COURSES by Mikhail Bogdanov - Russian Composer, Arranger, and Prof. at Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory
I. LECTURES – “PECULIARITIES OF THE RUSSIAN ORCHESTRAL STYLE”.
Format: lectures with examples of life orchestration based on main principles of Russian orchestral school
Duration: 8 x 1,5-hour lessons, 1 time per week
Audience: 10-100 persons (no limitation)
II. ORCHESTRATION WORKSHOP (Practical training course) – “PRACTICAL LESSONS IN ORCHESTRATION, BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES AND METHODOLOGY ADOPTED AT THE MOSCOW STATE TCHAIKOVSKY CONSERVATORY”
Format: practical online training in orchestration for different instrumental casts including the online analysis of homework.
Duration: 8 x 1,5-hour lessons, 1 time per week
Audience: 2-4 active students - groups beginners, advanced level
III. INSTRUMENTATION WORKSHOP (Practical training course) –
Introduction to the ORCHESTRATION COURSEis intended for beginning composers and orchestrators.
Format: practical online training
Duration: 8 x 1,5-2 hour lessons, 1 time per week
Audience: 2-4 active students
I. LECTURES - “PECULIARITIES OF THE RUSSIAN ORCHESTRAL STYLE”
This course is dedicated to the orchestral principles of the prominent composers - N. Rimsky-Korsakov, P. Tchaikovsky, D. Shostakovich. The choice of these composers is conditioned primarily by the world-wide significance of their works in music culture, as well as their individual stylistic principles, synthesizing the specific Russian orchestral style.
The orchestration analysis is based on answering relevant questions such as:
How to combine instruments in individual groups and in the whole orchestra?
How to achieve a certain sonority in orchestration?
How to achieve a certain strength in orchestration?
How to achieve even sounding in orchestration?
How to highlight certain voices in the orchestration?
How to diversify color in orchestration?
How to diversify expressiveness in orchestration?
Orchestration problems are directly related to the peculiarities of the orchestral instruments, their registers, timbres, and their technical capabilities. When building a melodic and harmonic vertical in groups of strings, woodwind, or brass instruments, these features must be considered. But even more important is the connection of groups, where the maintenance of balance and the selection of individual elements of texture depend not only on the skill of the composer but also on his creative method and aesthetic principles. Three Russian composers possessed such individual methods and principles. Each lecture will be devoted to several problems of orchestration, which each of these composers solved in their own way. Also, in each lecture, we will practically reconstruct and solve orchestral problems.
Thus, by the end of the course, each participant will have an idea of the technique and methods of orchestration of three Russian composers.
The plan of the 8 Lectures:
The Principles of Rimsky-Korsakov`s Orchestration (3 lectures):
Lecture 1.
The main principles and the basic rules of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestration
Orchestral texture and orchestral functions
Melody in the String Section
Lecture 2.
Melody in the Wood Wind Section
Melody in the Brass Section
Melody. Connecting Strings, Wood Winds and Brass
Lecture 3
Harmony in the String Section
Harmony in the Wood Wind Section
Harmony in the Brass Section
Harmony. Connecting Strings, Wood Winds and Brass
Orchestral Effects
The Principles of Tchaikovsky`s Orchestration (3 lectures):
Lecture 4.
The main principles of Orchestration
Melody in the String Section
Melody in the Wood Wind Section
Mixing timbres. Tchaikovsky`s technique
Lecture 5.
Tchaikovsky`s Harmony
Tchaikovsky's harmonious thinking as the basis of his orchestral thinking
Tchaikovsky's inventions in orchestral texture
Lecture 6.
Orchestral pedaling technique.
Orchestral Effects
The Principles of Shostakovich`s Orchestration (2 lectures):
Lecture 7.
The Pure timbre in melody
Melody in the String Section
Melody in the Wood Wind Section
Melody in the Brass Section
Lecture 8.
Harmony in Shostakovich`s Scores
Shostakovich`s Symphonic Culminations and Tutti
Shostakovich`s favorite types of orchestra Structure
Piano as an orchestral instrument
II. WORKSHOP - Practical lessons in orchestration based on the principles and methodology adopted at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
In practical lessons, the features and methods of orchestration will be mastered, based on the principles of the Russian school of orchestration. These principles were laid down by the founders of the Russian school of composition and became the basis of the orchestration course at the Moscow and St. Petersburg Conservatories.
Practical lessons include the orchestration of piano pieces for string orchestra, woodwind section, the woodwind section with French horn, brass section, an orchestra without Trumpets, Trombones, and Tuba, and full orchestra (double and treble).
The practical lessons are designed as training with a group of students (up to max. 8 people in a group) under the teacher’s guidance in class, and student's independent homework.
By the end of this course, the participant will gain practical skills in orchestrating music for various ensembles and a full symphony orchestra.
The main subjects
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The origins and principles of teaching Orchestration at the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory.
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Orchestration for String orchestra without Double Stops and Divisi.
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Orchestration for String orchestra with Double Stops and Divisi.
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Orchestration for Wood Wind Section.
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Orchestration for Wood Wind and Brass Sections.
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Orchestration for Orchestra without Trumpets, Trombones, and Tuba (2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 French Horns in F, Harp, Strings).
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Orchestration for Double Orchestra (2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 French Horns, 2 Trumpets, 3 Trombones and Tuba, Timpani, Harp, Strings).
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Orchestration for Triple Orchestra (3 Flutes, 2 Oboes, and English Horn, 2 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons and Contrabassoon, 4 French Horns, 3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones and Tuba, Timpani, Harp, Strings)
III. INSTRUMENTATION WORKSHOP (Practical training course) – Introduction to the ORCHESTRATION COURSE is intended for beginning composers and orchestrators.
The course combines the study of symphony orchestra instruments with entry-level orchestration practice.
Together with the study of musical instruments, methods of sound production, sound quality, features of registers and special playing techniques, the aspiring orchestrator or composer will be offered exercises in the practical orchestration of the initial period of study.