• No results found

Basic ChoraL Conducting

N/A
N/A
Protected

Academic year: 2021

Share "Basic ChoraL Conducting"

Copied!
41
0
0

Loading.... (view fulltext now)

Full text

(1)

“BASIC CHORAL

CONDUCTING”

(2)

“BASIC CHORAL

CONDUCTING”

Choral conducting is an art. Yes, there is art in conducting. Moreover, it can also be considered as a regime. Why? To conduct is to strictly

impose orders. Conducting is following 100% the given directions of the conductor as commands. Likewise in the same manner, Martial Law has its own advantages and disadvantages. Many of us experienced and witnessed it. Choral

conducting is like martial regime. There should be strong leadership. Command is at its

(3)

What and who is a good conductor?

He/She makes or breaks a choir or any

singing group. If you don’t have the time,

money, skill and the opportunity to go to

a university or even a scholarship

program to study to be a good conductor,

where can you learn those special skills

that will help you lead singers towards

achieving their excellence that is only

buried within them, but unharnessed and

undiscovered?

(4)

For us teachers, if we were not keenly

developed and musically nurtured as

conductors, how can we efficiently

conduct?

Can we really ably conduct with fitting

feelings?

How can we encourage communication or

evoke the right sound and singing we are

looking for?

There are many ways with which we can

count on or we can turn to in order to give

the best in us as required to each and

(5)

But before introducing some among these

varied ways, it is important to note that our

willingness to learn and to continually

bloom where we are presently planted, plays

a very notable factor.

Let us be reminded that nothing is

impossible to him whose yearning for a

certain cause is intense.

And to him who comforts himself with

shallow satisfaction, anything is just okay

and acceptable.

(6)

Today, we will review, learn and

unlearn some basic conducting

skills and techniques needed to

conduct correctly, especially, the

most sacred song of a great race,

us, Filipinos- the Philippine

national anthem, “Lupang

Hinirang” and “Pilipinas Kong

Mahal”.

(7)

Figuratively speaking, conducting

is quite an easy activity. One

ought to enjoy doing this musical

activity, heartily and with

creativity. In so doing, talent is

discovered and honed; a skill

starts to be developed and pushed

into its heights. And there are

numerous ways to achieve this.

How?

(8)

AS A CONDUCTOR,

WHAT MUST ONE REMEMBER?

1. When and when not to conduct

2. The conductor’s

role-review the fundamentals

- the composer/s

- know the piece from the score

- key signature

- time signature and meter

- rehearsing communications

(9)

posture, breathing, tone, vowels, diction, phrasing, expression, score, beat/rhythm

musicianship(you cannot impart it unless you have it, don’t hum the pitch, think it, give

pitches from the lowest to the highest among

others), ensemble and motivation(if you can hear yourself, you’re too loud, a choir is no better

than its slowest/weakest earner, don’t compete, JOIN!)

3. Eliminating superfluous and excessive movements

Generally, professionals conduct with refinement and clarity.

(10)

IN CONDUCTING, WHAT ARE THE DETAILS THE CONDUCTOR SHOULD BEAR IN MIND BEFORE THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE?

1. Attire – clothing, jewelries- earrings,

rings, necklaces, belt

2. Readiness – musicality, confidence, state

of mind

3. Accompaniment / instrumental /

(11)

WHILE CONDUCTING, ARE THERE ANY DETAILS THE CONDUCTOR SHOULD BEAR IN MIND DURING THE ACTUAL

PERFORMANCE?

1. Posture and physical stance

Feet – At least 6 inches apart, toes pointing

forward, left foot slightly ahead of right(keeps you from swaying and balances an extended right

arm/hand), weight slightly forward, equally distributed

Relax knees slightly – Do not pulse the beat

with either the knee or toe

Hips – Place hands over the hipbones with

thumbs forward

Rotate hips slightly under by tucking buttocks in-straightens spine

(12)

Raise sternum – Hands over head, lower arms to

shoulders, roll thumbs back

Shoulders – Back and down Head – Elevate

Face – Vitally important part of leadership and musical interpretation

DO NOT be afraid to move the feet to turn to face a particular section of the choir.

(Optional- DO NOT mouth the words or sing when conducting- HARD HABIT TO BREAK!)

2. Entrances and exits

3. Command responsibility

4. Well-focused and with zest, with passion 5. Be observant of your singers’ tonality, their deportment and yours as well

(13)

CONDUCTING PATTERNS

Patterns are based on the number of

beats per measure as shown by the top

number of the time signature.

The most common 4-beat patterns in

conducting are the following:

3-beat pattern 4-beat pattern 2-beat pattern 6-beat pattern

(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(18)
(19)

THE CUTOFF BETWEEN

VERSES

(20)
(21)
(22)
(23)
(24)
(25)

ALTERNATE SIX-BEAT

PATTERN

(26)

THE ROLE OF THE CONDUCTOR

1. Empowering the student’s full musical potential

2. Usher singers in the real world of the composition

3. Justify the composition while injecting your

own interpretation but not going out of bounds from the score itself.

