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Five More Concepts for Enhanced Communication from the Podium Five More Concepts for Enhanced *Exercise for development - Practice conducting Communication from the Podium with a tangible surface, such as a raised music _____________________________________________ stand. Set a metronome to any tempo and practice tapping the stand on the beat, keeping an Eric M. Allen, DMA arched travel motion between icti that is even and Assistant Director of Bands, readable. Assistant Professor of Music Education, Texas Tech University B. Legato Articulation & Vertical motion should be minimized when conducting legato articulation. Legato is best indicated by Shanti Simon, DMA placing less emphasis on the ictus, and more emphasis on Flight Commander & Associate Conductor, the travel motion. In an effort to be expressive, conductors The United States Air Force Academy Band, are sometimes lured to expand motion during legato Colorado Springs, Colorado passages, causing the ensemble to slow down. If this occurs, minimize the size of the pattern and shorten the _________________________________________________ travel motion. Just as they do with staccato, the ensemble determines when to play by the travel motion between Introduction icti. This article is a follow up to our original piece, “Five *Exercise for development - Face a wall and trace Concepts for Enhanced Communication from the Podium.” a figure eight motion as if you were painting it on We will address five more common conducting challenges the wall. Notice that there is nothing angular in and propose rationale and solutions for meaningful the pattern. This type of pattern can serve as a communication from the podium. model when applying to the respective music. 1. How do I encourage specific articulation and/or C. Marcato Articulation & Accents accents? Marcato articulations/accents are similar to Specific articulation is indicated by the way we staccato in travel motion but instead of touching the beat approach the horizontal beat plane, also called the plane, the baton should break through the plane, “articulation table.” The manner in which our baton encouraging the ensemble to play heavier through the approaches and/or touches this “plane” indicates the type notes. The appropriate weight at which the baton passes of articulation desired. through the plane is determined by the respective music. The travel motion should continue to be even and A. Staccato Articulation readable. Staccato articulation is best demonstrated by *Exercise for development - Work with a partner. lightly touching the beat plane at the ictus point, while Face them and conduct a marcato style, asking keeping the travel motion between icti even and them to sizzle the accent weight that you are consistent. In an effort to show staccato articulation, indicating. Try to adjust the weight through the instincts can lead us to conduct ridged and angular. intensity at which you move through the beat Remember that ensembles determine pulse by reading plane. travel motion. The more even the motion, the better chance they have of placing the beat at the correct time. Demonstrating a light touch (tap) on the beat plane is all they need to play staccato. 2. How do I indicate a fermata appropriately? confusion as to which gesture is the preparatory. During the sustain, be sure to think ahead to the subsequent Interpretation of a fermata is commonly debated tempo. The preparatory gesture must forecast the new in the music profession. Determining the appropriate tempo! duration, character and quality is often a matter of interpretation. A general rule for duration is at least 1.5 *Exercise for development – Conduct 4 bars of times the duration of the note value containing the 4/4 at quarter note = 120. On the downbeat of fermata, though there are exceptions. the 5th bar, sustain a fermata at a forte dynamic. Remember to keep moving during the It is important to show the quality of the sustain fermata. Prepare the next downbeat. Give a along with the shape it should take. Keep moving! Does small release and larger preparatory gesture in the sustained sound crescendo, decrescendo, or remain the new tempo, quarter note = 60. *Remember, a consistent; and at what rate? Support the sound by small release can still have maximum energy if the maintaining motion. The direction, speed, and intensity of music demands it. the motion will vary depending on the character of the sound you want to elicit from the ensemble. C. Fermata followed by no caesura There are essentially three types of fermatas. As A fermata with no caesura occurs when there is conductors, we must interpret the composer’s intent and no break between the fermata and the subsequent select the fermata that is most appropriate to the music. music. For this type of fermata, keep moving through the sustain until the point of departure for the preparatory. It A. Fermata followed by a long caesura is also important to remember that the fermata beat may need to be placed closer to the center of the plane than This occurs when a fermata is released and the usual. For example, for a fermata on beat 3, try placing caesura is held for an indefinite duration. All motion beat 3 closer to where beat 1 normally falls. This will allow ceases at the point of release. Ensure the release gesture more room to move in the direction of beat 3 without the ends in a position to give the next preparation without focus of the baton traveling too far from center. The point unnecessary motion. The next gesture should be the of departure for the preparatory gesture should be clear preparatory, demonstrated in the tempo, style and and centered. character of the subsequent music. *Exercise for development - Conduct a 4/4 *Exercise for development – Practice sustaining a pattern at quarter note = 60. forte fermata. Remember to keep moving during the sustain. Give a release, concentrating on i. Execute a fermata with no caesura on beat 1 of minimal rebound and ending the gesture in a every bar. Ensure movement during the fermata centered position on the plane. Prepare the next moves away from beat 2 so you will be in a good forte entrance without additional movement. Try position to prepare beat 2. this exercise at various dynamics and styles. ii. Execute a fermata with no caesura on beat 2 of B. Fermata followed by a short caesura every bar. In this case, any movement during the fermata will move in the direction of beat 2 (away For a fermata followed by a short caesura, the from beat 3). release IS the preparatory. The duration of the caesura is simply the time required to give the preparatory gesture iii. Execute a fermata with no caesura on beat 3 for the subsequent entrance. The point of release is also of every bar. Any movement during the fermata the point of departure for the preparatory gesture. To will move in the direction of beat 3. clarify intent, use a small release gesture followed by a larger preparatory gesture. This will ensure that there is no iv. Execute a fermata with no caesura on beat 4 Example: 1-1-2-2-3-3 of every bar. Since we do not want movement to travel vertically away from the plane, any *Exercise for development - Conduct a standard movement during the fermata will move in the subdivision in a 3/4 pattern at quarter note = direction of beat 2 so you will be in a good 40. The subdivided beats should be placed position on the plane to prepare beat 1. opposite the subsequent large beat. For example, the after beat of 1 should move left of beat 1 3. How do I start a piece that begins on an after beat? because it is opposite the direction of beat 2. (ex. the “and” of beat 3) Travel motion should be even and readable. This type of gesture is often referred to as a B. Stop Subdivision complex preparatory gesture. To prepare this entrance, conductors must emphasize the beat to which the after Stop subdivision can be used when the tempo beat (off beat) is reacting. The breath, unlike a standard indicates the need for subdivision but the rhythm does preparatory gesture, which occurs one full beat prior to not. It can also serve as a transition from a simple pattern the anacrusis, must now occur on the beat of emphasis. to a standard-subdivided pattern during a rallentando. It is Breathing early may cause false entrances. Remember that a lightly-subdivided pattern that maintains the integrity of the placement of the breath is perhaps the most the large beats and where they make contact with the important part of any preparatory gesture. plane. The after beats become preparations for the large beats. For example, a piece that starts on the after beat of 3 requires emphasis on beat 3. The initial gesture will move toward beat 2 but the breath and gesture of Example: 1-1-2-2-3-3 emphasis will occur on beat 3, inviting the entrance on the subsequent after beat. *Exercise for development - Practice conducting a 3/4 pattern with stop subdivision at quarter note *Exercise for development - Create a rhythm = 40. All motion should stop briefly on the large using entrances that occur both on a beat and on beat, then depart on the after beat in preparation an after beat. Practice conducting these entrances for the subsequent large beat. with a partner singing or sizzling the rhythm. Try breathing in different places and notice how it 5. How do I conduct asymmetrical compound meter affects the security of the entrance. effectively? 4. When should I use a subdivided conducting pattern Asymmetrical compound meter should be and how do I use it effectively? conducted with a simple meter pattern.
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