by Inman Hebert
With the warm winds of spring, we find ourselves squarely in the midst of recital season, where undergraduate and graduate college students perform masterworks for horn. In the recent quest to program and prepare for my first collegiate recital, I found myself with a myriad of questions and perspectives thinking about this milestone event.
Logistically, reserving the performance hall, identifying a pianist, and, in my case, collaborating with a fellow student can be challenging in pinpointing the appropriate steps and effectively communicating with all involved. More importantly, I found myself pondering what to choose for the recital and why. What are the goals of this recital, and how do I design a program accordingly?
Initially, I felt internalized pressure to program “the standards” of horn playing. After all, a tenet of music performance education lies in mastering horn repertoire most frequently requested for auditions and competitions, from the Paris Conservatory graduation pieces to Strauss and Mozart. Programming these works seemed logical as certain solo repertoire appears on every list.
As I thought about how recitals tell a story through music, infinite pathways opened. Even the etymology from the Latin recitāre and the old French récital suggests a more narrative-based experience. Recitals portray a version of who we are as musicians and our artistic choices.
As students, we attend the performances of our fellow students. In archives, researchers can find numerous examples of recital programs from the past. On the Internet Archive, viewers can read through programs for institute recitals at the Curtis Institute of Music dating back to 1926. While some programs may certainly be more thematic than others, all recitals ultimately tell the story of the performing artist.
We all must answer what that tale will be for our next recital. While our institutions and mentors will guide us, these decisions are individualized. Our tale may be as simple as one of self-improvement or of deeper emotional meaning. By structuring a recital in the manner that speaks to us, we will be able to deliver a compelling performance that speaks musically to our audience.
