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Henry Wu

English 12 AP

Period 3

October 2, 2016

Mozart Piano Concerto

My senior project is playing a piano concerto with orchestra members and some band

members at a school concert that will happen on January of next year in the PAC (Performing

Arts Center). People of all ages and types come to see school concerts at Santa Susana High

School each year, and our instrumental music program performs many kinds of songs, from

classical songs to high school band pieces to jazz to pop music such as a Frozen medley.

Occasionally our entire music department plays together for large pieces such as the James

Bond medley from the May 2016 school concert. Some of these songs push me and the other

instrumentalists to do our best, but none have been as difficult or as complicated as the Mozart

Piano Concerto No. 19 I will be playing. This piece demands considerable skill and practice for

each part and especially for the piano, which I will be playing on. It will also require good time

management to ensure that each stage of the rehearsal process is done exceptionally well

before the concert. I researched the best ways to organize rehearsals and ensure that the

rehearsals go smoothly and that we learn something after each rehearsal. This includes

effective leadership and planning future events. I also researched the proper etiquette for band

rehearsals and performances so that everybody can get along with each other and get practice

done so the Mozart concerto will be ready before it is time to perform. I researched on the

health benefits of music and its effects on society. I further researched on benefits music has on

everybody, including performers and listeners alike. Since this year the instrumental music

department has a new teacher, I also researched the best ways to record my concerto, including

microphone placement on the piano and the orchestra, microphone types, and arranging the

performers and myself so the music can be recorded with the best quality possible without
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requiring editing or sound equalization. All of this is required to make sure the concerto is played

at the best it can be played and so that everyone can enjoy the music.

There are many ways to rehearse, with each way done for different needs and purposes

(Feist). One way to rehearse effectively is to set up equipment under 15 minutes, warm up for

30 minutes, then work on transitions, intros and song endings, and finally run the entire song at

least once (Hall). Other types of rehearsals include jam sessions, which are playing through lots

of music without much corrections in between, or dress rehearsals, which are conducted as if it

were a performance, which means it would usually be done inside the performing venue and

include entering and exiting sequences to familiarize the orchestra with the real thing and

correct any other imperfections (Feist). Without leaders and staff, though, band and orchestra

rehearsals would often be inefficient, which wastes a lot of precious time, so there needs to be

people such as schedule organizers, sheet music distributors, and other officers to minimize

problems and make the most use out of every rehearsal (Hall).

Good orchestra leaders, including conductors, are always prepared and focus primarily

on the music, making sure that the orchestra stays together and does not get caught up in

drama or other distractions (Hobin). Some conductors might assume that hand gestures and

tempo are the most important things to leading an orchestra, but the most important skills and

qualities they need are charisma, understanding the psychology behind conducting and

orchestra performances, and being able to work with the orchestra instead of subjugating them

under a strict interpretation of the music with no exceptions (Waddell). Conductors and/or music

directors should create a realistic rehearsal and performance schedule with the input of

orchestra members to ensure that rehearsals are long enough but do not take too long, and that

people will have enough time to prepare their parts and not get in the way of others time (Feist).

They should remember to treat the musicians they lead with respect and allow each member to

express their feelings and passions, while also be able to make tough decisions that are

necessary to ensure the orchestra stays on course, whether it be picking the right materials or
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songs, or in some cases asking an orchestra member to leave if they become too detrimental to

the overall orchestra (Hobin). While critiques are necessary to improve the music that orchestra

members play, conductors should be careful to avoid being too negative about everything,

because that gives a very bad impression to the musicians, who might drift apart from the others

and cause the orchestra to fracture (Waddell).

Although conductors should respect orchestra members and treat them fairly and

equally, the orchestra members in turn should be courteous to the conductors and each other

and follow proper etiquette (Lambson). One guideline is that members should acknowledge the

conductor when he/she is speaking to them by making direct eye contact and answering the

conductors questions when asked (OGieblyn). They should arrive early enough to warm up

and be fully prepared, including practicing the music thoroughly so they are fluent with the

pieces, and have all of the necessary equipment, such as bows, reeds, the instruments they are

playing, and possibly a spare music stand (Lambson). If there are issues that have not been

resolved during the rehearsal, you as a musician should stay for another 15 minutes to fix

issues that the conductor did not address (Jacobs). Make sure to keep good hygiene and wear

appropriate clothing for the rehearsal, and make sure you know the dress code well so you do

not dress inappropriately for the rehearsal or concert (OGieblyn). Be a good colleague and

respect and support other musicians that you are working with (Pea).

Music has an assortment of benefits, including strengthening social bonds and fostering

cooperation and sense of unity (Suttie). Seeing live music in particular reduces stress hormones

in people, which can reduce chances of heart disease, diabetes, and impotency (MacDonald).

Music improves coordination by teaching people valuable skills such as being able to

synchronize to a beat and keep a steady beat (Koelsch). In fact, listening to classical music

helps ease pain in chronic migraine sufferers or allow them to better cope with the condition

(migrainecenters.com). Singing or listening to music often raises levels of oxycontin, which is an

important neurochemical that increases trust among people (Suttie). Music has been shown to
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increase social cohesion among groups, and helps people attach and bond with others, which

improves quality of life and can extend life (Koelsch). Another health benefit is that listening to

music actually helps the brain block pain signals caused by neurons, relieving some pain

(migrainecenters.com).

