VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: [1], 2 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 22:14:53 02/19/06 Sun
Author: Derek
Subject: Getting Better???

Over the past several years I've had the opportunity to work with summer band programs back in Indiana, and I've always known that I'd be directing a band of my own someday. I just never realized how hard it would be to get there. After 3 and a half years at Heidelberg, you would've thought that by now I could've gotten a chance to direct a band on my own. To some extent that's true, I had the chance to direct the Athletic Band, and I've had other opportunities to direct small ensembles, so the concept of directing people in an ensemble setting is not entirely foreign to me. However, I never really thought about what I was doing until recently.

The first time conducting an ensemble really hit me head on was not, in fact, during our summer band program or teaching in the field at Heidelberg. The first time I really concentrated on directing an ensemble was during sectionals last Friday during one of our band rehearsals here at Heidelberg. The woodwinds had their own little sectional and I was one of the people that helped with directing. As I started waving my arms around, I started to listen to all of the different parts, simply because we were in sectionals and we needed everything to work out perfectly. The fact that I was waving my arms around though didn't make listening any easier. I suddenly thought to myself, "Why is this so hard all of a sudden????"

The fact of the matter is that every other time I directed an ensemble up to this point it wasn't really directing at all. I was under the illusion that I was the director simply because I was waving my arms around keeping the band together... BEING A DIRECTOR, HOWEVER, IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

Because this was my first experience in having to think while I was conducting, it was extremely difficult. I never knew it would be that hard --- you not only have to keep the beat with your arms, you have to listen to the ensemble, figure out if they're doing what you're asking them to do, and critique what the two of you are doing all at the same time... not to mention give out cues, show dynamics, glare at the people out of tune, and do a thousand other things...

My question is this: Is there anything I can do to further my progress in directing a band other than simply waiting for experience to improve my all of these different skills? It's not like I haven't talked about all the different concepts of conducting an ensemble in various classes. I just never had the opportunity to "lead" a rehearsal. I've worked with groups of people in sectionals and individuals in private lessons, but never an entire ensemble. Will it get easeir? Is there anything else I can do besides field work to get ready for a job in one year???? Is it always this hard when people first put all the concepts together??? Is this normal>>>??????

Please let me know your thoughts on this, whether you're a student teacher, experienced director, or freshman in college. I just feel a little initimidated right now, even though there's nothing else in the world I'd rather be doing, or working towards.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Re: Getting Better??? -- Rosemary, 04:44:10 02/20/06 Mon [1]

Hey, Derek, I know you don't want to hear this, but conducting an ensemble gets easier with practice. But luckily, you will be doing that soon in your Junior Block. Conducting middle school band is a great stepping stone to larger works (there are only 3 to 4 parts to have to worry about). Planning the rehearsal will get easier after awhile. You already have many of the tools to lead an ensemble. Now it's time to put that in practice. It is hard at first (high schoolers scared me half to death), but it will get easier as you gain confidence.


[ Edit | View ]

[> Re: Getting Better??? -- Jessica, 08:35:15 02/03/07 Sat [1]

well, I did get the opprotunity to direct my high school band at the end of my senior year of high school. We had a conducting competition between the theory students which I won so I got to choose a piece of my own and start the band from scratch. I worked with them all the way from sight reading the piece to the actual performance which I directed as well. I honestly didn't find it to be all the intimidating or hard. The piece I selected was Pirates of the Carribean, which is by no means "easy". It changes tempo, dynamic, and meter very often. I found that studying the score helped because I knew what to listen for and which sections were likely to need help. It also helped me to know which cues needed to be given at what time. Another thing I think helped was that fact that I felt very comfortable conducting, I'm not unsure of my-self as I conduct at all. I don't know if I am just an oddity in the music world or if my thoughts are common but I love to conduct and can't wait for my chance.
p.s. I think yo do a fine job when you conduct the band for Dr. Owen.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Re: Getting Better??? -- Jessica, 08:36:28 02/03/07 Sat [1]

oh... my band had about 175 members at the time


[ Edit | View ]


[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.