FOSTERING NEW TRADITIONS
IN PROGRAMMING

by Julianne Kirk Doyle

WHAT WILL BE OUR FINGERPRINT ON THE TRADITIONS OF TOMORROW?

As we approached the centenary of the United States women’s suffrage movement in 2019, the dean and chairs of the Crane School of Music, where I teach, challenged the performance faculty to include works by women in our 2019-2020 programs. This request was very exciting, and to my chagrin, not something I had personally examined in recital programming. I thought I was keeping a healthy rotation of contrasting repertoire, including standard pieces and new works. Upon reflection, I found that I had programmed only a few works by women, and had not consciously considered the complexion of my repertoire in this regard. This was an “Aha!” moment; I honestly couldn’t believe that as a woman, I had not examined this element of programming more closely. Subsequently, I was eager to dive in head first!

I was disappointed in the lack of works composed by women found in my personal library and sought to expand my holdings. At the outset of this journey, my library contained even fewer works by composers of diverse intersections.

The list of works I did own by female composers was as follows (* indicates works I had performed prior to 2019, and † indicates works my students had performed prior to 2019):

• Claude Arrieu (Louise-Marie Simon) Capriccio (1971)
• *Claude Arrieu Suite en Trio (1980)
• Carolyn Bremer Sonata (1995)
• †Rebecca Clarke Prelude, Allegro and Pastorale (1941)
• *Yvonne Desportes Andante & Allegro for bass clarinet (1939)
• *Marguerite Bérclard D’Harcourt Rhapsodie Peruvienne (1948)
• *Roshanne Etezady Glint (2007)
• Roshanne Etezady Bright Angel (2007)
• Ruth Gipps Prelude (1959)
• Ida Gotkovsky Concerto Lyrique (1982)
• *Ivette Herryman-Rodriguez Black montuno (2015)
• Katherine Hoover Ritual (1991)
• Katherine Hoover Clarinet Concerto (1987)
• †Libby Larsen Dancing Solo (1994)
• *Libby Larsen Licorice Stick (2002)
• †Libby Larsen Corker (1991)
• *Libby Larsen Yellow Jersey (2004)
• Shulamit Ran Monologue for an Actor (1977)
• Jeanine Rueff Concertino (1950)
• †Germaine Tailliferre Arabesque (1973)
• †Germaine Tailliferre Sonata (1957)
• †Joan Tower Wings (1983)
• Joan Tower Fantasy (…those harbor lights) (1983)
• *Judith Lang Zaimont Astral (2004)

EXPANDING HORIZONS

Looking at my playing career, I was shocked that I had only performed eight compositions by women. Repertoire from my student years of clarinet study contained not a single work by a woman or composers of diverse intersections. It was time to expand my programming to add works by women, composers of diverse backgrounds, and living composers. After careful consideration, my 2020 faculty recital program included the following works:

• Germaine Tailliferre Arabesque (1973)
• Stacy Garrop Phoenix Rising (2016/2017)
• Katherine Hoover Ritual (1991)
• Libby Larsen Corker (1977)
• Shulamit Ran Spirit (2017)
• Amanda Harberg Sonata (2016)

This program excited me more than any recital I had given to this point in my career; this music had much to express and stretched me in ways I had not been stretched.  For the first time in my career, I saw myself reflected in the repertoire I was presenting. It was an exhilarating and emotional performance. A sampling of programs since 2020 have included an expansion of my personal repertoire to include the following works:

