Music Seminar: Writing Program Notes

The program note is a standard element of a concert where contemporary or classical music is being performed. Program notes serve two purposes: to provide historical and background information on the piece and, if necessary, the composer, and to give the audience some sense of what to expect when listening to the work.

See pages below for help in citing sources.
Citing Sources
Overview of citation managers

Here are some examples of well written program notes: 

• Boston Symphony Podcasts and Program Notes   
• Kansas City Symphony 
• New York Philharmonic
• San Francisco Symphony 

This book has some information on writing program notes (chapter 6):
Writing About Music

Here are some guides for writing program notes (google program notes music and you'll find a wealth of instructions): 

• Program Notes by Linda Mack
• Music: Write Program Notes

Basic Notes

• Information about the concert and its performers: date, time, place, names, instruments or voice types
• Information on the works being performed: composer, title (including opus or work numbers, keys, etc), movement names

 
Detailed Notes

Basic information  and a combinations of items below

• Description of the work
• Definition of terms
• What should the audience listen for? 
• Context of the work (in relation to the composer's life and works, in music history, in world history)
• Translations of non-English vocals