Here are five questions I ask myself before I start an arrangement:
- In as much detail as I can determine, who will be performing the piece?
- In as much detail as I can determine, who will be listening to the piece? (Is the audience fluent in the style of music, or is it for a general public audience?)
- After the commissioned premiere, where do I envision the long-term future of the piece?
- What will the balance in the arrangement be between my voice and the composer’s voice?
- What is the overall structure of the piece? (This will include: form, stylistic feel, key, solos, total duration, etc. All of which may change before I finish.)