ARS Holds Recorder Composition Masterclasses

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee of The American Recorder Society developed and executed a new initiative this year that reaped great rewards, some of which will soon be freely accessible on the ARS website. As a way to further leverage and celebrate Play the Recorder Month 2025, the committee reached out to a number of colleges, offering a pair of online masterclasses with the 2025 commissioned composer, Harvey Stokes. Two universities, Hampton (Virginia) and Alcorn State (Mississippi), agreed to participate, and dates for the masterclasses were set in January and April of this year. The goal of these masterclasses was twofold. The first was to introduce these young musicians to the recorder, a bit of its history and capabilities, and best practices to keep in mind when composing or arranging for it. The second was to accept new works for recorder consort, written by the students, and provide constructive feedback for each. About 80 students from the two universities participated in these masterclasses, along with a handful of other interested composers from the ARS community at large.  The ARS teamed up with the North American Virtual Recorder Society (NAVRS) to present these masterclasses, the latter graciously providing their online platform as well as a pair of experienced moderators (Annette Bauer and Rachel Begley) to ensure that everything went smoothly. 

An esteemed composer and a respected educator, Dr. Stokes offered a wealth of insights during both masterclasses. In the first, he introduced the students to some of the instrument’s finest performers, both solo and ensemble, to help dispel any preconceived notions about it being found only in elementary music classrooms. He also gave a thorough introduction to range and articulation considerations for each instrument.  In the second, Dr. Stokes provided a listening session and analysis of seven different works submitted by students. Elements such as range, texture, voice leading, structure, articulation, and breath control were all discussed in a supportive and encouraging manner. One work, “March Forth” by Hampton sophomore Melvin Miller, is currently being edited with an eye towards publishing it in the ARS digital library, so stay tuned for an announcement about that soon.

This initiative was such a success that discussions are currently underway about repeating it in some fashion for 2026. More news on that to follow.