Are there generally accepted/expected practices for writing program notes for your own compositions?

1. How do you write program notes for a composition?
2. What makes good program notes?
3. What is the purpose of program notes?
4. How long should program notes be?

How do you write program notes for a composition?

Program Note Contents

1. Provide basic information on the creator(s) of the work or performance. ...
2. Give the contextual background of the work or performance. ...
3. Describe how the work or performance is related to others of the same style, tradition, movement, or genre.

What makes good program notes?

A good set of program notes will do two essential things: 1) Give the audience a sense of the work's history. Traditionally, notes include the facts of a work's creation: the dates of composition and first performance, and where and by whom it was first performed.

What is the purpose of program notes?

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, and what possibly what to listen for, when listening to the work.

How long should program notes be?

Each piece or set on the program should have its own note, ranging from 250 to 400 words. The length of the note will depend on the length and complexity of each piece or set, and what you think is important for the audience to understand.