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Home , Band (rock and pop), Body language, Conducting, Facial expression

SBOPerformance: Rehearsing Rehearsing Music: Nonverbal Cues, Body , and by Robert J. Garofalo and Frank L. Battisti

Editor’s Note: This is the sec- ond of a two-part feature. The first article, covering procedures, verbal cues, and pictorial imagery, appeared in the January, 2009 is- sue of SBO, which can be found at www.sbomagazine.com.

he quality of musical sound that is pro- duced by an ensemble (, , chorus, or chamber ensemble) is greatly af- fected by a conductor’s , body lan- Tguage, and facial expressions – nonverbal cues. This may partially explain why different conductors obtain different results and sounds from the same performing en- semble. Conductors need to build a repertoire of physical (body) gestures and psychological (facial) expressions in order to convey music more effectively on the podium.

A conductor should be able to show what he or she wants, and not have to explain it in words. Stopping to explain what is desired reduces the time the ensemble has to put desired musical ideas into art expression. To improve your ability to convey musical expression on the podium using nonverbal cues, consider studying mime and ASL (American ). Both of these com- municative modes utilize a wide variety of facial expressions, hand gestures, and . For every composition to be performed, the conductor must ask two ques- tions: What is the musical message of the composition – the spiritual essence and/or expressive character of the music? And how can I communicate that musical message to the ensemble (via body language and facial expression) so that the performers can convey the message through their playing? The taxonomy of behavior that follows focuses on the body, head, and (especially the eyes and mouth) of the conductor. Nontraditional conducting gestures that utilize the hands, arms, and body are also covered.

30 and Orchestra, June 2009 tion with his arms and the beat which was in compound Body Language time. See illustration below. The torso of the body is a major source of en- Conductors sometimes use nontraditional gestures ergy, , conviction, and confidence. A conductor and body language that reflect the playing motions of can project these qualities from the torso (which includes performers, a practice that we call “visual onomato- the heart and the lungs), but not from the arms and hands. poeia.” With aural onomatopoeia, one uses words to Conductors sometimes mimic the music they are conduct- vocally imitate the sound of a thing or action; for ex- ing though body motions, in some cases literally. For ex- ample, buzz, hiss, boom, bang, clang, ring, and so on. ample, they march when the music is a march and swing With visual onomatopoeia, one uses body language to when the music swings. Conductors occasionally bend imitate the motion of a thing or action that elicits the their knees, drop down slightly, and hunch their shoulder sound. In other words, the conductor “mimes” the ac- to signal “play softer.” These procedures can work in re- tions of the players using body movement. For example, verse to signal “play louder.” conductors often mimic the motions of string players in A nontraditional conducting order to increase musical expression and intensity. The is an unconventional hands are held in the position of either a violinists or or atypical motion that is not cellist with the left hand imitating the motion of vibrato standardized or customary. For and the hand bowing directions. Also, conductors example, , sometimes use gestures that imitate the motions of per- in a with a univer- cussionists when cuing percussion instruments. These sity wind ensemble, conducted nontraditional gestures are fairly easy to learn and do. Holst’s transcription of Bach’s For bass , use a right to left beating motion with Fugue alla Gigue with both the baton mimicking the playing the instrument; the ba- hands moving in parallel mo- ton may even be turned around in the hand to act as a tion high above his head; his beater. For timpani, use a downward pounding motion. upper body was swaying back For crash cymbals, use both hands moving together then and forth in synchronized mo- apart as if you were actually playing the instrument. In

