Karen Devroop with the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra 2021

Abstract

Performances of soloists with orchestra are intense and require a lot of preparation and rehearsals because in addition to the soloist needing to have good technical ability, a host of other factors come into play when performing with an orchestra. These include the ability to perform in tune with strings (saxophones are notoriously out of tune by virtue of the design of the instrument), balance with the various sections (woodwind, brass), sectional blend on unison sections when called for in the music and the ability to project your sound above a 50-piece orchestra. In the case of jazz performers, improvisation plays a critical role when performing with orchestra. However, unlike a jazz trio or quartet set where the soloist is offered a lot of liberties when improvising, in an orchestral setting, there are many constraints that have to be adhered to including form, structure and style of the improvisation which must conform to the orchestra setting.

In this performance, I performed 4 original compositions namely: Hold My Hand, Her Mother’s Smile, Rita’s Heart and Ancestral Home. Each work was arranged specifically for this concert and arranged for saxophone soloist with full orchestra and jazz rhythm section comprised of piano, bass, drums and guitar. Each arrangement was conceptualised, and continuously revised 6 over months prior to the concert. This was done to ensure that arrangements worked for orchestra from an orchestration perspective and that the orchestral arrangements were balanced in terms of soloist, orchestra and rhythm section.

The composition Hold My Hand, was initially composed with a large strings section in mind. This work was composed to present interaction between saxophone and strings with accentuations being done by brass and woodwinds. Rhythm section accompaniment was meant to be supportive and not overbearing. This performance captures the essence of these ideas. The performance (as demonstrated on the recording) calls for good balance and interaction between saxophone and strings. Vital to my performance is maintaining good intonation and balance with the strings section. This work although simple sounding was challenging from a performance perspective because the work modulates from A major to F# major on saxophone with the latter key not the best key to maintain good intonation on saxophone. Accordingly, the performer is required to work exceptionally hard when performing in this key. Having to play in tune with strings makes the task that much more complicated.

The track Her Mother’s Smile is an RnB ballad composition in which the feel of the song in more important, accordingly the rhythm section is required to play with a good feel while saxophone has to play with appropriate style. This work calls for emphasis on the low strings specifically cellos who play a counter melody to saxophone while articulating the suspended 4th harmonies on the verse section of the composition. Brass section was arranged to provide intensity rather than movement in this work. Their role although simple was to provide intensity in the chorus section. This work calls for jazz improvisation by the saxophonist that is style specific. Rather than playing bebop lines, the saxophonist is required to play more RnB groove orientated lines. The interaction between saxophone and rhythm section is vital to this work.

The last two works on this output are very contrasting with Rita’s Heart a light pop orientated ballad and Ancestral Home a much more intense work contrasting Latin and Mbaqanga styles. The work is technically challenging for the orchestra with brass required to play a featured unison section in the middle of the composition. Saxophone is required to double the brass; accordingly, balance, intonation and blend play a pivotal role. The saxophonist is required to improvise extensively in this work often over harmonic shifts. Accordingly, technical ability and improvisational skill play a critical role in this work.