Eph Ehly on Conducting Music Festivals

35/1011H Eph Ehly on Conducting Music Festivals

Contents

About this Resource...... 2

Getting Started...... 2

Philosophy...... 3

Leading Rehearsals...... 4

Programming...... 8

Six Basic Fundamentals...... 9

Festival Preparation Checklist...... 14

About the Author...... 16

Editor: Kate Dickey McEwen • Type Design: WordStreamCopy

1 About this Resource

“How does one get invited to conduct music festivals?” I have been asked this many times. It’s a good question, but it has no simple answer.

After participating in more than 600 music festivals, I’m happy to share some observations I have made and lessons I have learned. A detailed text on the subject of conducting music festivals could easily fill many volumes, so my aim instead is to offer a brief and informal resource for both the novice and the experienced conductor.

Within this resource you will find suggestions for leading rehearsals and programming festival concerts, as well as an outline of the six basic fundamentals of singing and my philosophy of music and teaching. It is my hope that this information will aid you in your endeavor to become a successful music festival conductor.

Getting Started

How does one become a festival conductor?

Every festival is different, and festival organizers have a varied set of criteria they must consider when selecting a conductor. The highest consideration is most likely given to the conductor who has great success with his or her own ensemble. While this may not guarantee that the conductor will be equally successful with a festival ensemble, it is often the catalyst for an invitation.

If you wish to be invited but do not have enough name recognition, I suggest visiting a local school, church, or community ensemble and volunteering to conduct a brief clinic. Most directors would welcome the reprieve from their normal routine. This provides you with an opportunity to hone your skills and build a strong reputation.

Once invited to conduct a music festival, it is imperative to make a good first impression…as well as a second and a third! Assuming that there is evidence of good musicianship and a masterful teaching methodology, the following are the most important suggestions that I have for successful festival conducting.

2 Philosophy

Philosophy determines action; actions confirm philosophy.

Every conductor follows a philosophy, whether or not that philosophy has been written down or even thought out. The conductor who hasn’t thought about it may well be following conflicting philosophies and not realizing his or her full potential for success. Read on for a few of my personal philosophies about music, ensemble, and teaching.

A positive attitude is essential for creating an exciting and memorable musical experience.

Music allows us to go where we cannot go physically.

Music is a re-creation and recreation of the imagination.

Music is the image of heaven and earth in sound. It is much more than a mere vehicle for enter- tainment. Its primary purpose is to express, and it can express every human emotion from the depths of despair to the heights of ecstasy.

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then music is worth 1,000 pictures.

Ensemble is a reflection of how we should live—in harmony with one another, working together for the greater good, and treating others as we wish to be treated.

Why we select a certain piece of music and why we learn to express ourselves through music is more important than how.

Search for what is not in the score. The score is merely a map, and the performance is the desti- nation. The journey (rehearsal) is the campground for learning.

Good teachers spend most of their time teaching good basic fundamentals.

Only teachers can take the dignity out of teaching; only teachers can restore the dignity to teaching.

Good teachers stimulate thought; weak teachers give directions.

Do more teaching, less directing. Stress more learning, less performing.

3 A festival conductor’s responsibility is to build confidence, not destroy it.

One cannot claim to know a thing unless he or she can explain it in simple terms. Therefore, keep it simple.

Time is precious.

Stop teaching music to people; start teaching people through music.

Leading Rehearsals

Concentrate on the essentials.

It’s not always a matter of what to do in rehearsal, but more often a matter of what to leave out. With much to address and little time to address it, the instruction in a festival rehearsal must be concise and to the point.

Conducting a festival ensemble is an experience that differs from conducting one’s own ensemble in a number of ways:

✦✦ There is less time for rehearsal ✦✦ Rehearsal pacing/procedure needs to be accelerated ✦✦ Participants are usually not as familiar with the conductor or each other ✦✦ Programming and repertoire should support the festival’s purpose ✦✦ Expectations for results are more immediate

Remember, everyone wants to do a good job. If they aren’t doing it, it’s because they don’t know how.