• Mauricio Murcio Bedoya Colombian Dances (2008)
• Lili Boulanger Nocturne (1911)
• Jenni Brandon The Mountain (2022)
• Jenni Brandon The Sequoia Trio (2008)
• Jenni Brandon Mobula Ray (2023)
• Jenni Brandon Fin de la Tierra: Lands End (2023)
• Margaret Brouwer Sonata (2022)
• Valerie Coleman Portraits of Langston (2007)
• Paquito D’Rivera Cape Cod Files (2010)
• Stacy Garrop Archangels (2018)
• Stacy Garrop Suenos de flamenco (2018)
• Stacy Garrop Solitude of stars (2014/2020)
• Ruth Gipps Seascapes (1958)
• Adolphus Hailstork Three Smiles for Tracy (1989)
• Amanda Harberg Hall of Ghosts (2020)
• Jennifer Higdon A Gentle Notion (2013)
• Libby Larsen Blue Third Suite (2000)
• Libby Larsen Yellow Jersey (2004)
• Lowell Liebermann Elegy (2017)

CONTRASTING VS. DIVERSE PROGRAMMING STRATEGIES

As a student, I remember learning to perform a “contrasting” program including works from different eras and nationalities. I now realize those considerations must include works by living composers, women, and those from diverse and marginalized backgrounds. It is particularly important for our students to see themselves reflected in the repertoire they study and perform. Students can study these works alongside the “standard repertoire.”

WHAT IS “CONTEMPORARY” MUSIC?

The notion of “contemporary” is reflective of one’s lifetime rather than that of a certain style or century. What is contemporary to my life is not the same for my students. We are almost 25 years into the 21st century—one quarter of the way through this millennium—and our current students did not even live in the 20th century! The notion of “standard repertoire” needs an update. What will programming look like in the 22nd century? Do we desire to see equal representation in the clarinet curriculum and repertoire programming? How can we lead the way now for a well-rounded curriculum of study with regard to equal representation in repertoire, etudes, and chamber music? What works written 100 or 200 years ago have been marginalized or underperformed? What works being written now, particularly by those of diverse intersections, will be considered the pearls of our century in 100-300 years?

RESOURCES

There are a number of resources online to discover works by women and those of diverse intersections. Here are a few to get you started:

• Clarinet Music By Women
• 100 Clarinet Compositions by Women (Jenny Mclay)
• Works by Female Composers
  (Erin Fung)
• Reprints from the Early Years: Music for Clarinet by Women (Elsa Verdehr)
• The Corelia Project
• CAMCo Music Search Engine (you can search by level of difficulty, living composers, pronouns, and more)
• Clarinet Works by Black Composers (Marcus Eley)
• Clarinet Music by Black Composers (Spreadsheet)

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

There is no way a student can play everything in their years of study, therefore my goal is to expose all students to the widest array of repertoire possible. One strategy is to have no two students study the same piece in the same semester. This allows each student to feel their repertoire is “theirs” and avoids feelings of comparison. In studio class, scores are projected to allow students to view and make informed comments to their colleagues.

My students often ask if they can program new music for recitals and it has become a studio goal to find and explore works that reflect the identity of the students and explore new styles, combined in a program with standard repertoire. Students often seek to find a piece no one else in the studio has performed; therefore they have the opportunity to introduce a new work to the curriculum. Students have commissioned new works to grow the repertoire in ways they feel are needed. In 2021, we added language to the jury requirements to encourage exploration of music by living, underrepresented, and diverse composers.

PROMOTING PEARLS BY WOMEN

There are a number of works by women we should consider a part of the traditional repertoire, either as scaffolding for works historically performed, or simply as works that need to be included for a balanced curriculum. The choice of these works is up to the teacher’s approach and philosophy. Many works from the early days of the clarinet have not typically been studied in the clarinet studio curriculum but fit perfectly and deserve consideration. Below is a sample list of repertoire composed by women I use in my studio alongside our “historically centered” works.  Works previously mentioned in this article are also part of the curriculum. This list continues to evolve and grow as we explore works fitting the pedagogical and musical needs of each student.

