10 Questions I Ask Before Programming a Piece

You thought it was the right pick because another director recommended it. The reference recording sounded great. It checked a lot of boxes — playable ranges, solid pacing, even that “Editor’s Choice” distinction online. But three weeks in, and you have to admit to yourself that it’s just not working.

The low reeds are bored. The flutes just can’t quite get that section. The percussionists are making up parts. You’re managing more than you’re rehearsing — and worse, nobody seems to care. In fact, whenever you announce the piece, the kids groan.

You start asking yourself: Did I choose this piece because it fits my students or because I didn’t ask the right questions?

Like most of us, I used to pick music by scrolling publisher catalogs and listening to recordings late at night. I’d get excited by familiar names, clean recordings and that magical “Editor’s Choice” badge. But I was really listening for something else: The version of the group I hoped I had. If kids practiced, if everyone showed up and if they could just sound like the reference recording, this piece would be perfect. I was already warned by my mentors to teach the kids in front of you, and not the kids you “wish” you had. Otherwise, you’re just wasting everyone else’s time.

Now, before I pick anything, I ask these 10 questions.

1. Does this match where my students are right now — not where I wish they were?

When you program from a who-is-in-front-of-you perspective, rehearsals feel productive. It doesn’t mean you have to pick easy music, but you do have to know what’s attainable for the group in front of you today.

If the trumpets are 75% freshmen who picked up the instrument last fall, I’m not choosing the same opener I used when I had five all-staters — no matter how much I love how the piece sounds.
Even if a piece could be a great stretch eventually, I’d rather pick something one tier down and actually teach it well. There is nothing wrong with underprogramming and overperforming.

2. Does every section have something meaningful to do?

When a third of your ensemble is counting measures or stuck on two-note lines, they check out (every percussionist who’s ever “performed” on a ballad is nodding right now). Kids don’t join music to sit. Sure, you can have features and solos but make sure to balance your program to ensure everyone has something to work with and grow.

3. Is the piece professionally engraved?

This is a tough one, but I also have to make sure that the piece is formatted in a way that my students can quickly understand. The vast majority of the time — I mean, like 99% — you won’t encounter this problem, but when you do come across a piece that just isn’t formatted well, it can derail your whole rehearsal.

Rehearsal marks in odd places, rhythms formatted in odd patterns — most of the time we encounter this with commissioned pieces or student-arranged pieces. Other times, a piece will be engraved fine, but there will be one or two measures that are just hard to read. Don’t be afraid to change a ¾ bar to 6/8 if it makes sense and works for your ensemble.

4. Does this support the skills we’re focused on right now?

Every cycle has a focus — tone, literacy, confidence, blend, independence. If we’re rebuilding tone at the beginning of the year, I’m not picking something full of meter changes and constant counting. If we’re working on reading, I want fluency without overwhelm.

One fall, after a hybrid year, students had giant gaps in confidence. I picked a slower, more expressive piece that forced us to talk about breath, shape and sound. It wasn’t very technical, but it helped us rebuild.

5. Will students enjoy playing this or will they just deal with it?

Some pieces are more trouble than they’re worth. Not because they’re hard, but they’re just not satisfying. One year I picked a piece that looked cool. In rehearsal, nothing felt good. The transitions were awkward, the parts didn’t sit right and the kids couldn’t wait to turn it in. Things don’t have to be “fun,” but if the process is miserable and the payoff is forgettable, skip it.

6. Does this reflect my ensemble culturally, musically, socially?

Look at your students. Then look at your rep. Do they match?

If your school is 70% Latinx and you’ve never programmed a Latinx composer, that’s a missed opportunity. You don’t need themed concerts, but the pieces you present on stage should match the people you teach.

7. Does this push my strongest players without losing the rest?

I want to challenge my top players, but not at the expense of everyone else. So, I design for the middle and then look for opportunities for the exceptional: solos, divisi, alternate lines. We also have the option of finding other opportunities for above-average players, such as solo ensemble and district or state festival auditions. Push your strongest kids, but don’t forget the 80% who actually define your ensemble sound.

8. Is this something I can teach with the time and support I have?

I have selected pieces that needed sectionals I didn’t have time to run and percussion we didn’t own. That’s not because I didn’t want to work hard. I just needed to be realistic about the resources I actually had. If a piece requires resources you know you won’t have, just pick something else.

9. Will I hate this by Week 6?

You’re going to hear this piece at least 50 times. Probably more. I’ve started looping recordings before I commit. If I’m annoyed by Listen #12, it’s out. Same goes for music that only works because of one cool moment. If the lead-up isn’t worth it, you’ll find yourself counting pages, and your kids will feel that. Pick something you won’t dread. If you’re bored, students will be too.

10. If I swapped the title and composer, would I still want to do this?

It’s easy to get pulled in by big names or great marketing. If the title and composer disappeared, would you still pick it? Kids don’t care who wrote it (usually — we do have a few fans of specific composers). They care how it sounds and how it feels to play. I’ve picked pieces because they felt like “the right thing to do,” and they tanked. I’ve also picked obscure pieces with zero prestige, and the kids loved them. No awards. No lists. Just good music.

Programming Is Teaching

Your program is your curriculum. It tells students what matters, what’s worth their time and what kind of group they’re becoming. And you? You have limited time and can only perform so many pieces. Asking the right questions can help you use the most of the precious rehearsal time you have.