Rehearsals should be informative, inspirational, and entertaining.

A Few Essential Dos and Don’ts

Do: be yourself! It sounds simple, but for some it isn’t. All conductors imitate to a certain degree. We emulate our teachers and those we admire. And, often without realizing it, we imitate the colloquialisms around us.

4 To be a more effective conductor, be honest about your own personal convictions, feelings, and emotions. Make an effort to:

✦✦ Share your personal enthusiasm for the subject at hand ✦✦ Maintain your sense of humor ✦✦ Demonstrate your sense of justice (e.g. reward the right and admonish the wrong) Do: conduct your imagination! Where does music originate? In the “inner ear,” within the halls and memories of the mind. (It’s where Beethoven first heard his music before he wrote it down and even after he became deaf).

Review the music in your mind before stepping on the podium. What you hear in the inner ear should be near to perfection.

Conduct the music you hear within your inner ear, not that which feeds into the ear from the outside. What feeds into the ear from the outside is more often imperfection.

Imperfect music from the outside has destroyed many a conductor’s technique. The huge and grotesque gestures one occasionally observes are usually a sign of desperation. Erratic gestures create a domino effect of problems within the ensemble.

The conductor who insists, “But I need an ensemble to conduct!” is one who practices conducting in front of the group. The good conductor prepares in advance, and that can only be done by conducting what’s found in the imagination.

Poor performance causes desperation; desperation causes poor conducting technique; poor technique causes even worse performance.

Do: be sensitive to physical needs. Check and adjust ventilation. Too much heat or cold affects performance.

Encourage participants to drink water during rehearsals.

Allow frequent restroom breaks.

In case of an emergency, stop the music. It’s ridiculous to continue performing while the audience gasps for a person collapsing on stage. Surely, a human life is more important than the performance.

5 Do: be predictable. Be predictable with regard to your behavioral expectations. Insist on doing it the right way.

Be predictable in giving clear and concise directions.

Always follow the same procedure for identifying where you wish to begin. For example, call out the page number, rehearsal letter or measure number, voice or instrument part, and pitch, and then quickly begin. Say, “Top of page five, measure two, tenors’ B flat,” give the pitch, take a breath on the preparatory beat, and conduct. Don’t: be predictably boring. Always rehearsing each piece from beginning to end becomes predictable. That kind of predict- ability breeds boredom.

Vary the rehearsal procedure. Rehearse fundamentals by skipping from one piece to another. For example, say, “Notice the similarity of phrasing in these three pieces? Let’s practice this technique in each of the different pieces.”

Hold the performers’ attention and interest by moving quickly from one piece to another.

Boredom is the chief cause of the decline in good behavior.

Don’t: compromise the music. Try to get the music that feeds into your ears from the outside to match the music you hear on the inside. This may not always be possible, but it’s an important goal.

To achieve this, encourage and command. For example, when you wish to sustain the music under a fermata and the performers collapse, don’t give in. Try again and encourage them to strive toward the same duration that you hear in your own mind. Say, “Let’s focus on breath management on this fermata, and let’s not compromise the music.” Don’t: react only to the sound produced, but also to the effort. It’s the conductor’s responsibility to teach and inspire people to do a good job. If you sense that there is a desire to make an effort, then by all means encourage. Don’t: be predictably negative. Avoid negative comments. “Sopranos, you’re flat!” “Altos, don’t take a breath there!” “Tenors, don’t screech on that high note; you sound like hyenas!” “Basses, stop talking and pay attention to the message in the text!” These examples all present corrections in a negative way.

6 Negative descriptions plant seeds for negative results. Avoid describing what is bad. Instead, suggest what is good. “Sopranos, sing on the top of the note.” “Altos, try to sing through this line before you breathe.” “Tenors, support that high note. Sing like Luciano Pavarotti.” “Basses, tell me what you think is the important message in this text.”

Pacing Save time! It’s too precious to waste. This should be part of a conductor’s basic philosophy.

Move efficiently through the warm-up and into the music.

