Pre-Production & Planning

12 Sep 2009 by Joseph Calderazzo

Photo courtesy of Christine Lam

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.

The Vocalists

Matching vocal qualities, where some singers are more bluesy and some are more rock, is obviously important. For example, when considering the Zeppelin catalogue, Dave Gleeson of the Screaming Jets voice and style works well with songs like Black Dog and Stairway to Heaven. It’s up to me to recognise the unique qualities of the various singers and to get the best from them. Also, I look for singers that are able to interact with an audience in a natural way.

Rehearsals

We need to rehearse, we need to get comfortable with it, we need to be tight, but we don’t want to over cook it, we’re not about “pristine”. We are just about knowing where we’re going with the songs. Then, when we play live, it still has a fresh feel about it. It’s OK if it’s a bit loose because it’s keeps us on edge. It’s that whole “tight but loose” sort of thing. We need to be able to improvise as well so the show needs to have lots of open spaces.

I enjoy the delicate balance between managing both people and processes.

Published in Music Director's Corner

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About the author

Joseph Calderazzo

Joseph is the Co-Director of CCEntertainment and the archetypal rock and roll soldier. His enthusiasm is contagious and the energy with which he performs is frenetic. Since moving to Sydney in the mid-1990's he has played with too many renowned artists to mention. Joseph founded and ran the ‘Tuesday Nite Club’ at the Iguana Bar (Kings Cross) between 1997 and 2003. In this time he showcased over 400 original artists. He co-ordinates the artist and musician bookings and is responsible for all musical direction and staging of the spectacular CCE concerts.