With the CCE Concerts now in their 7th year, Musical director Joseph Calderazzo gives us some insights on the ingredients of performers that add to makings of a successful live concert series.

Can you explain your relationship as musical director (MD) with the singers and musicians?

Well I’m like the leader of the whole circus, I set the overall tone and feel of the show. I have a strong visual on how the whole thing will look and sound and then find the performers to suit. So as a leader my relationship is a combination of friend, nurturer, director and general organizer. I love the musical connection I have with most of my artists and that is something that develops as time goes on and will continue to do so.

Preparation and planning are the key elements which ultimately shape the quality of the final product or, in this case, a live concert. CCE’s Music Director, Joseph Calderazzo, highlights the key planning and pre-production steps he takes when putting together a concert experience.

The Songs

Finding the right songs is the first step, then I need to get the right order. The order is very important. The order of the songs tells the story and defines the journey, it gives a starting point, a middle and an ending to the whole show. I’ve got a vision of how the show needs to go, then I need to find the songs that fit within that vision.

The Musicians

The musicians are picked because they have something special and unique to bring to the table and their input comes naturally. A lot of the singers have their own style, and I’ll try and marry up a song that will suit somebody’s style or a song might take on a life of its own because of the style of a particular singer.