Basic Conducting – MUSC 514

Course Description

Basic instruction in conducting techniques for worship leaders in traditional and non-traditional worship settings. Knowledge and skill areas include: posture and hand position, baton usage, foreign and mechanical terms, conducting gestures and patterns, basic score interpretation, and rehearsal management and technique.

Rationale

Professional music training requires that a person be able to rehearse and conduct musical ensembles, both instrumental and choral. The purpose of this course is to teach basic conducting gestures and ensemble rehearsal techniques. This course applies the student’s knowledge of musicianship, musical style, and rehearsal and performance discipline.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussion

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt. The thread must be at least 300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to at least 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 200 words. CLO: A, C

Exercise Videos (6)

The student will submit weekly videos of gestural conducting concepts practiced during each module/week. The conducting exercises will vary in length and style. For this assignment, the student is required to record a video showcasing conducting skills with the required musical selections. The student will use the recordings and scores on the Labuta companion website for these exercieses. The exception for this is Exercise Video 5, which will require a “live” keyboard accompanist whom the student will conduct. The student will upload each video to YouTube or Vimeo and copy and paste a link to the video into the Blackboard submission. The student will be assessed on technical skills taught in the weekly presentation videos and a general understanding/development of conducting concepts. CLO: B, F

Video Projects (3)

The student will upload 3 major project videos of complete pieces demonstrating their progress with gestural expressions. The video projects will vary in length and style. For these assignments, the student is required to record a video showcasing conducting skills with the required musical selections. Unlike the video exercises, the video projects focus on all concepts learned in the course up through the assigned module/week. The student will upload each video to YouTube or Vimeo and copy and paste a link to the video into the Blackboard submission. The student will be assessed on technical skills taught in the weekly presentation videos and a general understanding/development of conducting concepts taught throughout the course. CLO: B, E, F, G

Presentation Note-Taking Assignment

The student must document the PowerPoint bullets that appear in each Module: Week’s video presentations in Microsoft Word, and then comment with more of the instructor’s verbal concepts and/or reactions to them. This assignment must be at least 750 words. There is the expectation that every PowerPoint discussed throughout the course video presentations is recorded in writing, from the beginning of the course through the Module in which the assignment is due. The student is also expected to make at least 8 total one-phrase comments on major concepts discussed in the videos throughout the entire course. The student does not need to record notes on demonstration gesture videos if there are no PowerPoints in the video. This assignment is meant to ensure that the major concepts are documented and understood and that the student spends time reflecting on them. CLO: A, C, D

Score Charting Exercise

The student will refer to the document “Single Movement Chart Analysis” (Dr. Tim Sharp) and the “Template for Single Movement Chart.” Based on the “Single Movement Chart Analysis,” the student will indicate in the chart measure numbers, possible analysis, and some rehearsal considerations for two pages of Be Thou My Vision. CLO: D, E, F

Score Marking Exercise

The student will refer to the documents “Score Marking Notations,” (Dr. Sharp), and Dr. Suttles’ “Score Marking Example.” The student will mark the music in two pages of “Be Thou My Vision” using the demonstrated score marking suggestions. The student must be liberal in markings, demonstrating an understanding of marking score. The student can add their own additional markings if so desired. CLO: D, E, F

Reflection Summary

After reflecting on the article Literacy Among Adults in Church Choirs (http://basicmusicreadingskills.com/uploads/PGH_Choral_Journal_12-09.pdf ), the student must, in no less than 300 words total, provide a one-sentence general summary of each paragraph, describe what impressions were left in the findings of this research, and describe experiences in similar music literacy issues in church-music settings in which the student participated either as a singer or leader. CLO: A, C, D

Conducting Essay

The student will complete a 500-word essay summarizing philosophical, methodological, and theological approaches to conducting a choir or orchestra in his or her context (church, school, or community) with a Christian perspective. The content of the essay will be based on four video presentations from Modules 7 and 8: Planning the Rehearsal, Pacing the Rehearsal, Rehearsing the Rehearsal, and Christian Philosophy of Conducting. The essay must include at least 2 citations and current Turabian format must be used. The assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool. CLO: A, C, D