Insights and Essays on the Music Performance Library

Insights and Essays

on the

Music Performance Library

Edited by

Russ Girsberger & Laurie Lake

Published by

Meredith Music Publications

a division of G.W. Music, Inc.

4899 Lerch Creek Ct., Galesville, MD 20765

http://www.meredithmusic.com

MEREDITH MUSIC PUBLICATIONS and its stylized double M logo are trademarks of MEREDITH MUSIC PUBLICATIONS, a division of G.W. Music, Inc.

Reproducing or transmitting in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher is forbidden.

While every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain permission, this has not been possible in all cases; any omissions brought to our attention will be remedied in future editions.

Copyright © 2012 MEREDITH MUSIC PUBLICATIONS

International Copyright Secured • All Rights Reserved

First Edition

June 2012

Cover photo and design: Russ and Shawn Girsberger

International Standard Book Number: 978-1-57463-216-3

Contents

Preface

About the Authors

Chapter 1 | The Variety of Performance Librarians

Band Librarian

by Sarah Anderson

Opera Librarian

by Paul J. Beck

Music Festival Librarian

by Elizabeth Cusato

Music Publisher Rental Librarian

by Amy Diane Dickinson

College and Conservatory Librarian

by Erika Kirsch

How to Run a Choral Library

by Sally Millar

Ballet Music Librarian

by Matthew Naughtin

Jazz at Lincoln Center

by Kay Niewood and Christianna English

Does the High School Music Department Need a Librarian?

by Walter O’Keefe

Film and Studio Librarian: Music Preparation for Film Soundtrack Recording Sessions

by Eric Swanson

Chapter 2 | The Librarian and the . . .

. . . Orchestra Conductor

by James DePreist

. . . Wind Band Conductor

by Michael J. Colburn

. . . Composer

by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

. . . Music Dealer

by Carla Boyer

. . . Music Publisher

by Rachel Peters

Chapter 3 | Aspects of the Profession

So, You Think You Might Want to Be an Orchestra Librarian?

by Lawrence Tarlow

Auditioning and Interviewing for the Performance Librarian

by Sara Griffin

Teach Our Own

by Paul Gunther

The Librarian as Mentor — Hand to Hand

by Elena Lence Talley

Communication: Say What?!

by Marcia Farabee

Strength-Based Organization, Communication Pattern and Work Values

by Kazue McGregor

The One Man Show

by Patrick McGinn

Beyond the Library

by Karen Schnackenberg

Chapter 4 | The Nuts and Bolts

Advance Planning

by Robert Sutherland

Where are Those Orchestra Parts?

by Clinton F. Nieweg and Jennifer A. Johnson

Choosing Editions

by Ronald Whitaker

Proofreading

by Bill Holab

Orchestral Pops Music: Take Nothing For Granted

by Ella M. Fredrickson

Music Information Centres

by Jari Eskola

Small Rights, and Print, Mechanical, and Synchronization Licensing

by Jane Cross

Grand Rights

by Robert Sutherland

Important Features to Look for in a Performance Library Copier

by Courtney Secoy Cohen

Using a Database

by Michael K. Runyan

Chapter 5 | Additional Responsibilities

Working With a Composer: The Process of Music Editing

by Charlie Harmon

Orchestra Tours

by John G. Van Winkle

Preservation in the Performance Library

by D. Michael Ressler

Using Technology and Community Partnerships to Archive Your Orchestral Collection

by Robert Olivia

Input on Your Output: Thoughts from a Professional Music Copyist

by Douglas Richard

The Art of the Retouche (Does Beethoven know what we’re doing?)

by Marshall Burlingame

Preface

This is the book that I always wanted to read when I first became a performance librarian. I wanted a book that would tell me how to do this unusual job more efficiently and more professionally. I wanted the secrets from the pros, the people at the top of their fields, and now I finally have it.

These are original essays, commissioned for this publication, many on topics that are being addressed in print for the first time. They provide an insight to this career that comes only with years of training and experience.

The response to this project from our contributors and colleagues was overwhelming. Laurie and I have been humbled by the willingness of these busy people to share their time and vast knowledge. Thank you all for your generosity.

Thanks also to our publisher and friend, Garwood Whaley of Meredith Music Publications, for supporting this project and making it available in print. The royalties from this book will go directly to the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA) to increase the opportunities for further education and outreach in this field.

We hope you will enjoy this book and benefit from it as we have.

Russ Girsberger

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Laurie Lake

Cleveland, Ohio

About the Authors

Sarah Anderson toured for six years with the Soldiers’ Chorus of The United States Army Field Band, giving free public concerts in forty-nine states. She served as the chorus librarian and later the assistant unit librarian while performing with the ensemble, before becoming the full-time librarian in 2003. Prior to joining the Field Band, she performed with the Lutheran Choir of Chicago and the University Singers of The George Washington University, as well as GW’s vocal jazz ensemble, the Troubadours. Sergeant First Class Anderson earned a BA degree at The George Washington University and received her Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland-College Park.

