Dr. Rachel Samet
Office: Music Building #209
Phone: 826-3615
e-mail: rachel.samet@humboldt.edu
Music 334 – Fundamentals of Conducting
Fall 2015
TR 11:00 – 12:20 / Room 109
Office hours: ________________
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the art and skill of conducting. Focus will be on the
development and refinement of psychomotor skills, as well as non-verbal
communication, body alignment, baton technique, conducting terminology,
transpositions, score reading, aural skills development, rehearsal planning, mindfulness,
and leadership.
This course fulfills music major requirements.
The format/mode of this course is Lecture/Activity.
The prerequisite for this course is Mus 315 (C), (Instructor Approval)
The minimum grade needed for this course to count towards the major is C.
Course Objectives
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Develop basic conducting techniques utilizing a variety of meters, tempi and styles,
including:
o Constant tempo as well as accelerando and ritardando.
o Simple and compound meters with appropriate patterns
o Staccato, legato, marcato
o Dynamic changes
o Attacks, releases (cutoffs), preparations, fermatas, changing meters, and
subdivided beats
o Proper use of baton
Demonstrate knowledge of proper physical alignment
Demonstrate knowledge of conducting terminology.
Acquire a repertoire of basic physical gestures of the right and left hands
Develop non-verbal methods of communication.
Increase basic musical skills and terminology, including aural skills, error detection,
transposition and score study.
Explore and develop leadership skills and mindfulness on the podium.
Develop effective self-evaluation skills. Required Materials
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Green, Elizabeth, The Modern Conductor.
Baton
Expectations
Students are expected to attend class regularly, practice daily, participate fully in class
activities, complete assigned homework and exams successfully, and throughout the
semester possess an open mind and a constant willingness to learn. Attendance
The presence and class participation of each individual is essential for individual and
collective progress. Attendance at all class meetings is mandatory. Three absences may
accrue without consequence. For each unexcused absence thereafter, your final grade will
be lowered. Extenuating circumstances such as serious illness, death in the family, etc.
are considered on a case-by-case basis. Punctuality and professional behavior are
essential to your success as a student, future teacher and future conductor. For every two
classes you are late, it will equal one absence.
Course Projects
 Conducting Class Ensemble: Students will conduct and play or sing in the ensemble
comprised of the students in the class throughout the semester.
 Individual Conducting Self-Evaluation: Students will review videos of class
conducting on their own, do a self-evaluation
 YouTube Video Conducting Reviews (2)
 Live Rehearsal Observation Journal – throughout the semester, students will observe
conductors of ensembles and write up journals. You must observe two ensembles
other than the ones in which you perform. Extra Credit: Observe and write up two
additional ensembles (up to 5%).
Grading
Daily Conducting Assignments and Participation, Homework and Quizzes – 30%,
YouTube Conductor Observations – 15%, Rehearsal Observations – 15%, Conducting
Exams – 20%, Final Exam – 20% Grading Scale:
A - 90%-100%; B - 80%-89%; C 70%-79%; D- 60%-69%; F - 59%-below
HSU Learning Outcomes
This course explicitly contributes to students’ acquisition of skills and knowledge
relevant to HSU Learning Outcomes:
HSU graduates will have demonstrated:
1. Effective communication through written and oral modes. 2. Competence in a
major area of study.
HSU graduates will be prepared to:
3. Succeed in their chosen careers.
4. Take responsibility for identifying personal goals and practicing lifelong
learning.
5. Pursue social justice, promote environmental responsibility, and improve
economic conditions in their workplaces and communities.
