Reading, Rehearsing, and Performing Graphic Scores: A Composer’s Guide from MT Empty Music

A page of lines, curves, and clusters can carry as much meaning as a page of note heads. Performers find this out the moment they open a score by Marcelo Toledo. Graphic music notation swaps the standard staff for images, spatial layouts, and shapes.

Each image holds a precise musical instruction, yet it leaves room for informed choices. MT Empty Music, the New York publishing house of the composer, offers scores, video demonstrations, and personalized coaching for players who want to master this craft.

What a Graphic Score Demands from a Player

A standard score fixes pitch and rhythm in advance. A drawn score moves part of this work to the performer. The composer sets the rules, and the player makes choices within them. Think of the page as a map. Shapes show where to go, how far, and how dense the texture should grow.

A graphic score also changes how a rehearsal feels. Players spend less time on counting and more time on decisions about touch, breath, color, and duration. Before the first rehearsal, the player must learn the map’s legend and decide how each symbol turns into sound. This process rewards patience, curiosity, and careful listening. It also builds a personal bond between the performer and the piece.

A Short History of Drawn Scores

Drawn scores began to appear in the 1950s. Earle Brown wrote December 1952 as a page of rectangles in different sizes, which performers read as a field of sound events. Cornelius Cardew later filled 193 pages of Treatise with lines, circles, and symbols, from 1963 to 1967.

These works opened a path for experimental music notation across Europe and the Americas. This history shows a clear aim: to turn the page into a space for sound, not only a list of instructions. Toledo adds his own visual vocabulary to this lineage, and he treats every image as a musical force rather than a decoration.

Five Steps for Learning a New Graphic Score

Good preparation turns an unfamiliar page into a clear plan.

1. Read the performance notes. A well-made score explains its symbols and playing conditions. Read these instructions before you touch the instrument.

2. Watch the video score. Follow the page while the recording plays. This step links each image to a real sound.

3. Mark a printed copy. Circle key gestures, entrances, and the zones where you must choose between options.

4. Practice small units. Work on short sections alone, then join them into longer arcs. This method keeps the whole form in view without overwhelming the player.

5. Record a run-through. Listen back and compare the sound with the page before your next session.

Choosing a Score by Instrument and Experience

Toledo’s catalog offers clear entry points for players new to his notation. Solo flute works, such as Nada, nada, Oox K’aal, and Polifonía concreta II, give a manageable first encounter with a single player. Players who want an electroacoustic challenge can try Cartografía del viento, which pairs a live flutist with prerecorded flutes.

Fixed media means a prepared audio file played during the performance, so the live player must follow its timing. Large forces need a bigger commitment: La selva interior, an imaginary opera for ten instrumentalists, six voices, and prerecorded sound, runs 65 minutes in a 118-page full score. Each score page lists the instrumentation and format, so you can compare options before choosing.

Rehearsing Graphic Scores as an Ensemble

Group work adds a new layer. Every player reads the same image, yet each may hear it in a new way. Start by agreeing on a shared vocabulary. Decide what a thick line, a sharp angle, or an empty zone means in sound. Then test those choices in the room and refine them. Assign roles before the first run-through. One player can track the overall form while others watch for entrances and density changes.

Good groups rehearse listening as much as playing. Graphic music notation rewards ensembles who treat these discussions as part of the performance craft. Record each session, because small shifts in balance become clear on playback.

Handwritten and Digital Editions Compared

Some titles come in two formats. Aliento/Arrugas, for example, exists as a manuscript and as a digital score. The manuscript keeps the visible stroke of the composer’s hand, which can reveal how he shaped each gesture. The digital edition offers a clean layout, easy zooming, and quick printing on large paper.

Players who use tablets benefit from the second option, while those who study at a desk may prefer the first. Print size matters. Large images lose detail on a small screen, so a tablet user should test zoom and page turns before a concert. A few titles are still marked as editions in preparation, so check each score page for current status.

Personalized Coaching for Performers and Composers

Learning to read drawn scores moves faster with a guide. Toledo offers personalized private lessons in composition, and composers who want to draw scores of their own can bring questions about layout and structure. Small classes of four to six students keep discussion focused.

Universities and cultural centers can request courses on analysis, orchestration, and extended techniques for performers. Sessions run online or in New York City. After each request, Toledo prepares a personalized proposal with a clear plan. This guidance helps players shorten the distance between a new image and a confident sound.

Begin with One Score

Pick one video score, follow the page, and note every question that arises. Then send a message to Marcelo Toledo. Whether you're planning a recital, a seminar, or a new work, a dedicated, responsive, composer-led service is ready to guide your first steps into experimental music notation. Each reply is thoughtful and includes clear next steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Qu.1 Can performers play anything they like in a graphic score?

Ans: No. The composer sets clear limits through shape, position, density, and instructions. Performers choose within those limits, so each performance stays true to the piece while still showing the personal decisions of the players.

Qu.2 How long does preparation take?

Ans: Preparation time depends on the length of the work, the number of players, and your experience. A short solo may need a few focused weeks. Large ensemble pieces call for extra group rehearsals and shared decisions.

Qu.3 Do I need strong skills in standard notation?

Ans: Strong reading skills remain valuable, because drawn scores can blend traditional symbols with images. Training in extended techniques also helps. If gaps appear, personalized private lessons with the composer can bridge them.

Qu.4 Can students and scholars use these scores for research?

Ans: Yes. Students and scholars can study the video scores, the score pages, and the published essays and theses about the music. For classroom or concert plans, send a message to the composer to discuss details.

Qu.5 Is a video score enough to learn a piece?

Ans: A video score gives a first view because you hear the sound while following the page. Full preparation still needs the printed score, the performance notes, and your own practice. Use the video as a guide, not a replacement.