Paul J. Beck is Principal Orchestra Librarian of The Juilliard School and Principal Librarian for the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center in New York City. He is active in New York City as an orchestral librarian and music preparation professional, having current and past affiliations with the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, The Juilliard School, Aspen Music Festival and School, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the YouTube Symphony. Well-versed in opera music preparation, Paul is also the concert librarian for Renee Fleming. Mr. Beck is a 1998 graduate of the Manhattan School of Music.

Carla Boyer graduated with bachelor’s degrees in music and Spanish and a master’s degree in Spanish from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She also began studies toward a second master’s degree in library science. She taught stringed instruments in the Springdale, Arkansas public school for three years and Little Rock, Arkansas public schools for six years, also playing in the cello section of the Arkansas Symphony for six years. She worked as Assistant Librarian with the Saint Louis Symphony with John Tafoya for three years. She began working at Educational Music Service in 1981 where she serves as Sales Manager.

Marshall Burlingame is the Principal Librarian of the Boston Symphony. He graduated from the Eastman School of Music as a double major in Clarinet and Music History, receiving the Performer’s Certificate in Clarinet. Following service in the U.S. Air Force Concert Band, in Washington D.C., he became a Reference Librarian at the Library of Congress Music Division. He entered the orchestra library field as Principal Librarian of the Cincinnati Symphony, leaving after twelve seasons, to initiate OLIS, the Orchestra Library Information Service, (a component of the current OPAS database), for the League of American Orchestras on a three-year grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Burlingame supervises the three libraries at Tanglewood, mentors the Tanglewood Music Center’s Library Fellow, and gives seminars for the Composer and Conductor Fellows.

Courtney Secoy Cohen is the Principal Librarian for the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Opera. She previously worked as the Assistant Librarian for the Kansas City Symphony and the Florida West Coast Symphony (now the Sarasota Orchestra). Prior to these positions, she served as the Performance Librarian for the Boston Conservatory. She is active in the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA), serving as the Managing Editor of Marcato, working on the Errata Committee, writing the Transitions article for Marcato, and acting as the Pops Resources Database Coordinator. She also maintains her music engraving and copyist business, Piperlass Music Engraving.

Michael J. Colburn, a native of St. Albans, Vermont, earned a bachelor’s degree in euphonium performance at Arizona State University and a master’s degree in conducting from George Mason University. In 1987, Colburn won a position playing euphonium with The President’s Own United States Marine Band, and was designated principal euphonium in 1991. In 1996 he was appointed Assistant Director, and since 2004 he has served as the 27th Director of the U.S. Marine Band. Colburn is an active guest conductor and clinician. He has twice led the All-New England Festival Band, the All-Eastern Band, and in December 2009 he served as the Arnald D. Gabriel Resident Wind Conductor on the campus of Ithaca University. Colburn serves as music director of Washington, D.C.’s prestigious Gridiron Club, a position first held by John Philip Sousa, and is a member of the Alfalfa Club, the American Bandmaster’s Association, and is a board member of the Sousa Foundation.

Jane Cross joined The President’s Own United States Marine Band in May 1997 and was appointed Chief Librarian in 2008. She earned her bachelor’s degrees in music (clarinet) and English (technical writing) from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1997. In 2003, she earned a master’s degree in library science from the University of Maryland at College Park. Prior to joining The President’s Own, Master Sergeant Cross was a Senior Airman with the 572nd Air National Guard Band in Knoxville, Tennessee. She has been active in serving both the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA) and the Music Library Association (MLA), and has presented sessions on copyright at their annual conferences. Outside of work, she is a slow triathlete and an avid gardener.

Elizabeth Cusato is the Associate Librarian at The National Symphony and has been Orchestra Librarian for The Glimmerglass Festival since 2004. Prior to moving to Washington, D.C., Elizabeth was Associate Principal Librarian at the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, and Interim Associate Principal Librarian at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys knitting, cooking, and running.

James DePreist, widely esteemed as one of America’s finest conductors, is Director Emeritus of Conducting and Orchestral Studies at The Juilliard School and Laureate Music Director of the Oregon Symphony. He served as Permanent Conductor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra from 2005 until 2008. As a guest conductor he has appeared with every major North American orchestra and has also conducted widely with international orchestras. Maestro DePreist has appeared at the Aspen Music Festival, with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Music Center, and the Juilliard orchestras at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. He has been awarded fourteen honorary doctorates and is the author of two books of poetry. Among his many awards is the National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest honor for artistic excellence, awarded in 2005.