Outcomes of an HSU education:
By the time our students graduate they will have demonstrated:
1. Effective oral and written communication
2. Critical and creative thinking skills in acquiring a broad knowledge base, and
applying it to complex issues
3. Competence in a major area of study
4. Appreciation for, and an understanding of, an expanded world perspective by
engaging respectfully with a diverse range of individuals, communities, and
viewpoints
Our graduates will be prepared to:
5) Succeed in their chosen careers
6) Take responsibility for identifying personal goals and practicing lifelong
learning
7) Pursue social justice, promote environmental responsibility, and improve
economic conditions in their communities.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
In addition, this course will contribute to your acquisition of skills and knowledge
relevant to these Music Department (and National Association of Schools of Music)
learning Outcomes:
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Students will demonstrate the ability to hear, identify, and work conceptually with
the elements of music – rhythm, melody, harmony, and structure.
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Students will demonstrate familiarity with, and an ability to perform a wide
selection of musical literature representing principal eras, genres, and cultural
sources.
Academic honesty: Students are responsible for knowing the university policy regarding
academic honesty. For more information, visit: Academic Honesty Policy or HSU
Catalog.
Students with Disabilities: Persons who wish to request disability-related
accommodations should contact the Student Disability Resource Center in House 71,
826-4678 (voice) or 826-5392 (TDD). Some accommodations may take up to several
weeks to arrange. Please review: Student Disability Resource Center.
Emergency evacuation: Please review the evacuation plan for the classroom (posted on
the orange signs), and review Campus Emergency Preparedness
http://studentaffairs.humboldt.edu/emergencyops/campus_emergency_preparedness.php
for information on campus Emergency Procedures. During an emergency, information
can be found campus conditions at: 826-INFO or Emergency Conditions.
Attendance and disruptive behavior: Students are responsible for knowing the
university policy regarding attendance and disruptive behavior: Please review: Class
Attendance and Disruptive Behavior.
I. COURSE OBJECTIVES LEADING TO THE ACQUISITION OF SKILLS AND
KNOWLEDGE RELEVANT TO MUSIC DEPARTMENT LEARNING
OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this course the student will:
1. Demonstrate constant tempo; accelerando and ritardando.
2. Conduct simple and compound meters with appropriate patterns.
3. Conduct textures such as: staccato, legato, and marcato at various dynamic
levels and with dynamic changes.
4. Define common musical terminology, including: "gesture of inhalation,"
"ictus", & "rebound".
5. Conduct attacks, releases (cutoffs), preparations, fermatas, changing meters,
and subdivided beats.
6. Explain what a diphthong is and describe and demonstrate how to
appropriately sing a diphthong.
7. Demonstrate Left hand (non-conducting) cueing (coordination)
8. List common rehearsal problems and possible solutions
9. Mark a score for rehearsal.
10. Demonstrate proper use of baton for conducting.
11. List score order of instruments.
12. Conduct from both an instrumental Full Score and Condensed Score.
13. Write the correct transposition for all instruments to concert pitch.
14. Recognize musical mistakes and show proficiency in error recognition.
15. Become more aware of musical expressiveness as it relates to conducting
expressiveness.
16. Appreciate the importance of the study of conducting skills to the prospective
musician, teacher, and performer.
17. Become aware of increased growth in his/her individual musicianship that
leads to more sensitive musical awareness.
