PRESENTATION DATEBY FEB. 24TH - KMEADONALD P. LINN Common Issues For Young Conductors By

First - Thanks: DR. FRANK TRACZ DR. TOM CANEVA DR. STEPHEN GAGE PROF. ALLAN MCMURRAY PROF. DAVID MCKEE DR. STEPHEN KING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS - BALL STATE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS - YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDENTS - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY PARTICIPANTS AND TEACHERS FROM MANY, MANY CONDUCTING SYMPOSIUMS

Conducting is Teaching

Young Conductors Musical Issues Non-Musical Issues

Musical Issues Conducting and REhearsing the Band

Fixing a Long List... Avoid trying to name off and fix every mistake when you stop. Mention one or two things the ensemble can improve on, fix them in an efficient manner, put in context, and then move on. If you rattle off a list of 8 things, students may only remember things 6 through 8 and forget items 1 through 5. Paying more specific attention to problems will help the learning process and aid in correction and retention.

STARS! STARS is a hit for a reason... Organized system of taking your Ensemble through a piece of music Signature, Tempo/Time, Articulations, Rhythm, Signs Also - Idiosyncrasies, Potential Problems Strong System for reading - useful for sight reading. Use it, don’t stumble through...

DYNAMICSDYNAMICS This is the easiest and most obvious thing to fix. Don’t get hung up on dynamics, challenge yourself to go beyond. Have a strategy to fix bigger problems - tone quality, accuracy, intonation, balance, time, rhythm, phrasing, etc... Musical nuance can be addressed, just make sure it doesn’t end up being the only thing.

Tempo Ever feel like you are pulling the ensemble along? Getting bigger in your pattern? Start saying “Watch” and “Follow Me”? Arms tired yet? You probably aren’t leading the tempo. Make sure you aren’t trying to follow the ensemble and wait for the sound. Especially dangerous in initial attacks and beginning of phrases. Give the ensemble some ownership of the tempo. Get them tuned in to your conducting. Make it a priority that they play together.

Isolation of Sections When you isolate smaller sections in rehearsals, make sure you are still using clear and musical conducting. Have a strategy to involve the entire band while isolating smaller instrument groups. Try clapping, counting, singing, or perhaps asking a question of the ensemble about the section that they may have to answer later. When giving instructions, speak so everyone is engaged and focused on the direction.

Good Enough? What is Good Enough? If you find yourself being extremely pleased with what the band is going, great.... but... now you need to take things to a whole new level. Intonation? Steady and accurate pulse? Attacks and releases? Are the notes played the proper value? Ensemble tone? Balance? So many levels to keep fixing... It is a PROCESS!

More Conducting Issues... Conduct the style you want to hear, not the style you are hearing. You don’t want to send mixed messages to your ensemble. Clarity of conducting is important in your first rehearsals. Proper patterns, style, and dynamics will help with ensemble success. You must guide the ensemble to more advanced conducting and artistry. Pattern Size!

Find the MUSIC in what you conduct and teach. No matter the level of literature...

Non Musical Issues Managing your Classroom and managing your preparation

Classroom Management Expectations and Consistency. Expect a lot from your ensemble and have a system for interaction in your classroom. Don’t teach your ensembles bad behavior. Talking over them, allowing your rehearsal to get ‘chatty’, and letting them zone out would damage your rehearsals and teaching. Great Pacing and Solid Planning = Good Classroom Management

Score Study and Preparation It is too easy to get lost in the other 90%. This is something that every teacher must fight through. Do not ‘learn’ the score along with your students. Have your study, preparation, analysis, and interpretation thought out before you start the rehearsal process. Your first time on the podium is your performance as a teacher. Lesson plans are not illegal after college...

Speaking of the Other 90%... For young conductors - It is often tough to come to terms with the fact that you were only really trained to do a small percentage of your job. Conductors and Teachers normally will get in trouble because they can’t organize, prepare, plan, deal with parents/people, or handle money. Master your 90% so it can serve the 10% that makes your job WORTH IT!

That was GOOD!! Was it really???Was it all good? The whole thing? It is often that we are tempted to use the word ‘Good’ as a reflex. Realize you may be reinforcing something you don’t want to keep. You run the risk of loosing legitimacy with your ensemble. Try being more specific - “Good use of air in that section Brass. Let’s see if we can turn that good air flow into better articulation of the accent.”

Verbosity... Talking is like a security blanket for Young Conductors. Don’t use 25 words when 5 will work. Also - Avoid repeating instruction. Be secure in your presentation of the material and expect your students to listen to you the first time. Never talk while the band is playing. This serves no purpose. The ensemble can’t hear you and you can’t listen to them.

Don’t Try and Look Like a Conductor What is wrong with this picture? Do not inadvertently promote a disconnect between you and your students. Be who YOU are and look like the MUSIC!!! Be Genuine!!!

Take Video of Your Conducting and Teaching Painful? Maybe... but super beneficial to realize what you actually look like and how your rehearsals are run. Video Etudes for Conductors: Turn off the sound! Time yourself! Script/Time compairison

YOU HAVE A COOL JOB! Enjoy what you Do!! We don’t have to do this, we get to do this....

Keep Asking Questions Keep Learning Keep Growing Keep Asking Questions Be the best you can possibly be. Study more, talk less, take care of business, watch some video, and stay excited about what you get to do everyday!

THANKS! Mr. Donald P. Linn Assistant Director of Bands Kansas State University 226 McCain Auditorium Manhattan, KS