Keep all participants actively involved as much as possible. For example, when working with one voice part, ask the others to follow along on their own parts by humming, imagining, listening, fingering (if instrumental), or to join in singing the part being rehearsed. It is educational for sopranos to occasionally sing the bass line (in their own octave, of course) and vice versa. It is educational for instrumentalists to sing their part on occasion, as well.

Don’t wait for everyone to be ready. Demand a quick pace to save time, but always for the performers’ sake. For example, say, “We stop for one reason, and that’s to start again. Be alert!”

Idle time is the devil’s playground.

Giving Directions Share rather than teach. Some people do not like to be taught, but they will pay attention to someone sharing personal enthusiasm.

Avoid the “shotgun” approach, which addresses multiple details at the same time. It’s unproduc- tive to spend precious time on details while basic fundamentals are being ignored. (It calls to mind the image of a fellow running around on the deck of a huge ship tightening every loose screw while the ship is sinking. First and foremost, keep the ship afloat!)

Be sure to address problems in a way that will make a lasting impression. For example, say, “Ten- ors, let’s discuss how we can help you sing in tune all the time.” Singing/playing out of tune is not fixed by a simple criticism, nor is it something that is likely to be fixed easily or quickly.

If the participant is not well trained in a basic fundamental, then teaching that fundamental is where to begin (see Six Basic Fundamentals, page 9). Even if the problem is not fixed immediately, you will have given instruction that will be of future benefit.

7 Programming

“What can I teach with this piece?” is the first question to ask when selecting repertoire for a program.

Select music that personally excites you.

It’s better to do a simple piece well than to do a difficult piece poorly.

Contemporary listeners love variety. Arrange the pieces into fast–slow or fast–fast–slow–slow combinations.

The opening and closing pieces require special consideration because they make the first and last impressions. This music can either be boisterous and rousing or hushed and serene. It’s safe to say that these two places in the program support music that tends toward the dramatic.

Because we as humans are a composite of all that has happened before us, it is good to exercise a wide variety of emotions. A wider stylistic range of music will serve a wider range of purpose and encourage people to be more sensitive and empathetic to those around them.

A well-balanced program will include music from more than one epoch, more than one language, and more than one style. An example of a balanced 30-minute festival program is as follows:

✦✦ Opener: rhythmic; festive fanfare ✦✦ Renaissance: soft; a cappella; introspective; with long, sustained notes ✦✦ Baroque or Classical: rhythmically active; accompanied; greater length ✦✦ Production number: dramatic, with a powerful message; substantially challenging ✦✦ Starkly contrasting: contemporary; “far-out;” most unusual ✦✦ Folk material: most familiar and appealing to the audience ✦✦ Finale: either a rouser that initiates a standing ovation or a prayer-like piece that leaves the audience in powerful silence

8 Six Basic Fundamentals

When leading an ensemble, there are six basic fundamentals that must be addressed. Otherwise, the ship will not float. They are:

1. Tone quality 2. Diction 3. Dynamics 4. Breath management 5. Pitch 6. Rhythm

Of course, there are many additional elements to address, but they can wait until these fundamentals are in place. For example, if phrasing is a problem, it’s most likely due to poor breath management. If the ensemble is out of balance, it’s most likely due to improper use of dynamics. If blend is a problem, it’s likely the result of inconsistent tone quality as well as improper diction, dynamics, and pitch.

During a discussion on the subject of balance, one director said, “Sir, it might be easy for you to insist on good balance when you’re teaching at a university, but what if you only have two tenors and three basses in a choir with 30 girls?” The other director answered, “Sir, that’s not a balance problem. That’s a recruitment problem.”

Read on for more details about the six basic fundamentals.

1. Tone quality The quality of one’s tone is so closely associated with one’s personality, that changing one affects the other.

Problem: from my experience in working with singers around the world, the primary problem is often immaturity. By that I mean that the vast majority of amateur singers sing with a voice that is less mature than the one they actually have. Their focal point of resonance is too close to the front of the mouth. They spill the tone out of the mouth and let the acoustics of the room take care of the resonance.

