Step 3: Programme notes
Programme notes
Why programme notes?
The main reason to create programme notes for your recital is to increase audience engagement with your performance.
Music programme notes are said to be a means of:
- increasing your audience's understanding and enjoyment of the music you are performing.1
- providing contextual background information on the musical works being performed
- clarifying musicians thoughts about the music that they are to perform.2
- presenting a short biography of the performer
Traditional or contemporary programme note formats, what to choose?
Contemporary programme notes
Social media is a powerful tool for creating connections with audiences. How might you go about engaging your audiences prior, during and post performance with your social media channels? How creative can you be?
Check out this article for inspiration: Social Media – 10 Tips on Making Your Musical Mark
Traditional programme notes
Several guides are available on the creation of traditional style programme notes. The programme notes may contain information such as:
- Composition title, instrumentation, name of composer and publication date
- Circumstances of composition 1
- First performance
- Historical context
- Musical style
- Scoring
- Things to listen for
Writing programme notes: A guide for diploma candidates by Nigel Scaife offers a detailed method for creating traditional programme notes and contains examples.
- Programme notes by QCGU studentExample of programme notes by a QCGU student. Typically programme notes do not require a bibliography, but include if required for assessment purposes.
Selected books on programme notes
References
References
1.) Guidelines for writing programme notes, Friedheim Music Library
2.) Scaife, N. (2001). Writing programme notes: A guide for diploma candidates. London, England: Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Retrieved
from https://gb.abrsm.org/media/62446/writingprognotesapr05.pdf