Recording the piano concerto so that sounds are accurately represented and noise is

avoided is important because it ensures that the skills of the musicians are represented

correctly and creates more enjoyable music when it is replayed. One instrument that is very

difficult to record due to its shape and size is the piano, which can be a hassle to record

properly (Senior). This problem can be exacerbated if the piano is placed near a wall and there

are no good positions to put the mic in without seriously degrading the sound (White). The

sound coming from the back of the piano, even if the lid is as open as possible, is incredibly

bad, containing pedal sounds and other undesirable noise as well as the fact that the notes

sound very dull. The unique shape of the piano and the location of the thousands of moving

parts in the piano contributes to the difficulty of recording an acoustic piano cleanly. To combat

these problems, sound engineers use various techniques such as coincident pairing of

microphones on each side of the piano placed in between the case and the piano lid, pointed

diagonally toward the strings (Senior). In addition to microphones to capture the sound,

cameras, tripods and filming lights should be used appropriately to make sure that the recorded

video is well lit, not shaky, and has a good angle on the piano concerto (Pirillo). When recording

a live concert, the video recorder should use multiple cameras, including one main camera that

films most of the event (Ward). Make sure the batteries are charged before the concert, and that

there is a good crew to handle the equipment, such as a director, cameramen, and an audio

technician (Pirillo). Use professional video cameras if possible, because they are capable of

recording for long periods of time without having to stop and have much better focal length than

DSLR cameras, which may be okay for small events like weddings, but can run into many

problems when used for shooting a live stage event (Ward).

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I am arranging a specific time for the piano concerto on January 2017, which will

probably take place in the evening. Currently I am working on my piano portion of the concerto

and will be beginning rehearsals with orchestra members by November. I am looking for a good

video production company to film the concerto, as well as record the music. If I cannot find a

suitable company to do it, I will ask PAC tech members to see if they can help out with

positioning the mics and with setting up cameras to record the piano concerto. Using the

research I found, I can help improve the recording quality so that the concerto sounds really

great and can be replayed for years to come. I and the orchestra will try our best to play the

concerto as best as possible and cut out as many mistakes as possible. The piece may be large

and very difficult to play, but it sounds great when everything is ironed out and people who come

to the school concert in January will appreciate our dedication and hard work on this magnificent

Mozart piano concerto. Like many other pieces of music, it is a wonderful piece of art and

should be shared with the community.

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Works Cited

Classical Music: Drug Free Migraine Therapy. Migraine treatment Centers of America,

https://migrainecenters.com/blog/classical-music-drug-free-migraine-therapy/. Accessed

6 October 2016.

Feist, Jonathan. How To Rehearse Your Band. Artists House Music,

http://www.artistshousemusic.org/articles/how+to+rehearse+your+band. Accessed 6

October 2016.

Hall, Andrew. How to Get the Most Out of Your Band Rehearsal in 3 Hours (or Less).

Sonicbids, http://blog.sonicbids.com/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-band-rehearsal-in-

3-hours-or-less. Accessed 6 October 2016.

Hobin, Todd. 10 Leadership Tips from the Pros. Making Music Magazine, 23 Feb.

2014, http://makingmusicmag.com/10-leadership-tips-from-the-pros/. Accessed 6

October 2016.

Jacobs, David M, & Pea. Orchestra Best Practices. University of Oregon Symphony

Orchestra, https://uosymphony.com/resources/orchestra-best-practices/. Accessed 6

October 2016.

Koelsch, Stefan. From Social Contact to Social CohesionThe 7 Cs. Music and

Medicine, vol. 5, no. 4, 2013, pp. 204-209,

http://mmd.iammonline.com/index.php/musmed/article/view/MMD-2013-5-4-3/101.

Accessed 6 October 2016.

Lambson, Liz. Orchestra Rehearsal Etiquette. Violinist.com,

http://www.violinist.com/blog/lizzylambson/201212/14185/. Accessed 6 October 2016.

MacDonald, Fiona. Seeing live music could reduce your stress hormone levels, study

finds. Science Alert, http://www.sciencealert.com/rocking-out-to-live-music-linked-to-

reduced-levels-of-stress-hormone. Accessed 6 October 2016.

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OGieblyn, Michael. 39 Orchestral Etiquette Tips Every Musician Ought to Know.

Orchestra Excerpts, http://www.violinexcerpts.com/38-orchestra-dos-and-donts/.

Accessed 6 October 2016.

Pirillo, Chris. How to Record Live Performances (Concerts, Plays, etc). Chris Pirillo,

https://chris.pirillo.com/2008/03/13/how-to-record-live-performances-concerts-plays-etc/.

Accessed 6 October 2016.

Senior, Mike. Piano Recording. Sound on Sound, Jan. 2008,

http://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/piano-recording. Accessed 6 October 2016.

Suttie, Jill. Four Ways Music Strengthens Social Bonds. University of Berkeley, Greater

Good Science Center,

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_ways_music_strengthens_social_bonds

. Accessed 6 October 2016.

Waddell, Rachel L. From Paper to Podium: Exploring the Gap between University

Training and Professional Experience in Orchestral Conductors. Dissertation, University

of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2015. http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=3443&context=thesesdissertations. Accessed 6 October 2016.

Ward, Caleb. 14 Tips for Shooting Live Stage Events. Premium Beat,

http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/14-tips-for-shooting-live-stage-events/. Accessed 6

October 2016.

White, Paul. Recording Piano & Harpsichord. Sound on Sound, Aug. 2005,

http://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/recording-piano-harpsichord. Accessed 6

October 2016.