Amy D. Dickinson is the Head of Rental Services for Schott Music Corporation and European American Music Distributors LLC. She has degrees in both music performance and business administration and currently resides in New York City with her two cats.

Christianna English is an Associate of Music Administration at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. She holds graduate degrees in library and information science from the University of North Texas, and in clarinet performance from Oklahoma City University. She is a member of the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA).

Jari Eskola, a former principal librarian of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic (2007–2010), the Gothenburg Symphony (2001–2007), the Helsinki Philharmonic (1999–2000) and the Tapiola Sinfonietta (1998–1999), currently works as manager of services and development at the Finnish Music Information Center (Fimic) in his native Helsinki. He is a musicologist and saxophonist, an arranger and orchestrator, and an editor and copyist in demand by the leading publishers and ensembles. Eskola is an honorary member of the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA), a recognition to his active service for the organization.

Marcia Farabee, Principal Librarian of the National Symphony Orchestra, is a graduate of the Capital University Conservatory of Music with a BM in violin performance and music education. Prior to her work with the National Symphony Orchestra, she taught strings for the Fairfax County Public School System (VA), toured with the National Ballet, and performed with the Richmond Symphony, the NSO, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, the Filene Center Orchestra (Wolf Trap), and the National Theater. Marcia began her work with the NSO Library in the fall of 1983. She is active in the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA), having served as President three times, as well as chairing a number of committees. She is particularly interested in education and publisher relations.

Ella M. Fredrickson is Principal Librarian for The Florida Orchestra. Ms. Fredrickson is an active advocate for new music and has served as music librarian for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California since 2002. She is an alumna of the University of Miami School of Music (Coral Gables, Florida) and has a keen interest in electronic music and performing theremin and violoncello. She is a free-lance music copyist and editor and is the personal librarian for conductor Marin Alsop, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Fredrickson also acts as the fellowship coordinator of the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote, present, and encourage talented women conductors at the beginning of their professional careers.

Russ Girsberger is the Librarian at the School of Music for the United States Navy and Marine Corps in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has worked as a performance librarian with The Juilliard School, the New England Conservatory, the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops, the New York Philharmonic, and the United States Marine Band. Girsberger holds degrees in music education, music history, and library and information science. He is the author of A Manual for the Performance Library, Percussion Assignments for Band & Wind Ensemble, and A Practical Guide to Percussion Terminology.

Sara Griffin holds a bachelor of music and a doctorate of musical arts degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and a master of music degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; all in oboe performance. Ms. Griffin began her career as a performance librarian with the Kansas City Symphony in 2004 and in 2006 became the Associate Librarian of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. In 2009, she became a member of the New York Philharmonic as Assistant Principal Librarian and currently resides in Manhattan.

Paul Gunther is Principal Librarian of the Minnesota Orchestra. He trained as a percussionist and has played in the U.S. Army Band, the Milwaukee Symphony, and the Minnesota Orchestra. As a longtime member of the American Federation of Musicians, he is an active union musician, serving on the Governing Board of ICSOM, the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians. He is a pescatarian chocoholic Scorpio who enjoys exercise, TV dramas, and exercising while watching TV dramas. He is a Past President of the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA).

Charlie Harmon is a freelance editor, working with Christopher Rouse, John Adams, Lorin Maazel, and Stephen Sondheim, among others. As an editor, Mr. Harmon corresponded directly and extensively with these composers, with orchestra librarians, publishers, conductors, and performers. Mr. Harmon was music editor for the Estate of Leonard Bernstein, having worked with Bernstein as his personal assistant from 1982 through 1985. Some of the works Mr. Harmon was responsible for include the first publication of the full scores of West Side Story, Candide, and Mass, and the first complete piano vocal scores for On the Town and Wonderful Town. Mr. Harmon holds a degree in music composition from Carnegie-Mellon University, where he studied with Nikolai Lopatnikoff, Roland Leich, and Leonardo Balada.

Bill Holab is the owner of Bill Holab Music, a firm that provides essential services to composers and publishers including high-end typesetting, design, music engraving, and publishing representation. Holab has served as Director of Publications for G. Schirmer/Associated Music Publishers, Director of Production for Universal Edition, Editor for C.F. Peters Corporation, and Director of Publishing for Schott Music Corporation. As a consultant, Holab has worked with Avid (Sibelius), MakeMusic (Finale), San Andreas Press (Score) and wrote the technical documentation for Score. He is a composer and studied at the University of Michigan and The Juilliard School.

Jennifer A. Johnson is a music librarian at the Metropolitan Opera. Before arriving in New York, she was assistant librarian with the Houston Symphony and staff librarian with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Her writings have appeared in Notes, the quarterly journal of the Music Library Association, Journal of the Conductors Guild, Polyphonic.org, and various publications of the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA). She trained as a trombonist at the Peabody Conservatory and also earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in political science and philosophy from Bryn Mawr College.