9 Approach: say, “Sing with all of what you have.” Meaning, tilt the head slightly downward (avoid a short neck), open the back of the throat (as to begin a yawn), and allow the tone to spin in all directions, including the resonating chambers of the head away from the front of the mouth.

One law of physics states that sound travels in all directions with equal amounts of energy. There- fore, singers should focus the tone so that it’s free to vibrate in all directions with equal amounts of energy.

When it’s right on the inside, it will be right on the outside.

2. Diction The drama in speech lies in the consonants.

Problem: I suspect that much more time is spent focusing on vowels than on consonants. There is value in that approach, but it’s precisely the reason that I, as a festival conductor, find consonants lacking, particularly the unvoiced fricatives like k, p, t, f, ch, and sh.

Approach: select a common phrase, such as “My country, ’tis of thee,” or, “The Lord bless and keep you.” Sustain the initial vowel sound of each word, then add any necessary diphthong and explode the consonant. Practice enunciating consonants at a forte dynamic level with the vowels at a piano level. The goal is to control every sound separately, including diphthongs.

Good diction is not only a matter of understanding the words. Expressive, articulate, and eloquent enunciation excites the tone and dramatizes the performance.

Enunciation is different from pronunciation. One may pronounce a word correctly but enunciate it incorrectly, or one may pronounce a word incorrectly but enunciate it correctly.

If you want to make speech sound more dramatic, it need not be louder, but rather fricative enhanced.

Vowel formation (and modification) affects the quality of the tone, blend, and intonation. Conso- nants affect rhythmic articulation.

3. Dynamics Much human emotion is expressed through dynamics. This makes dynamic gradation extremely important. Therefore, one should be sensitized to the amplitude of the sound.

Problem: too often the director says, “Sopranos, not so loud,” or, “Basses, a little stronger,” etc. A performer within a section of the ensemble is not in a position to determine precisely what dynamic is best, nor is the performer likely to remember the recommended dynamic level from the previous rehearsal. Therefore, dynamics should be associated with some physical sensation or mental concept.

10 Approach: begin with a demonstration of mezzo forte. Call this the “natural dynamic level.” When one performs at mezzo forte it should feel like the sound is neither held back nor pressed forward. Thus, mezzo forte becomes the natural and most comfortable dynamic level—a good dynamic level for sight singing.

Mezzo piano, then, should be a feeling of holding back one degree, of managing the breath so that the tone is not compromised; only the volume of sound has changed.

For a physical representation of piano, extend the arms at shoulder level, touching the fingers in front and creating a large circle. Sing to fill the sphere of the circle without spilling over the edge. In this way, each singer develops a concept of the space that piano occupies, which is some- where between pianissimo and mezzo piano.

Pianissimo should be considered the softest dynamic the performer is capable of producing— again, without compromising the quality of the tone.

Forte should not be considered louder. “Loud” implies blatancy, an unwelcome quality. Forte should be felt to require more breath, with a broadening of sound or a filling up of the resonance chambers.

Fortissimo is the ultimate. This will be a feeling of giving one’s all.

Rather than demanding louder or softer, say, “Altos, change your dynamic level from mezzo forte to mezzo piano,” or, “Tenors, change that dynamic marking in your score from forte to mezzo forte.”

Offering some visual or physical concepts with which to relate helps performers conceptualize meanings for dynamic levels.

4. Breath management One must learn how to manage breath before one learns how to support breath.

Problem: I suspect that much more emphasis is placed on taking more breath than on managing what has been taken. In other words, more emphasis is given to inhalation than to managing the release of breath through exhalation.

Approach: teach breath management through phrasing. Mark where breaths should be taken and then allow no compromises.

Good breath is the result of good intent. If the performer’s mind intends to carry breath to the end of the phrase, the body and lungs will eventually develop to satisfy that intent.

Breathing habits affect all of the basic fundamentals.

11 5. Pitch Controlling pitch is not something you do, but something you think.

Problem: I suspect that too much attention is given to correcting the flatting of a tone itself rather than to correcting the cause of the flatting.

