Finding Short Contemporary Works for Orchestra

Start with Duration

When looking for a contemporary orchestral work, duration is one of the simplest ways to narrow the search. A work lasting only a few minutes may fit into a program that already contains a symphony, concerto, or another substantial piece.

Short, however, does not mean incomplete. A concise orchestral work can have its own musical trajectory and conclusion. The useful question is not whether a piece is long enough, but whether its musical idea feels complete.

Check the Instrumentation

Duration alone does not determine how easy a work is to program. A two-minute piece that requires several additional players or unusual instruments may be less practical than a longer work using forces already assembled for the concert.

Before considering a new work, it is useful to check the complete instrumentation, including doublings, percussion, keyboard or harp requirements, and any additional players.

A short work whose instrumentation is close to the rest of the program can offer considerable flexibility.

Listen Before You Choose

With an unfamiliar contemporary work, a title and instrumentation list can only tell you so much. An audio recording or a carefully prepared realization gives a conductor or programmer an immediate sense of the work's character, pacing, orchestral color, and overall shape.

Being able to listen before requesting or purchasing materials removes one of the barriers to discovering new music.

Look at the Score

Audio is useful, but the score answers different questions. It allows a conductor to examine the orchestral writing, technical demands, divisi, doublings, notation, balance, and the role of individual instruments.

For a new orchestral work, easy access to score information can make the difference between simply hearing a piece and seriously considering it for performance.

Make Sure the Parts Are Available

Once a work moves from consideration to performance, orchestral parts become essential. A promising piece is much easier to program when the conductor or orchestra can quickly determine how the score and parts are obtained.

Having these materials presented together makes a new work easier to evaluate and prepare.

Think About the Role of the Work

A short contemporary work can serve several different functions within a concert. It may open the program, provide contrast before a larger work, appear as an encore, or form part of a group of short pieces.

The question is not simply “Is this a good piece?” but also “What role could this piece play in this particular program?”

For more on one of these possibilities, see Short Orchestral Pieces as Concert Openers.