School Band and Orchestra, June 2009 31 addition to strings and percussion, primary . Most, if not all, think about the signals and meaning there are other band and orches- of these states have been captured in they convey: tra instruments that are occasion- music, which indicates that it should We don’t see eye to eye. ally mimed by the conductor. Two not be too difficult to show the emo- Smiling eyes. instruments that quickly come to tions facially when conducting mu- Eyes like a hawk. mind are trombone and harp. Can sic. Can you think of a musical com- Icy stare. you think of others? position that expresses the emotion Shifty eyed. of surprise? What about fear, , His eyes were mesmerizing. disgust, happiness, or ? He had good eye-hand coordination. Facial Expression Common facial expressions are She gave him the malocchio (Italian for “Even the most expressive of pat- delineated in three areas of the “evil eye”). terns can never communicate the face: the brow and forehead; the emotional content of a composition eyes, eye lids, and bridge of the Can you think of additional re- as effectively as the face,” says Sir nose; and the lower face which in- marks that reveal the communicative David Whitwell. Conductor Max cludes the mouth, chin, jaw, cheeks, power of the eyes? Rudolph agrees: “The expression What meaning and expression is of your eyes and “Conductors sometimes conveyed with “raised eyebrows,” “a your general fa- ,” “squinting eyes,” or “closed cial expression mimic the music they eyes”? Conductor can tell players conducted with his eyes closed. What more about the are conducting though meaning or message is conveyed when music than fancy the eyes are closed when conducting? hand-waving.” body motions.” Deep thought or feeling, meditation, The conductor’s being asleep, dreaming? face must reflect the emotional ex- and nose. In the Glossary of Facial We associate various eye movements pression of the music to be effective Expressions (used by permission with a wide range of human expres- on the podium. To do that, the con- from “Conducting From The Inside sion. For example: a downward glance ductor must internalize the music. Out,” a clinic by Allan McMurray, is often associated with modesty; eyes The human face is rich in com- Mid-West International Band and rolled upward may indicate that an- municative potential. In fact, it is Orchestra Clinic, December, 1994) other person’s behavior is weird or the primary source of information below, see if you can identify the unusual. Our fascination with our eyes next to speech. Although our fa- expressions that reflect the six basic has led to the study of every feature of cial muscles are capable of produc- emotions listed above. them (size, color, position, eyebrows, ing nearly four-dozen movements, Most conductors will tell you that eye lids, rings, and wrinkles). which in turn can create more than the eyes are a major means of com- The mouth is probably the next 10,000 different expressions, in his munication on the podium. There most expressive facial feature after the book Nonverbal in is power in the eyes. The eyes are a eyes. The mouth can grin, , or Human Interaction, author Mark “window to the soul.” pout. Lips can be tight, teeth clenched, L. Knapp suggests that researchers and expression are critically impor- and so on. The mouth can be wide have discovered that reveal tant for the conductor. One needs to open or be shut tightly. Generally, one six universal facial expressions (in- ask: What exactly do the eyes do? And should not conduct with the mouth fants by the age of one show these when do they do it? What psychologi- wide open or shut tightly for any basic expressions in their ). cal and emotional meaning do the eyes length of time. They are: convey? Here are some thoughts on Instrumental conductors often the matter gleaned from reflection and mouth while the ensemble is 1. Surprise observation. playing, their mouths and lips open- 2. Fear The eyes squint, blink, stare, ing and closing in time with the mu- 3. Anger glare, glance, scan, focus, recede sic using a neutral or nonsense syl- 4. Disgust upward into the sockets (what does lable. Choral and conductors, 5. Happiness that signal?), wink (close right or left on the other hand, often mouth the 6. Sadness eye), blink (both eyes); and look left, words with the singers. Many con- right, up, down, or straight ahead. ductors breathe with their players, These six emotions seem to be at The eyes can sparkle, be glazed over, either through their mouth and/or the foundation of most human ex- or look blank. their nose, a procedure that is highly pressions; others appear to differ Note, in the list below, the differ- recommended especially when start- only in intensity or are blends of the ent ways humans refer to the eyes and ing music.

32 School Band and Orchestra, June 2009 In the Glossary of Facial Expres- Robert Garofalo is emeritus professor/conductor of the Rome School of Music of sions below, explain what is changing The Catholic University of America. He has conducted bands, , choruses, on the faces. Also, describe the emo- and for over 40 years. Frank Battisti is conductor emeritus of the New England tion conveyed in each facial expres- Conservatory Wind Ensemble. He has conducted sion with one or two words. bands and ensembles for more than 50 years. Ga- rofalo and Battisti have coauthored several books Glossary of Facial and articles; most notably Guide to Score Study for the Wind Band Conductor (Meredith Music, Expressions 1990) and Lead and Inspire: A Guide to Expres- sive Conducting (Whirlwind Music, 2005), from Robert Garofalo which this article is adapted. Frank Battisti

Can you guess/identify the expres- sive character of the musical message being conveyed here by conductor Frederick Fennell by observing his facial expression and body language?

For example, is the music strong or gentle (dynamics), quick or deliberate (), lyrical or dramatic (style)? Can you find a facial expression in the Glossary above that correlates with Fennell’s expression?

School Band and Orchestra, June 2009 33