democratic orchestra
(“If it has rules it must be a game.”)
A classical orchestra has strict rules. A chain of command leads from the composer via the conductor to the ensemble and into the ears of the audience.
Three paragraphs constitute the democratic orchestra:
§1 The freedom of musical speech
You may play whatever you want whenever you want.
§2 The right to listen
Nobody can force you to play.
§3 The power of silence
The conductor alone, may silence you.
If you have ears, and you hear music, you are automatically a member of the democratic orchestra. You can join the audience or you can play in the ensemble, the choice is yours. Take the hat, and you are the conductor. In any case: you are a composer. You have a musical opinion and the freedom to express it.
Designed for the integration of classically trained musicians into improvisation performance, the democratic orchestra is a format for musical communication. It can be applied in any setting or group of mixed genre and varied skills. Ideally, when everyone is a composer, the chain of command will centre in its weakest link.