Approach: develop tonal memory through the repeated practice of “silent singing,” which is thinking the part and singing only the last pitch of the phrase. This makes performers aware of their inner ear.

Good pitch is not developed through the outer ear, but through tonal memory (the inner ear). Good and bad pitch are habit forming—the more you engage in one or the other, the more likely you will develop a habit of repeating it.

Good practice habits develop good tonal memory.

Although singing/playing sharp causes equally bad intonation, it is not as objectionable as singing/playing flat. Why? Because of its cause. Sharping is more often the result of anxiety, nervous- ness, or trying too hard, which are more excusable than any of the reasons for flatting.

The most frequent causes for singing under the pitch are:

✦✦ Unfamiliarity with music; the part is not solidified in the tonal memory ✦✦ Lack of tonal concepts ✦✦ Poor technique with regard to the basic fundamentals ✦✦ Poor ventilation—too warm ✦✦ Physical fatigue or exhaustion ✦✦ Boredom with music that’s become too familiar ✦✦ Boredom with the conductor

6. Rhythm Rhythm is the result of good intent.

Problem: too many amateur performers follow the beat rather than initiate it. Choirs are often guilty of following the accompanist, when it is the accompanist who should follow (accompany) the performers. This causes performers to be behind the beat. Contrarily, when nervous tension causes adrenaline to surge, performers often rush the beat.

12 Approach: rehearse without a conductor or accompaniment. Encourage performers to rely on their own sense of timing, allowing for penalty-free mistakes. Build self-confidence and train the performer to internalize the beat/pace/tempo and become a leader rather than a follower.

Although rhythm can be perceived intellectually, good execution should combine an alert mind with a worthy intent.

Rhythm should be the most natural expression at the base of human emotion. That’s why young children begin making music through movement and dance.

One final thought about the six basic fundamentals: they are of equal importance, but they should be taught in the following order of priority, according to the manner in which they are perceived in the performer’s mind.

1. Tone quality: every human has a concept, whether correct or incorrect, of the mood or tone he/she will produce (e.g. angry, kind, harsh, mild, etc.). Hence, that tone will be in the con- science before the first sound is issued.

2. Diction: for singers, the formation of the vowel or consonant that is to be expressed begins in the mouth.

3. Dynamics: prior to taking a breath, the mind determines the strength with which to project the sound.

4. Breath management: now inhalation begins. The amount of breath to be taken is determined by the intent (e.g. harsh tone, open vowel, forte dynamic, etc.).

5. Pitch: the pitch is produced through exhalation.

6. Rhythm: once pitch is produced, the length of the pitch determines the rhythm.

The production of sound happens so quickly that these fundamentals seem to occur simultane- ously. However, because the mind processes the issuance of sound in this order, I believe it best to teach these six basic fundamentals in this order rather than at random.

13 Festival Preparation Checklist Following the invitation to conduct a music festival, I strongly suggest that you discuss the details well in advance with the festival coordinator. (For further information on the role of the festival coordinator, see Be a Host with the Most: A Guide for Coordinating Music Festivals [30/2718H].)

The following is checklist of items that should be addressed.

Music ❏❏ Musical selections ❏❏ Any additional accompaniment/instrumental requirements ❏❏ The date by which you will provide your rehearsal notes for the participants and the accompanist

Facilities ❏❏ Performance facility that is the best available in the community ❏❏ Rehearsal facility that is the best available in the community

Equipment ❏❏ Piano that is the best available in the community (tuned within 24 hours of first rehearsal) ❏❏ Risers with enough space for every performer to have a clear view of you ❏❏ Chairs that are comfortable for the performers ❏❏ Podium high enough for all participants to see you ❏❏ Conductor’s stool ❏❏ Music stands ❏❏ Microphone with new batteries ❏❏ Chalkboard/dry-erase board with chalk/markers and eraser ❏❏ Drinking water for all participants ❏❏ Other items (list below):

