Adopt a Music Creator blog: Getting to know each other
Music Creator Katrine Aziz reflects on the very first moments of her collaboration with Redland Wind Band, and her introductory exercise which helped the band gain confidence in improvisation from early on, as part of Adopt a Music Creator 2025.
Launch Day
I was thrilled to be taking part in the Adopt a Music Creator (AaMC) project, and to meet Redland Wind Band and my mentor, Lynne. It was important to me to start with an open mind and for us to learn about each other before making any decisions about the piece. On meeting Chris (MD), Charlotte and Petra, I discovered that the Bristol based Redland Wind Band was formed in 1996, and that its 40+ members span roughly 70 years in age.
The band’s reasons for taking part in the AaMC project included experiencing a commissioned piece written for them as well as incorporating their members’ own ideas into the work. The group also showed interest in including some improvisation, though many were still unsure about this, alongside using workshop activities to encourage socialisation between different instrument groups.
My main reason for taking part was the opportunity to workshop music with a group, which I find a socially and creatively enriching experience. I had previously written for wind band and very much enjoyed the possibilities available in terms of orchestration. From this early stage, it seemed like we were well matched.
Redland’s favoured repertoire included ‘mysterious’ music, contemporary work, musicals and Latin-fusion. I played some of my own music, including my more mysterious pieces, and discussed my use of electronic software to add effects.
During the first AaMC skills day, we discussed different roles within an improvisation activity; lead/follow, observe/oppose. It struck me that ‘observer’ is an important step for anyone anxious about improvisation; to feel a part of the process even when they are not specifically improvising.
Meeting the band: The first workshop
After playing my own music to Redland and observing their rehearsal, my introductory exercise involved giving each player two Post-it notes, the first featuring a starting note in a specific key. I firstly asked the band to play their sustained note over and again, focusing on staggered breathing and observing the breathing pattern of those around.
The second note contained prompts; trills, dynamic changes, new pitches and 1-bar rhythms to play. I encouraged the group to use these as they felt comfortable, and to go further with the ideas if they wanted to. Focus was again given to observation, stopping occasionally to hear new ideas developing and adding to them when/if it seemed right.
Feedback was positive, in that it was a pressure-free way to improvise, with enough prompts to allow those less confident in identifying new pitches within the key to participate. I had taken a scrapbook for feedback, encouraging the group to think about what they wanted from the project; everyone was very responsive. That evening I came away with a wealth of ideas, facts about Bristol and the band, and preferences about the piece itself. I was extremely excited to get writing!