SOLO REPERTOIRE:

• Jean Ahn Blush (2010)
• Jenni Brandon Chansons de la Nature (2006)
• Jenni Brandon Starry Night (2013)
• Jenni Brandon Mobula Ray (2023)
• Stacy Garrop Phoenix Rising (2016/2017)
• Ruth Gipps Prelude (1959) (bass or BÌclarinet)
• Ida Gotkovsky Sonata for solo clarinet (1986)
• Amanda Harberg Hall of Ghosts (2021)
• Libby Larsen Dancing Solo (1994)
• Shulamit Ran Monologue (1977)
• Shulamit Ran Spirit (2017)
• Augusta Reed Thomas D(i)agon(als) (2005)
• Chen Yi Monologue The True Story of Ah Q (1993)

CLARINET AND PIANO

• Lili Boulanger Nocturne and Cortege (1911)
• Valerie Coleman Sonatine (2014)
• Clémence de Grandval Deux Pieces (1881)
• Ida Gotkovsky Image de Norvège (1977)
• Amanda Harberg Sonata (2016)
• Augusta Holmes Fantasie (1899)
• Jeanine Rueff Concertino (1950)
• Jeanine Rueff Variations (1976)
• Marie Elisabeth von Sachsen-Meiningen Romanze (1892)
• Caroline Schleicher-Krähmer Sonata (1825)
• Clara Schumann Drei Romanzen (1853)
• Alice Mary Smith Sonata (1870)

STUDENT CHOICES AND DIVERSE INTERSECTIONS

My students often bring repertoire to lessons for performance consideration, including works by women and composers from underrepresented identities. Students have programmed these works regularly on juries or recitals:

SOLO REPERTOIRE

• Kristen Denny-Chambers It feels like… (2020)
• Adolphus Hailstork Three Smiles for Tracy (1989)
• Theresa Martin Gryphon (2006)
• Jorge Montilla Introduction and Joropo (2007)
• Jorge Montilla Registro de Pajarillo (2010)
• Jane O’Leary Within/Without (2000)
• Shulamit Ran Three Scenes (2007)
• Bright Sheng A Tune from Childhood (1994)
• Roberto Sierra Cinco bocetos (1984)

CLARINET AND ELECTRONICS

• Silvina Milstein Janus (1983)
• Asha Srinivasan Alone, Dancing (2003)

CLARINET AND PIANO

• David Baker Sonata (1990)
• Kenji Bunch Cookbook (2004)
• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor/Watts Sorrow Songs, op. 57 (1906/2022)
• Paquito D’Rivera Cape Cod Files (2009)
• Ella Georgiyevna Adayevskaya Griechische Sonata (1881)
• Eleanor Alberga Duo (1997)
• Francine Aubin Pièce en forme de Jazz (1985)
• Grażyna Bacewicz (1982)
• Nadia Boulanger Trois Pieces (1914)
• Fernande Breilh-Decruck Cantilène (1933)
• Fernande Breilh-Decruck Élégie (1931)
• Sarah Feigin Fantasy for Clarinet and Piano (1996)
• Stacy Garrop The Solitude of Stars (2022)
• Ida Gotkovsky Image de Norvège (1977)
• Sofia Gubaidulina Punkte, linen und zickzack (Bass clarinet) (1976)
• Ivette Herryman Rodriguez Black montuno (2015)
• Jennifer Higdon A Gentle Notion (2013)
• Laura Kopelwitz Ukiyo-E (1989)
• Jessie Montgomery Peace (2020)
• Dorothy Rudd Moore Night Fantasy (1979)
• Agnus Ida Pettersen Autumn (2008)
• Indra Riše Ritenītis ritināja (2015)
• Jeanne Shaffer Three Faces of Woman (1995)
• Meira Maxine M. Warshauer Yes! (1996)
• Chan Wing-Wah 3 Pieces (1979)
• Chen Yi Chinese Ancient Dances (2006)
• Javier Zalba Canción para un Clarinetista (2010)
• Wen Ziyang The Autumn Sun Shines on Chengdu (2020)

CHAMBER MUSIC

• Mauricio Murcia Bedoya Colombian Dances (duet)
• Mauricio Murcia Bedoya Colombian Scenes (quartet)
• Jenni Brandon Shades of Violet (2017) clarinet and viola
• Shulamit Ran The Flight of the Brave Chicken (2018) bass clarinet and piccolo