❏❏ ______

© 2012 Heritage Music Press, a division of The Lorenz Corporation. All rights reserved. www.lorenz.com. Permission is hereby granted to the user of Eph Ehly on Conducting Music Festivals to reproduce this page for his or her festival planning use. 14 Accompaniment ❏❏ Accomplished keyboard accompanist with music prepared in advance ❏❏ Accomplished instrumentalists, if needed, with music prepared in advance ❏❏ Additional accompaniments, as needed

Rehearsals ❏❏ Set up equipment prior to rehearsal ❏❏ Use seating arrangement as planned in advance ❏❏ Begin and end each rehearsal with announcements, reminders, thank-yous, etc. ❏❏ Ensure that each performer has a score, a pencil in hand, and all measures numbered ❏❏ Allow flexibility for earlier start or later dismissal (or vice versa) at your discretion ❏❏ Schedule rehearsal breaks but allow them to be given at your discretion

Travel and lodging ❏❏ Determine who will make hotel reservation ❏❏ If you are traveling by airplane, determine who will book airline ticket ❏❏ If you are driving, the coordinator will provide directions and a map ❏❏ Arrange to pick you up from airport and drive to hotel for check in ❏❏ Arrange to pick you up from hotel so as to arrive a few minutes before rehearsal time(s) ❏❏ Arrange for your return to hotel immediately following rehearsals and allow for some rest time ❏❏ Arrange to pick you up from hotel so as to arrive a few minutes before performance time ❏❏ Deliver you to airport with enough time to comfortably check in

A research article published in Choral Journal, the official publication of the American Choral Directors Association, named Eph Ehly “one of the most sought-after choral conductors/clini- cians.” He has conducted over 80 all-state choirs and over 600 festival ensembles. As a conductor, author, lecturer, and clinician he has appeared in 49 states, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, and several countries throughout Europe, and presented on more than 100 college and university campuses.

Dr. Ehly retired from the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) after 27 years of service. More than 90 Doctorate and 100 Masters Degree students have graduated under his supervision. From 1969–1972 he was Director of Choral Activities at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Prior to that, he taught in public schools in western Nebraska.

In 2010, the University of Colorado-Boulder presented Dr. Ehly with the Outstanding Alumni in Music Award. The UMKC Board of Trustees’ selection of Dr. Ehly for the Faculty Fellowship Award evidences the popularity of his unique and enthusiastic approach to teaching. In 1998 he was the recipient of the Mrs. Ewing M. Kauffman Excellence in Teaching Award. He is a past recipient of the UMKC Trustees’ Teaching Award for Excellence, and he was twice presented the Amoco Foun- dation Outstanding Teaching Award. His alma mater, the University of Nebraska-Kearney (UNK), presented him with their first Outstanding Alumni Award during its Diamond Jubilee Celebration. UNK also awarded him the Gary Thomas Distinguished Alumni Award. He is a past recipient of the Missouri Choral Directors Association Luther T. Spayde Choral Director of the Year Award for his contributions to the choral art in the state of Missouri.

As a past recipient of two faculty grants, Dr. Ehly studied advanced compositional techniques in choral music while visiting leading composers and conductors in the Soviet Union, Poland, Ger- many, England, Sweden, Denmark, France, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. Under the sponsorship of the Partners of the Americas program, Dr. Ehly served as Guest Artist in Residence to Belem, the capital of the state of Pará, Brazil, and a second residency in Rio de Janeiro.

Dr. Ehly received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado and his Mas- ter of Music degree from George Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee. His Bachelor of Arts degree is from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. He has studied with many notable teachers, including Jean Berger, Julius Hereford, Warner Imig, William Lynn, George Lynn, Louis Nicholas, Vincent Persichetti, and Lynn Whitten.

Eph Ehly has been a husband to Jan for more than five decades. He is a father to son Christopher, a family practice physician; daughter Heidi Jane, a senior clinical strategist; daughter-in-law Julie, a pediatrician; and son-in-law Gregg, a business analyst. Presently, Eph is practicing being a grand- father to Hank, Rae Anne, Luke, Max, and Lucy.