Welcome to Stick Time: Conducting Study. This is the first of what we hope will be a regular feature on ChoralBuzz highlighting outstanding conductors and the successful physical gestures they use.
Today let’s learn by watching. We’re going to observe approximately one minute of a brilliant conductor in action, applying a positive analytical eye toward a few of his conducting gestures. Time references are based on the counter of the accompanying YouTube video.
(0:00-0:20) Note that he’s in position with his hands at his sides. He’s allowing the choir members to do their job and get into place on their own. A small thing, perhaps, but it speaks volumes about the care taken in rehearsals.
(0:21-0:22) When his hands go up the music starts almost immediately. There is no time wasted.
(0:24-0:33) Clearly, the phrase is of high importance in this work, which explains why he moves to showing line and shape as soon as the pulse is established.
(0:33-0:45) Pay attention to the economy of his gesture. The choir is performing beautifully, so like any great coach, he is staying out of their way and letting them do their best.
(0:45-0:47) At 0:44 the bases are just a shade too heavy for this delicate work; the gesture he makes with his left hand is direct, quick, elegant, and most of all effective – the lower voices make an immediate adjustment bringing them back into balance. It is probably also invisible to the audience. The camera angle gives us a special insight to this moment.
(0:50-:053) Though we don’t have an optimal angle here, it is clear that much of what he is communicating is coming through an expressive face and his very intense eyes. One of the things that makes this possible is that he has memorized the work, thus he is not buried in his score.
(Throughout) He is NOT mouthing the words. We all love to sing – that’s how we got into this profession in the first place – but when one is on the podium, one should reserve use of the mouth to reinforce vowel color or to fix a problem in flight (yes, I know, it might be necessary to mouth the words with younger singers).
(Throughout) His posture is upright and energized without being tense or braced.
(1:00) Whew! That’s a lot to see in 60 seconds. Now just enjoy the rest of the piece.
Our deepest thanks to Ron Stahlei for agreeing to be the guinea pig for this first Conducting Lesson.
Ronald Richard Duquette says