Erika Kirsch is a senior specialized cataloguing editor and acquisitions assistant for the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Originally a bassoonist, she began working in ensemble libraries while studying at the Eastman School of Music, later working at the American Symphony Orchestra (New York City), Houston Grand Opera, Aspen Music Festival, and Sewanee Summer Music Festival. She is currently studying for a master’s degree in library and information science at McGill University.

Laurie Lake holds a BM in music performance from Northwestern University and an MLS from Indiana University. She served as Associate Principal Flute in the Honolulu Symphony for ten years where she was also the orchestra’s librarian. She has managed the libraries for the Aspen Music Festival and School for six summers, as well as run the ensemble libraries at Indiana University and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Ms Lake served the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA) as their first president from an educational institution. She is currently active in the Music Library Association and works as the Reference and Electronic Resources Librarian at the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Robinson Music Library.

Patrick McGinn has been a professional librarian since 1980 and currently serves as the Principal Librarian of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 1986. Prior to this he was the Assistant Librarian of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra under the guidance of Paul Gunther. Patrick has been active in the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA) for many years serving in a number of positions including president, vice-president, past-president, secretary, and administrator. Patrick graduated with a bachelor of music degree in percussion performance from the University of Michigan in 1979 where he studied with Charles Owen. Additional percussion instructors included Vic Firth and Frank Epstein of the Boston Symphony, Barry Jekowsky of the San Francisco Symphony, and Norman Fickett of the Detroit Symphony. When time allows Patrick performs with the Milwaukee Symphony as their principal extra percussionist.

Kazue Asawa McGregor is a librarian with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. During her twenty-seven year tenure, she has collaborated closely with conductors and artists, performed frequently as a musician in the Philharmonic, and worked as a consultant in the designing of performance libraries. Other pursuits include certificate work in college and career guidance counseling, volunteer service on school boards and committees, and spending time with her family. She is a Past President of the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association.

Sally Millar is the Administrative Assistant for Choruses at the New England Conservatory, a job title that also includes manager and librarian duties. She has worked as NEC Chorus Librarian for eighteen years and sung in choruses for over forty-five years (and still loves it). A native of the Boston area, she has an undergraduate degree in art history. She loves to bake, read, admire her cats, and make Ukrainian Easter eggs.

Matthew Naughtin is a composer, violinist, violist, program annotator, and music librarian who started writing music at the same time he began violin lessons at age 11. He left Omaha for Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois where he studied violin performance, theory, and composition and was awarded a bachelor’s degree in music performance in 1970. He taught and performed in the Chicago area for several years before returning to Omaha to play in the Omaha Symphony Orchestra from 1977–1997 and serve as the Symphony’s Music Librarian, Program Annotator, Resident Composer, and Musical Arranger. Matt’s original orchestral compositions and arrangements have gained wide recognition and are played all across America on Christmas, Pops, Youth and Family concerts, and his music written especially for children has been used extensively on family concerts and concerts for grade school and preschool children. He was appointed Music Librarian of the San Francisco Ballet in 1997 and now lives and works in San Francisco.

Clinton F. Nieweg, retired Principal Librarian of The Philadelphia Orchestra, is the owner/manager of ~Proof Purr-fect Research~ for conductors, librarians, and players. He is co-founder and Past President of the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA), and has founded a Yahoo! Group — OLI (Orchestra Library Information). Eighty corrected editions have been prepared under his direction in the Nieweg Performance Editions series, which are published by Edwin F. Kalmus & Co., LC. In 2009 Nieweg was the first performance librarian to be a recipient of the Conductors Guild Award for Distinguished Service in recognition of his long-standing service to the Art and Profession of Conducting.

Kay Niewood is the Assistant Director of Music Administration at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, New York. She holds a master of music degree in jazz studies, jazz arranging and composition from William Paterson University and a bachelor of music in music education from the University of Minnesota. She has taught K-12 vocal and general music, and served as adjunct faculty at the college level. She is a member of the Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association (MOLA).

Walter Randy O’Keefe holds a BA in music education from Ohio University and an MM in trumpet performance from the University of Notre Dame. He has been the Music Department Head and Director of Bands for the Masconomet Regional School District in Topsfield, Massachusetts, since 1990. In addition to his teaching and conducting responsibilities at Masconomet, Randy also finds time to conduct the Northshore Youth Symphony as well as perform with several regional orchestras in the greater Boston area.

Robert Olivia is the Associate Principal Orchestra Librarian of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Previously he served as librarian for the Oregon, Naples, Detroit, New York Philharmonic, and Boston Symphony orchestras. In addition to his symphonic