Best Practices

Creating diverse concert programs can seem intimidating. We are often limited by various constraints on programming: the availability of scores and parts, requirements made by state or regional governing boards, instrumentation, and pressure from both our own organizations’ boards, members, and potential audiences. However, we believe that every program should be diverse in its representation of composers.

SUGGESTED BEST PRACTICES

The following suggestions are made with the intention of providing decision-makers useful ideas as they work toward diversifying(1) their programmed repertoire.

1. DISTRIBUTION: Spread works by women composers(2), composers of color, and composers identifying with the LGBTQIA2s+(3) community throughout your concert season rather than only performing them on specially-themed concerts (i.e., all women composers for International Day of Women, all Black composers for Black History Month, all Asian composers for AAPI month, etc.).

2. TOPIC: It is important to avoid placing topical limitations on composers when commissioning new works as well as when programming your concert series. Composers from equity-seeking(4) groups have much to say about the world beyond works that speak directly to their identity or background. An inspiration for this suggestion is the work of Dr. Marques L. A. Garrett and his important web-based resource Beyond Elijah Rock: The Non-Idiomatic Choral Music of Black Composers.

3. RATIONALE: Representation has been shown to play an important role in modeling equity for audiences and musicians. No composer wants to be programmed just because of who they are—program their works because their music resonates with you and because of its musical merit, and it will resonate with your audiences as well.

4. BENCHMARKS: Intentionally setting minimum percentage goals before solidifying specific repertoire decisions makes it much easier to achieve those goals (see below for more on benchmarks).

5. AUDIENCE: Program to your potential audience as well as to your usual attendees.

6. LOCALITY: Remember that there are often a sizable number of composers in your extended region—always consider how they could help you connect with your community if possible.

7. SUBSTANTIAL WORKS: Include more substantial works by composers from equity-seeking groups in your program. Too often, programmers choose only short works by composers from equity-seeking groups and place them at the start of a program while choosing longer, more extensive works written by composers from the Western canon.

8. AVOID “3-OR-MORE”: Many ensembles will often perform multiple works by the same composer either in a special series or throughout their season. This practice has the unintentional consequence of removing space in a concert season that could be used to feature works by women composers and composers of color if done too frequently. While there’s nothing wrong with an occasional focus on any one composer, balance should be given to ensure that other voices are heard as well.

SUGGESTED BENCHMARKS

ICD has been considering appropriate minimum benchmarks for programming for several years, and the information below outlines suggested achievable proportions to aim for as minimum goals in annual concert programming. These concepts are not genre-specific and can be mapped onto almost any seasonal programming model.

Note: When programming with benchmarks in mind, it is important to do so within the context of the best programming practices described above to create a sustainable and long-term investment in a new way of programming rather than a performative way that meets a numerical goal without further intention.

This model sets 24% as a minimum goal for works by living composers and 24% for works by composers from equity-seeking groups, with 16% each for women composers and composers of color (at least 8% of which are women of color) whenever possible.

Treemap illustration of a season breakdown for a traditional ensemble utilizing our suggested minimum benchmarks.

Treemap illustration of a season breakdown for a traditional ensemble utilizing our suggested minimum benchmarks.

For ensembles that focus primarily on performing contemporary works, ICD suggests that a concert season program have a minimum of at least 60% works by living composers, at least 35% works by women composers, and at least 35% works by composers of color.

Treemap illustration of a season breakdown for a contemporary music ensemble using our suggested minimum benchmarks.

For single-concert events (such as an All-State or All-National festival for K-12 educators), ICD suggests that at least one work by a woman composer and at least one work by a composer of color be included in each ensemble’s concert, if possible.

Finally, while suggested benchmarks are not provided for the programming of LGBTQIA2s+ composers due to the limited availability of statistical data and resources, we encourage increasing representation of LGBTQIA2S+ identifying composers in concert programming.

PROGRAMMING EXAMPLES

FOR AN ORCHESTRAL SEASON WITH 50 WORKS:

  • At least 12 works by living composers

  • At least 8 works by women composers (at least 4 by women of color(5))

  • At least 8 by composers of color (at least 4 by women of color)

  • Works by composers within the LGBTQIA2S+ community(6)

FOR A WIND BAND SEASON WITH 25 WORKS:

  • At least 6 works by living composers

  • At least 4 works by women composers (at least 2 by women of color)

  • At least 4 works by composers of color (at least 2 by women of color)

  • Works by composers within the LGBTQIA2S+ community

FOR A CHORAL SEASON WITH 25 WORKS:

  • At least 6 works by living composers

  • At least 4 works by women composers (at least 2 works by women of color)

  • At least 4 works by composers of color (at least 2 works by women of color)

  • Works by composers within the LGBTQIA2S+ community

Footnotes

  1. Diversifying repertoire can include music from composers with access barriers, composers with physical/visible disabilities, composers who are neurodivergent, composers of color, composers from the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and composers who may identify in multiple intersectionalities.

  2. “Women” refers to cisgender women, trans women, and women identifying and presenting composers.

  3. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, Plus.

  4. Equity-seeking groups are those that identify barriers to equal access, opportunities and resources due to disadvantage and discrimination and actively seek social justice and reparation. (Canada Council for the Arts)

  5. These examples emphasize the inclusion of women composers of color because of the historic lack of representation from this group in programming across many musical genres.

  6. Did you know there are some historical composers in the LGBTQIA2S+ community who are already well represented in the western classical music canon?  Composers like Benjamin Britten and Aaron Copland were known to be in same-sex relationships. Consider programming composers from this community that are less well represented. (Source - https://www.queerportraits.com/)