CONDUCTING I
MUSIC 432-71
KIIS Salzburg Program 2005
Required Text:
DR. RANDY PENNINGTON
Conducting Technique: For Beginners and
Professionals, Brock McElheran, Revised Ed.
You will also need a three-ring notebook, ample size to hold material, and
please bring your own paper for reports and tests.
Description:
This course will focus on a practical approach to conducting covering
fundamentals such as beat patterns, baton technique, providing proper cues, subdivisions,
fermatas, releases and entrances, conducting terminology and methods. The class will
function as an ensemble and each student will conduct assignments as frequently as
possible.
Objectives:
By the end of the course you should be able to conduct short excerpts of ensemble
repertoire employing standard beat patterns, providing clear entrances, cues, releases,
interpretative indications and utilize other gestures required to aid the ensemble in
producing a quality performance. You should have the ability to answer performer’s
questions concerning the score and know methods necessary to make knowledgeable
decisions regarding the interpretative elements.
Procedure:
A significant portion of the class time will be spent discussing selected
compositions as they relate to specific conducting problems and conducting these
excerpts in front of the class. Each student will be required to provide well thought out
written evaluations on their peer’s class conducting. Although these will not be used for
grading purposes for the student evaluated, they will be helpful to both the person being
evaluated and the student evaluating. Additional course work will include examining
selected readings assigned for discussion, written examinations and a final course
notebook. The final notebook will include class notes, handouts, peer and teacher
evaluations, and summaries and notes on selected readings. More details concerning the
notebook will be provided in class.
Evaluation:
The first few times you conduct in front of the class you will not be graded. You
will instead receive verbal critique from the instructor and your peers. After that you will
receive a grade each time you conduct an assigned excerpt. There will be four assigned
practical conducting tests. The instructor and your peers will fill out evaluation forms for
your practical tests. Use these as a checklist as you practice. Each student is required to
complete two evaluations on each student in the class. Failure to complete these
evaluations will result in the lowering of your final grade by one full letter grade. Some
practical tests may be videotaped (if equipment is available) so students can do a selfevaluation of their performance. Four short written tests will be given. These will be
primarily on conducting terminology discussed in class, class lectures, handouts, and
assigned reading. These will not be open notebook tests. There will be both a written
and a practical final exam. The final written exam will be an open notebook test. For
the final you may use any material passed out in class, textbooks and your own class
notes. To help prepare well for this exam it is suggested that you keep your class
notebook in good order. The final notebook is due immediately following the final exam.
Late notebooks will not be accepted. The final notebook will be graded as either
satisfactory or unsatisfactory. An unsatisfactory notebook will result in the lowering of a
student’s term grade one full letter grade.
Grading:
Grading will be determined as follows:
Practical Conducting Tests: 4 @ 25 points each
Short Written Tests: 4 @ 25 points each
Final Practical Exam:
Final Written Exam:
= 100
= 100
= 50
= 50
_____
300
Term grade determined as follows:
270
300
=
A
240
269
=
B
210
239
=
C
180
209
=
D
0
179
=
F
You are expected to be in attendance at all lectures and field trips. Since the program time
is so short absences are not permitted. For each class you miss your grade for the course
will be lowered one grade level. If you have a legitimate excuse (illness or emergency) for
missing class you must discuss the matter with Gayle Grout, the Director of the Salzburg
Program, and Dr. Pennington.
Failure to do all the required student evaluations and self-evaluations or an
unsatisfactory final notebook will result in a lowering of your final grade in the
course one full letter grade.
The instructor reserves the right to make any necessary changes to this syllabus