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Please don’t hesitate to seek out extra help! Conducting is joyous and complex
endeavor that requires consistent practice and self-evaluation. I am happy to guide you as
you practice and develop your skills. Best wishes for an enjoyable and productive
semester! I look forward to working with you. Semester Calendar
(additional readings, videos and assignments will be added
later)
Week 1
Conductor as communicator Conductor as leader
Dalcroze and enhanced music making
Body mapping and physical alignment Baton/hand placement, grip, hinges Ictus,
rebounds, speed of motion Preparation and cut-off
Select activities: Impulse of will
Conducting and breathing
Observation and discussion of conductor video Pick it up and
put it down exercise
Week 2
Read: Conable, What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body (assigned
pages)
Read: Welch, How to Be a Good Leader excerpt
3 and 4 beat patterns
2 and 1 beat patterns
simple and compound
meters
dynamics
independent hands (flow vs. installment technique)
Read: Green, Ch. 3 “The Basic Techniques” First YouTube conducting video assignment
Mindfulness exercise
st
1 conducting exam
Read: Green, Ch. 4
Sing and play (play one part and sing
another)
Entrances on beats 2, 3, and 4
Bach chorale assignment (sing and play)
Subdivision of beats Entrances on incomplete beats
Introduction to score study
Score order, clefs, transposition Terminology,
nd
rehearsals
Rehearsal plan project (group project) 2 rehearsal observation due
Conducting Exam #2 and individual appointments with instructor Accents, articulation,
dynamic changes
Tempo changes, tenuti, fermatti
Tempo changes, tenuti, fermatti,
gesture of syncopation
Read: Green, Ch. 6
Conducting Exam #3
Fives, sevens, and lop-sided time-beating
Error detection, alignment (again) 3
Week 3
Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
rd
Rehearsal observation due
Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Week 11 Week 12 Week 13
Week 14 Week 15
Week 16 Final Exam
Error detection, inclusive awareness
Error detection
Video: “What They See is What You Get” by Rodney Eichenberger
Error detection, review for final
Youtube Conductor Evaluation
3 reviews required throughout the semester. You must evaluate one professional
conductor and one amateur conductor. The third is your choice.
Write a 2-3 page narrative review of the rehearsal or concert. Include URL and date
accessed, name of conductor, ensemble, title of piece(s), and any other information you
deem pertinent. The camera must be facing the conductor, from performer’s perspective.
Please include:
1. FirstImpressions
a. ANYTHINGinterestingyounotice–
videoquality,soundquality,camera
angle, clothing, weird hairstyle, etc. 2. Videocontent
a. Providecontext–isthisaconcert?arehearsal?
b. Describewhathappensduringtheclip.
c. Does the clip start at the beginning, middle or end of the piece? If not at the
beginning, is the full piece ever performed? Elaborate.
3. Conductorobservations
a. Whatistheconductorwearing?
b. Doesthemusicreflectwhattheconductorisdoing?
c. Describe the size of the conductor’s gesture.
d. Describetherelationshipoftheconductor’shands/armstooneanother.
e. Describetheconductor’sphysicalalignment.
f. Describe the conductor’s facial expressions.
g. Doestheconductormaintaineyecontactwiththeensemble?
h. Howdoestheconductorconveyleadershipinthissetting?
i. Would you want to perform for this conductor? Why or why not?
Course Calendar (subject to change)
Week 1 –
Roles of the conductor
impulse of will
hinges, ictus, takt, rebounds, speed
baton
preparation and cutoff
3 and 4 beat patterns
Week 2 -
2 and 1, 6, 5 beat patterns
Ch. 4
Independent hands
3
Exam #1
Week 3 -
Expressive Gestures – legato, staccato, tenuto
GOS, active and passive gestures
Week 4 –
Week 5 –
Week 6 –
Week 7 –
Week 8 –
Week 9 –
Week 10 –
Phrasing and Tempo Changes
Developing left hand, cuing
fermata
20c innovations
Clefs and transpositions
orchestra and band scores
choral conducting
Week 1
2
3
Week 4
Roles of the conductor,
impulse of will, hinges,
ictus, takt, rebounds, baton,
preparation and cutoff, 3
and 4 beat patterns
speed, prep on beats other
than 1
ED, hinges,
Speed
Cutoffs
2 and 1
6 and 5
Ch. 4
Intro to independent hands
Expressive gestures –
legato, staccato, tenuto
GOS, active
and passive gestures
Exam 1, mindfulness
Quiz 1
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Final
Week 11Week 12Week 13Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Phrasing and tempo
changes
Developing left hand, cuing
fermata
Exam 2, mindfulness/other
20c innovations
Clefs and transpositions
Quiz,
orchestra and band scores
choral conducting
Score study
Rehearsal plan
Rehearsal plan/practice for
final
Rehearsal plan/practice for
final