zk/writing/on-music/notes.md

%title Conducting notes

• Rehearsal Techniques
• concert - work is done - this is payoff
• knowing how to work
• teachers primarily (what do we teach every day)
• help students become independent musicians (better)
• pitfalls - try to do everything for student - don't give students any space - CD least effective way of teaching (may get product)
• benevolent dictator!
• choose appropriate repertoire for each ensemble
  • Choir rebels: almost always about person, not about music - build trust, make students know that this is good
  • New Teacher w/ new music, students rebel because treat as group, not soloists
  • prev teachers picked rep to highlight soli, thus more about person, new style teaching for group
• music = tool
  • get good tools (good music subjective)
  • language - latin easiest, good for teaching vowels, phrasing, articulation
  • mainstream - palastrina to '50s, proven, give whats good for students
  • research - what does music teach? too hard? research to fit ensemble (transcription, transposition)
  • back-up plan rep, but.. not about sudents, about self b/c students will never learn more than teacher knows
  • Have high expectations
• rehearsal
  • sight read ALL THE TIME
  • "listen", not "watch me": focus on one, lose the other, stop conducting sometimes internalize
  • interact - ask questions
  • always conduct best students ~ 10% ~ create leaders, not boredom
  • give them reason to watch you: never stop MAKING MUSIC
  • be respectful: "ladies", "gentlemen", etc: treat them that way and they will act that way "Let us", "could we", not "let me" Be inclusive of rest of choir
  • Involve as many parts as possible, no boredom, no singling out, stay focused
  • always give reasons for work "lets go back and fix.."
  • always give feedback, but be honest "that was the idea but if __ it would be better"
  • use vague terms, often works because students think, "beautiful", "musical", "expressive" sometimes: "that was not good" make them think about why
  • no hipocrisy! always do it yourself first
  • admit mistakes and fault or at least don't blame students if not their fault
  • dont talk too much - as much music as possible
  • dont leave others behind (ie some work on notes some on phrasing), but always give everyone work
  • always do everything - phrasing and articulation while learning notes
  • ensemble - everyone should be complimentary - creative seating and paring of abilities
  • plan for productive rehearsal - macro: battle plan -> micro: attack plan
    • in general: early: big picture, mid: small details, end: put it together (milestones!)
    • plan times (milestones!)
    • dont eschew explanation: change concept of macro based on a piece (ie epitaph for moonlight)
• overperfection
  • process vs product
  • humanity + emotion vs being polished
  • no overrehearsing
    • overpolished
    • getting stuck/bored
    • music loses warmth
    • lost expressivity
    • cold, straight tone
    • from conductors wishes
      • sound vs music
      • sound has to fit music and text, not the choir
      • people dont listen to sound, but music
      • conducting follows music, after all
• conductor
  • breathing
  • text + nuances - speak it
  • know difficulties and why
    • voice difficulties (passagio)
    • keys (flats better, more flats more betteR)
• lack of trust shown in focusing on direction instead of rebound
• rehearsal techs:
  • fine tuning vowels (english is difficult) when ascending, think down; when descending, think up
  • phrasing and breathing - breathiness
  • purpose of rehearsal: diagnose problem (isolate), provide remedy
    • demonstrate (more)/explain (less)
    • then feedback
  • teach students EVERYTHING at the same time (because practice makes permanent)
• doing too much/wrong things - easier to ask forgiveness than permission
• what goes up must come down and vice versa - natural cycles in conducting and music
• no choral conducting, no instrumental conducting, just conducting
• paint a picture with conducting
  • Britten
    • dry ice
    • phantom: setting up mood before, phantom appears at "thou art the king.."
  • adjectives to go with every section, every note
• problem directors
  • self control
  • admitting mistakes
  • self confidence and respect -> respect others
  • no apologies: dictatorship
  • ensemble never knows more than conductor: always know more
  • own the piece
  • self deprecation to make a point
  • line between student and conductor
  • give reasons/justification
  • dont get used to choir
  • empathy with singers - lots of work for them
• q: why aren't you singing what I want? a: why aren't you showing what you want?
• preachers on the pulpit in our influence (???)