There is freedom and creativity found inside a concert planning formula.
The first time I noticed a programming formula in practice was when I was in Gold Company in college. Steve Zegree would consistently program (1) An upbeat pop-centered opener, with choreography, followed without speaking by (2) and up-tempo accompanied Gene Puerling arrangement, followed either by speaking or (3) a slower swing or Latin-groove vocal jazz piece. The repertoire changed, but the first two or three songs always followed the pattern.
The thing was, that pattern worked really well for inviting an audience into the show we were giving them, and it gave him structure to program inside of.
I use a similar 4-act structure for the Aces Concert every year. I developed it around a decade ago, when we went to a two-act Aces Concert, and I find it so freeing to use this structure to quickly build the Aces program and plan so many details of the performance.
I certainly could reinvent the wheel every year, looking at the repertoire we have and considering how to fit it in. But with this structure in place, I am able to focus on other creative decisions, resulting a performance that works and that has new creative elements every year within that structure.
Don’t miss our 14th Annual Aces Concert on June 3, 2022 at 7pm at the RHS Auditorium!