Would You Ever Sight-Read On a Concert?

Would you ever consider having your group sightread a piece on a concert? Our audiences usually hear our last performance of a piece, but never the first. I have had bands sightread on a concert multiple times and have never regretted the decision. The experience provided a boost to my band's confidence and the reaction from the audience far outweighed the risk. One advantage is that you can select a piece at an appropriate level in a common key signature and hopefully not expose your most challenged section. If a sight-reading demonstration is something you might consider on an upcoming performance, here are a few thoughts from my experiences.

Minimizing downtime and keeping the audience engaged is important. Have a colleague or student be the official time keeper and narrator. They can read your state's official contest sight-reading rules to the audience while helpers quickly distribute the music folders. During the study or preparation period, use a microphone so the audience can hear your comments and instructions. It has been my experience that the preparation period is what most impresses the audience. The rapid-fire directions to different sections, use of music terminology and attention to detail, all while the students are counting, clapping, singing, etc. will make a lasting impression on those in attendance. In many respects, this brief public moment validates you as the professional educator responsible for teaching these students to read music.

At the announcement of the one-minute warning and "times up," sometimes you can feel the nervous tension from the audience. After all, they understand the challenge and want you and your group to succeed. In every instance, the parents and administrators that approached me after the concert were quite complimentary and in disbelief that we hadn't practiced the music beforehand. My students always thought I was crazy for even entertaining the thought. Afterwards, they were always glad they had accepted the challenge, proud of their accomplishment, and agreed their ensemble sight-reading had improved through the process of preparing for the moment.

If you're anticipating the second half of this school year to be a continuation of fluctuating attendance and contest/event cancellations, maybe program one less prepared selection on your spring concert and consider a brief sight-reading exhibition as an alternative way to showcase your students' talents. Your reputation will remain intact -- your audience will be amazed -- and the benefit of improved ensemble sight-reading skills will pay dividends for your program for years.

Kale White retired from band directing in May 2016 to join the Palen Music Center team. He was a band director in Oklahoma for 27 years, having taught in Purcell, Owasso, the Putnam City schools in OKC, and the last eighteen years in Jenks. He earned his BME and MME at the University of Oklahoma. He is a member of the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association, Oklahoma Music Educators Association, and the Percussive Arts Society.