FOR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION:

Each year I spend the final weeks of the semester planning future programming with students. I often peruse catalogs and find new works to consider for myself, and for students to program in recitals. This year’s explorations include the following works that were intriguing, and are not already listed earlier:

• Claude Arrieu Petit Choral (1976)
• Claude Arrieu Un Jour D’Été (1976)
• Claude Arrieu La Fête (1976)
• Francine Aubin Un Soir à Monfort-L’Amaury (1987)
• Francine Aubin Concerto (published 2018)
• Marion Bauer Sonata (1951)
• Amy Beach La Captive op. 40, No. 1 (1898)
• Jenni Brandon Sea Quartet (2009)
• Qigang Chen Chant de l’aube (2023)
• Fernande Decruck Cantilène (1933)
• Marc Delmas Soir D’Été (1955)
• Graciane Finzi Dialogue (1998)
• Ida Gotkovsky Variations de Printemps (2017)
• Grace Orforka Orlorun mi (2020)
• Nicole Philiba Concerto da camera (1970)
• Ivy Priaulx Ranier Suite for clarinet and piano (1943)
• Jeanine Rueff A la Manière de…Cinq pieces pour clarinette et piano (1978)
• Patrice Sciortino Sillons, 3 Etudes pour clarinette basse (1991)
• Akira Tanaka Au-delà d’un rêve II (1990)
• Gwyneth Walker Sonata: “Genesis” (2005)

ACCESS TO LIVING COMPOSERS

One of the privileges we have in our modern-day era is the opportunity to collaborate with living composers, by sending rehearsal recordings, having online coachings, and discussing how they wish for us to illustrate their music. For professionals or students alike, the access we have is more than in any other era of music.

FUTURE THOUGHTS

For future faculty recitals, I’m considering programs consisting of works by women of the 19th and early 20th century. There are myriad connecting themes one could employ for a program. Just a few themes might include: works by women who published under a different name, women who didn’t study formally, women married to male composers, “fantasies” by women, “sonatas” by women, “solo repertoire” by women. There are so many directions to explore. Regularly including a work or two by women, underrepresented and diverse composers, and perhaps one that is living is a great way to normalize inclusion and relevance in programming. Maria du Toit presented a recital in 2023 titled the “She/Her” recital. I highly encourage an exploration of this beautiful performance given at Stellanbosch University.

IN CLOSING

I wish to thank the International Clarinet Association board for entrusting me with the role of Pedagogy Coordinator over the last two years. It has been an honor to serve the ICA in this capacity by writing this column and collaborating with the incredible members of the ICA pedagogy committee. I appreciate my husband Brian Doyle, a tremendous musician and pedagogue himself, who has been my proofreader, and a huge thank you to Rachel Yoder for all she does to make The Clarinet the incredible publication that it is. We are so fortunate to have this resource and an editor who cares so deeply about the quality and content of this journal. I wish the dynamic duo of Shawn Copeland and Jackie McIlwain all the best in their roles as the next ICA pedagogy coordinators, and look forward to their thoughts, insights, and contributions.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:

Ludewig-Verdehr, Elsa and Jean Raines. “Music for Clarinet by Women Composers, Part 1” (in “Reprints from the Early Years”). The Clarinet 50 no. 2. March 2023.

Ludewig-Verdehr, Elsa and Jean Raines. Music for Clarinet by Women Composers, Parts 1 and 2. The Clarinet 8 nos. 2 and 3, Winter and Spring 1981.

Julianne Kirk Doyle is professor of clarinet at SUNY Potsdam’s
Crane School of Music and serves as New York state chair and pedagogy coordinator for the ICA. She earned her MM and DMA from the Eastman School of Music and BM from the University of Oklahoma. Her debut CD Dante Dances was released in 2019. For more information about Dr. Doyle, please visit jkdoyle.org.