Conducting Study 11

Singers sometimes have difficulty connecting the idea of gentleness with the idea of strength.  My common analogy is the difference between picking up a bag of suigar versus picking up a newborn.  While there’s not much difference in the weight, there most certainly IS a difference in the way in which we use our muscles to accomplish the task. 

 

How do we communicate “powerful gentleness” through the conducting gesture?  Today let’s watch a colleague’s efforts to do just that.  Here, then are just a couple observations.  First, note the use of the hands: there seems to be great energy, but not forcefully so.  There is also a downward use of energy that allows the lower body to provide obvious support at the knees and hips while the upper body remains fluid.  Finally, there seems to be balanced energy throughout the whole arm, again appearing strong but the movement is languid enough to remain gentle.