CONDUCTING CLINIC, WT BAND CAMP—7/13/21
Gary Garner
The three fundamental tests: 1) Does it help the ensemble?
2) Does it help the music? and 3) Is it in control and graceful?
Extraneous movement. Every gesture should have a pur-
pose. Among the mannerisms to be avoided are: 1) excessive
extension of the arms either forward or to the side; 2) bounc-
ing from the knees; 3) excessive head movement; 4) excessive
bending from the waist; 5) unnecessary sub-division.
Preparation. Everything must be prepared. The basic goal is
to give as much preparation as necessary and not an instant
more.
1) If the note comes on the beat, move immediately after
the preceding beat. Rule one always begins at "home." In
slow tempos, it may be applied to moving after the second
half of the beat.
2) If the note comes on the upbeat or last 3rd of the beat,
move after the downbeat. Rule two never begins at "home."
Instead, it begins where the preceding beat ends.
3) For pickups of less than a 3rd of a beat in duration,
move after the beat (same as rule one).
4) For pickups of more than a half-beat in duration, move
quickly on the preceding full beat with a quick stop, then
move on the rest.
Dynamics and cues. Dynamic changes require the same
amount of preparation. To cue entrances on the beat, look at
the person(s) to be cued on the preceding beat. For fractional
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entrances, look a beat plus the fraction ahead. Eye contact is
essential.
The principle of negation. If there is no rhythmic activity,
pulse lightly (in Elizabeth Green's words, "no impulse of
will") or, in some cases, not at all.
Left hand. Four purposes: 1) cueing; 2) dynamics and ex-
pression; 3) alternating; and 4) duplication (sparingly).
Rebounds. A gesture ending with a stop of a beat of more in
duration should culminate with a rebound. It should not be
forced and should be consistent with the vigor of the gesture.
Releases. The release should be prepared when the music
doesn't continue, but not prepared if the music does continue.
The wrist. Wrist movement can be very helpful, especially at
slow tempos, to help define the ictus more precisely. Care
should be taken, however, to avoid chronically floppy wrists.
Fermatas. Three types: 1) no break after fermata—baton
moves slowly through fermata, increasing in speed in prepara-
tion for next beat; 2) break for a breath—release without
preparation and move in tempo into next beat; and 3) com-
plete stop—release without preparation and rebound, then pre-
pare the next beat normally.
Sub-division. The division of a beat will always be in the op-
posite direction of the next main beat.
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Extended meters. It's not necessary to learn elaborate beat
patterns. Simply change direction every two or three beats, as
dictated by the internal rhythmic structure of the measure.
Asymmetrical meters. In 5/8, for example, don't move
quickly through the three-8th-note beat. Either 1) move slow-
ly through the first two 8ths, increasing the speed on the third
8th, or 2) stop on the beat and move immediately after the
second 8th. Take great care not to move through the long beat
quickly and simply wait for the next beat to arrive before
moving again.
Beating one beat to a measure. Determine the phrasing of
the music and use the appropriate beat pattern(s).
A particular problem: Achieving a precise downbeat at soft
dynamic levels and slow tempos. It requires a) a clear ictus;
b) careful attention to the baton; c) players' ability to make
their instruments "speak" on demand; and d) courage—not be-
ing fearful of being "the first one."
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