4. Execute with refinement and dignity

5. Improving conducting through self-assessment 6. Constant guided practice

(27)

As a conductor, we should outline a new

musical paradigm for choral teaching,

rehearsing and conducting. Through

emphasizing how to develop conducting

strategies from the podium, we must also

present a systematic, pragmatic approach in

order for us and our colleagues to grow and

flourish productively.

(28)

CONDUCTING NUISANCE

“Little things” mean a lot!

This saying sometimes contributes good, but at times, it serves as an harmful catalyst.

Conducting nuisances focus on those awkward and cumbersome moments of particular challenge to conductors.

These challenges give conductors the means to grow, creating opportunities to refine and improve their techniques.

(29)

THESE ARE DEFINITE

“NO-NO’S”

IN CONDUCTING:

1. Foot tapping 2. Finger snapping 3. Head banging 4. Hip swaying

5. Shoulder strut motion

6. Body language(non verbal communication) - body mannerisms, postures, facial expressions that can be interpreted as

unconscious communicants of somebody’s feelings or psychological state

(30)

Refining one’s conducting

technique is a never-ending

process and the efficient use of

physical gestures on the

podium is a must for every

conductor.

(31)

BASIC CONDUCTING

TIPS

(32)

DO’S DON’T’S

1. Basic Position and Posture(Head to foot)/body box walking to and fro 2. Poise clumsy

3. Style definite, clear

4. Hand Gestures confusing, too demonstrative 5. Focus more focused to the audience

6. Rapport with your performers(singers & accompanist) stoic facial expression, detached - do not follow you accompanist. let him/her follow you.

7. Creativity and adaptability find difficulty in adapting to sudden changes

8. Confidence & emotional preparation too mechanical and unmoved

9. Musical groundwork(astuteness in the score) lack of score background, form - well-versed- entrances & exits kind of music, tempo &

KS(sudden changes)

10. Confidence & emotional preparation too mechanical and unmoved

11. Musical groundwork(astuteness in the score) lack of score background, form - well-versed- entrances & exits kind of music, tempo &

KS(sudden changes)

(33)

In this light, let us remind ourselves of

the fact that nothing comes easy, ever! If

we want something, we have to work for

it. Generally speaking, practice makes

perfect. Most of the times, perfect

practice does. Why? It is because we

must not only practice until we get it

right. Instead, we ought to rehearse and

craft ourselves perseveringly until we

can’t get it wrong. As teachers, it always

boils down to attitude.

(34)

Complacency is a disease and the virus is the

attitude... As perceived and commonly accepted or claimed, teachers are not musically gifted. Yes

perhaps, a greater number of individuals did not receive sufficient music education, much more, specialized trainings and professional workshops. Yet, many already have IT. Remember, many have had fundamentals in Music. But what is more vital, we must all be willing to learn more, grow more and teach better in order to produce learned individuals challenged and pushed into the best of who they can be. The fun, enjoyment and self-expression our

pupils, our singers, and other singers(fellow teachers, parents, community members) may experience

(35)

In parting, in my opinion as a Music teacher and conductor since 1975, in conducting, just like in any other field, what we really hope to do with ease, we should learn first to do with diligence. This is the reason why an opponent who practiced 10k kicks is not feared by the late Bruce Lee, but who he feared most, was

his opponent who practiced just one(1) kick, ten thousand(10k) times. Yes, repetition is the

mother of learning, the father of action which makes it the architect of accomplishment.

There are a lot, lot more to remember and bear in mind, but the most important

(36)

thing-CONDUCT WITH YOUR

HEART!

(37)

CONDUCTING ACTIVITY

“Lupang Hinirang”

Lyrics: Jose Palma Music: Julian Felipe

Score Analysis: Conducting Fundamentals Origin Stance - posture

General Mood Preparatory position KSHand positioning

TS Introductory cue/in between cueing Meter Preparatory beat

Dynamics/Expressions Entrances and exits Other musical notations (Clear hand signals)

(38)

WHAT ARE THE NECESSARY

STEPS IN CONDUCTING?

1. Introduction – instrumental

2. Preparatory beat – cue or sign for the tempo and brevity of voice asked from the singers.

Upward position, “Ready” 3. Preliminary Beat

4. Attack (“ictus”) Beat 5. Release Beat

(39)
(40)
(41)

References

Related documents

Urban climate governance experiments bring together local governments, private actors and civil society actors in formal and structured processes of developing, demon- strating

[r]

[r]

Ö %HÑ Ø ÓUÓ1ÜåÖlðÒç1ÖÝ1ÝLÜ éçoæ ç!ÑÓ1Ô Ó1éÐÖRÓ1ܹԂälÑ ç!ÐÜsî·éçfÑ ØóÑ

[r]

Blazing New Paths From Ancient Footprints: Enactment Of Mexican Traditional Dance And Music folklórico In A New York Urban Community Of Early Childhood Learners Pamela Proscia

·Solar power satellites are proposed satellites built in high Earth orbit that use microwave power transmission to beam solar power to very large antenna on Earth where

A later study indicated that local advertisers were found to be working with their agencies for about 2.74 years on average while multinational advertisers were found to be