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Date Posted: 18:58:11 04/27/05 Wed
Author: Chad
Subject: Conducting Style?

I have a question which is primarily for the upperclassmen and Dr. Owen. I've noticed a lot of conducting styles out there. Is there a particular one that is better suited for instrumental/choral ensembles or are they generally the same across the board?

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Replies:

[> Re: Conducting Style? -- Brigid, 18:16:34 04/28/05 Thu [1]

I think conducting style varies with the individual conductor more so than with the type of ensemble.
Through my experience, the difference is that choral directors are more likely to put down their baton and use their hands.


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[> [> Re: Conducting Style? -- Dr. O., 13:37:02 05/09/05 Mon [1]

There is a lot of variation between conducting styles. I think that at one time there was a more definite style of instrumental conducting and another for choral conducting; there were even marked differences between orchestral and band conducting. As I watch conductors now, I don't find that to be nearly as common as it used to be. In my conducting class, I stress the importance of each person developing their own conducting style. It is necessary for us all to have a common technique: the beat patterns, basic left hand gestures, dynamic indications, etc. are common to all conducting. However, each of us has different skills and abilities, and I think our conducting style should work into that. One person might have excellent coordination and easily be able to produce beautiful gestures; for another, it might take a great deal of work just to master basic conducting technique. The first person will likely find it easy to express themselves non-verbally to an ensemble, while the second will have to work much harder and probably depend more on verbal communication. That doesn't mean that the first person "has it made" and doesn't need to work on their conducting skills, nor that the second person can't develop better physical control and gestures. The important thing is for any conductor to develop the widest possible range of expressive gestures, yes; but it's also about becoming a musical scholar. Your knowledge base, study habits (score study, scholarly reading, etc.), and ability to communicate are equally important. Many famous conductors did not actually have great physical conducting technique: their personalities, knowledge, ability to inspire the musicians, and love for the music elevated them to the highest levels.


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[> Re: Conducting Style? -- Bradley Jayne, 10:24:53 04/16/06 Sun [1]

I have personally found that I have developed a technique which is more conducive for a choir. I tend to feel more comfortable with a larger baton and with less trasposition (lol). Seriously though, I agree with Dr. O when he encouraged us to develop our own conducting techniques. I remember taking his instrumental conducting class last semester and thinking that this is not for me. But after about two or three classes I developed a technique that was my own and one in which I could conduct a band, orchestra, or choir.
I believe that the most important thing to remember is that the responsibility of the conductor is to convey the music to the ensemble, who it turn conveys it to the audience. Whether you are conducting a basic beat pattern, an expressive legato passage, or using facial expression; the bottom line is the music.


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[> Re: Conducting Style? -- Rita, 10:27:29 05/07/06 Sun [1]

It depends on your ensemble and how they will react to it. What may work with one class may not work with the next. Therefore to me, the basics of conducting is always there, but how you carry it out is always changing.


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