’s not like it’s easier to write band music, and in terms of all the technical work (instrumentation, part generation, transpositions, notation) it’s actually more work. Is it really a difference in band vs orchestra though? Or is it venue (academic vs. non academic)? I’ve always noticed that I receive much lower royalties from performances at universities. I assumed their licenses were cheaper, which I’m not against, but I don’t know.

]]> Comment on With the band… by Jake Wallace http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=73&cpage=1#comment-316 Jake Wallace Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:07:56 +0000 http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=73#comment-316 John Corigliano has made frequent comment in the past several years since the premiere of his Circus Maximus that he feels the wind band is the large ensemble of the future, because its proponents are more flexible with what they will and won't do, they'll schedule far more rehearsal time, and the composer will get more performances (and hence, more money). It's just in general more friendly to the artist. In fact, he started a small consortium of interested parties (including, I believe, William Bolcom) to petition to ASCAP and BMI that performances by collegiate wind ensembles be considered at the same level for royalties as professional orchestras because they perform at an approximately similar level (in his opinion). I'm not someone who throws around the notion (as others do) that the symphony orchestra is doomed, but the vast majority of young composers who people talk about are writing for band and less frequently (or not at all) for orchestra. And in line with that, the wind band conductors of the world are seducing them into their corner. You may find in 20-30 years that there aren't as many new pieces of high quality being written for orchestra because all the good composers are taking the artistic satisfaction of writing primarily for the wind ensemble. John Mackey's blog (http://www.ostimusic.com/blog) talks about this concept a lot - good reading for anyone who wants to read more on it (and see pretty pictures of food). John Corigliano has made frequent comment in the past several years since the premiere of his Circus Maximus that he feels the wind band is the large ensemble of the future, because its proponents are more flexible with what they will and won’t do, they’ll schedule far more rehearsal time, and the composer will get more performances (and hence, more money). It’s just in general more friendly to the artist.

In fact, he started a small consortium of interested parties (including, I believe, William Bolcom) to petition to ASCAP and BMI that performances by collegiate wind ensembles be considered at the same level for royalties as professional orchestras because they perform at an approximately similar level (in his opinion).

I’m not someone who throws around the notion (as others do) that the symphony orchestra is doomed, but the vast majority of young composers who people talk about are writing for band and less frequently (or not at all) for orchestra. And in line with that, the wind band conductors of the world are seducing them into their corner. You may find in 20-30 years that there aren’t as many new pieces of high quality being written for orchestra because all the good composers are taking the artistic satisfaction of writing primarily for the wind ensemble.

John Mackey’s blog (http://www.ostimusic.com/blog) talks about this concept a lot – good reading for anyone who wants to read more on it (and see pretty pictures of food).

]]> Comment on Scroll Bars by bryan page http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=5&cpage=1#comment-114 bryan page Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:33:21 +0000 http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=5#comment-114 i tend to be very antsy, especially at my desk, which is where i mostly encounter the scroll bars...i had never thought about them until now, but i suppose that when i listen (and now watch) a recording, i am very conscious of them...if i start a recording and see the scroll bar move slowly, i know that i am in for a long sit...however, while in a live setting, all i am looking at are the performers (save for the times when there is an audiofile & video), which gives me no indication of how long the piece is...this is so much more of a condusive way to listen for me, not worrying about how much longer a piece will be...in some situations, the more you know, the more you worry, and i worry about enough stuff...also, i hate the morphing blue stuff that windows media player shows when you play something on it... i tend to be very antsy, especially at my desk, which is where i mostly encounter the scroll bars…i had never thought about them until now, but i suppose that when i listen (and now watch) a recording, i am very conscious of them…if i start a recording and see the scroll bar move slowly, i know that i am in for a long sit…however, while in a live setting, all i am looking at are the performers (save for the times when there is an audiofile & video), which gives me no indication of how long the piece is…this is so much more of a condusive way to listen for me, not worrying about how much longer a piece will be…in some situations, the more you know, the more you worry, and i worry about enough stuff…also, i hate the morphing blue stuff that windows media player shows when you play something on it…

]]> Comment on Scroll Bars by Christina Stiefel http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=5&cpage=1#comment-113 Christina Stiefel Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:58:16 +0000 http://sequenza21.com/banks/?p=5#comment-113 I'm not sure about scroll bars at performances. I'm not very dependant on them. But I very much like the idea that (static) visual arts have such an advantage.  The whole thought's just out there all at once.  Then again, maybe that's part of the beauty of music. It's more in control. Unlike a painting or sculpture, etc, music says what it has to say, ends, and does the walking away.    I’m not sure about scroll bars at performances. I’m not very dependant on them. But I very much like the idea that (static) visual arts have such an advantage.  The whole thought’s just out there all at once. 
Then again, maybe that’s part of the beauty of music. It’s more in control. Unlike a painting or sculpture, etc, music says what it has to say, ends, and does the walking away.   

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