Is your programming plug & play?
I’ve noticed some band directors have a reliable set order for their programs – just swap out the specific pieces, and you’re ready to go. It might go like this: start with a march. End with something quirky and fun. In the middle, one meaty rhythmic piece and one lyrical piece with add9 chords.
Steve Zegree used to program the top of the Gold Company set very reliably with a pop/choreographed opener, followed by a medium-up swing tune, followed by a contrasting up tempo piece. The pieces weren’t the same from year to year, but the feeling was.
There was a time when I disdained plug & play programming, but there’s much to recommend it. It makes the every-present challenge of choosing music a little easier. It gives you a story with beats that you can plug into. It helps you confirm that you’re hitting the musical/educational goals you have for your ensemble. When you’re conducting it, you know viscerally how the set will feel.
Plug & play can only take you so far, of course, and I think it’s important to retain flexibility. You aren’t etching a program plan in stone, just using it as a template to guide your programming. I certainly use something like it these days, especially when planning the programming for the Aces Concert every year – when I have some longer sets and need to create a coherent program.