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To enter a NEW PROGRAM NOTE, click here.
Program Notes Guidance

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GUIDELINES FOR PROGRAM NOTES

This page is developed based on OOPSes we've seen in program notes before. Please read these guidelines and follow them when you add new or edit existing Program Notes.

Single Space All Paragraphs. To get spaces between paragraphs on a MS Word or other typed document, you usually need to press ENTER (Return) twice. However, the Program Notes display automatically puts spaces between paragraphs, so if you have two carriage returns between paragraphs it will be too widely spaced. So please use only one carriage return between paragraphs.
"Generify" All Notes. When copying narrator notes written for a specific concert, many times they will have concert-specific references. These need to be removed and replaced with something generic.For example, there might be something like, "The Bolton Concert Band and Choir are pleased to bring you..." which you would need to replace with something like "The [band name] Band and [singing group name, if applicable] is/are pleased to bring you..."Note that the text to be personalized should be highlighted in RED, to call attention to what needs to be edited.Or there might be a phrase such as, "Please welcome to the podium our Guest Conductor Fogwad Blatherspleen as he leads the Fannin Band in ... " The welcome to the guest conductor should be eliminated, and the band name replaced by an "edit this" field as in the above paragraph.Or "For our final number before intermission..." needs attention. Or "...our very own..." does as well. Essentially, use your judgment to rewrite the notes as needed so they will be usable by just about anyone.
Paste Text from a TEXT document. If you copy and paste from a word processor document, such as MS Word, there is a good chance you will also bring over some undesired formatting. To eliminate this included formatting and make all program notes have a consistent appearance, it would be better to first paste the copied text into a TEXT document, then copy from there and paste into the New Program Notes form.Alternatively, you could on the New Program Notes form, click on the TEXT tab at the upper right of the "Program Note Text" section, paste your copied text there, then click on the VISUAL tab to format the text as you wish.
User Shorter Paragraphs. Do not enter the note text as one long paragraph. Instead use several shorter paragraphs. It is much easier for a narrator or an audience member to read shorter paragraphs.
Use Default Values if Needed. If you leave the "Composer" field blank on the New Program Note form, the default value of "(traditional)" will be inserted. If you leave the "Arranger" field blank, the default value of "(composer)" will be inserted.
Include a "Presentation" Paragraph at the end. This is a "winding-up" paragraph that is only used for Narrator Notes and is not needed for Program Notes. It usually begins with "Ladies and Gentlemen..." and finishes with the name of the tune being played, in boldface and italics. This paragraph serves as a transition for the audience, to let them know the narrator is done and the music is next, and it also serves as an alert to the conductor and the musicians to let them know they'll be starting imminently. An example of this "Presentation Paragraph" might be, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are delighted to play for you now Warren Barker's enchanting arrangement of music from The Phantom of the Opera."
Delete Extra Line Feeds. There is spacing programmed into the display of Program Notes, so there is no need to add any line feeds at the end of the note. Please put your cursor at the end of the note and press the down arrow or right arrow on your keyboard. If the cursor moves, delete the extraneous characters. Then repeat until the cursor does not move when you press the down or right arrow key.

If you come across other techniques about entering Program Notes that would be good to share with other notes-enterers, please let us know.

Transpositions Available for Each Part in the ENSEMBLE CONCERT BOOKS SERIES

This chart describes each transposition available for each voice in the Ensemble Concert Books Series, along with a list of most of the instruments that can be appropriate for playing that part. This will give you a good idea of which books to order, based on which instruments you have. The preferred instruments for each part are highlighted in red.

SOPRANO 1:

In C. This part includes both the high octave, suitable for flute, piccolo, and violin, and the low octave, suitable for oboe or brass instruments in C.
In Bb. This part is suitable for trumpets, (soprano) clarinets, and soprano saxophones.
In Eb. This part is suitable for and voiced for the Eb soprano clarinet. It can also be played by an Eb sopranino saxophone. If necessary, it can be played by an alto saxophone, but it will not be in the right register, and it would be good if the alto sax player could play it an octave above the written notes.
In F. This part will be available only on request. Please allow six weeks for us to produce it. It is available in the event that a French horn or F trumpet is the only instrument you have to play this voice, and it will require a horn player with a good high range to play it.

SOPRANO 2:

In C. This part is voiced for oboe and violin. It is possible for a flute to play it as well, but this part will frequently be in the lower range for a flute and therefore might lose some power.
In Bb. This is the part to get for (soprano) clarinets, trumpets, and soprano saxophones.
In Eb. This part is voiced for alto saxophones and alto clarinets. It can also be played by an Eb soprano clarinet, but should be played an octave below the written notes.
In F. For French Horns.
In Alto Clef. For violas. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks for production.

ALTO:

In C. For violin, viola, or any other C-pitched instrument playing treble clef n the alto range.
In Bb. For soprano clarinets. It can also be played by a trumpet, as it has higher-octave cue notes for those notes that go below the range of a trumpet. It can also be played by tenor saxophones and treble clef baritone horn, but that player should play an octave above the written notes.
In Eb. For alto saxophones, and alto clarinets.
In F. For French Horns.
In Alto Clef. For violas, and those rare (and strange) trombone players who prefer to read alto clef. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks to produce it.
In Bass Clef. For trombones and baritone B.C. players. This part will usually be in the higher end of the range of these players, but not uncomfortably so.

TENOR:

In Bb. This is for tenor saxophones and baritone horns who play treble clef.
In Eb. This can be played by alto saxophones, although it will be somewhat low in their register.
In F. For French Horns. This is not the preferred instrument for this part, but they CAN play it.
In Tenor Clef. For violas, and others who prefer tenor clef. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks to produce it.
In Bass Clef. For trombones, baritone horns, and cellos. It can also be played by bassoons when needed.

BASS:

In Bb. For Bass clarinet and contra-bass clarinet. Also for Bass Saxophone and brass band type tuba/bass players who read Bb treble clef bass parts.
In Eb. For baritone saxophones and Eb Contra-alto Clarinets.
In F. For experienced horn players only. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks to produce it.
In Bass Clef - High. For string bass players.
In Bass Clef - Low - for tubas and bassoons.

MISCELLANEOUS PARTS:

Piano. If you cannot fill in all five other parts, adding a piano player may give you all the extra harmony notes you need.
Drum Set. While not required, adding a drum set to your performances, especially when you are using ten or more players, will definitely enhance the presentation.

What is a VIRTUAL CONCERT?

And how do we make one?

A Virtual Concert is a concert produced by the participating musicians performing their parts all on their own and sending the video or audio recording to a coordinator, who assembles all the recordings into one performance.

The musicians listen to a playback of the music, usually on headphones, then record themselves performing their part.

Program Notes Index and Search

Like this:

GUIDELINES FOR PROGRAM NOTES

Transpositions Available for Each Part in the ENSEMBLE CONCERT BOOKS SERIES

What is a VIRTUAL CONCERT?

And how do we make one?

Program Notes Index and Search

Share this:

Like this:

GUIDELINES FOR PROGRAM NOTES

Transpositions Available for Each Part in the ENSEMBLE CONCERT BOOKS SERIES

What is a VIRTUAL CONCERT?

And how do we make one?