1st Edition
Fundamentals of Instrumental and Choral Conducting
List of Illustrations
Foreword by Donald Trott
Foreword by Mark Laycock
Preface
Acknowledgements
CHAPTER 1: PREPARATION FOR CONDUCTING
A) Introduction
B) Address to Instrumental Majors
C) Address to Choral Majors
D) Fundamentals of Conducting
E) Building Conducting Practice Skills
F) Course Outline
G) Course Requirements
H) Baton Selection Criteria
CHAPTER 2: THE CONDUCTING CRAFT
A) The Conducting Stance: Body Alignment
B) The Conducting Box: Three Conducting Planes
C) The Beat: The Building Blocks of Gestural Movement
D) Tactus: Basic Conducting Pattern of Four
CHAPTER 3: THE ENSEMBLES
A) A Brief History of Instrumental and Choral Ensembles
B) Introduction of the Baton: Baton Hold and Adjusting the Conducting Box
C) First-Beat Rebound Reversal
CHAPTER 4: SCORE READING AND ISSUES IN CONDUCTING
A) Score Reading: Learning the Skills of Score Scanning and Reading Ahead
B) Basic Conducting Pattern of Three
C) The Changing Face of Conducting: Contemporary Programming Trends and Issues Related to Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion
CHAPTER 5: FOUR SECTIONS OF THE ORCHESTRA
A) Four Sections of the Orchestra: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion
B) Strict Timekeeping vs. Tempo Rubato
C) Basic Conducting Pattern of Two
D) Final Cutoffs on Different Beats
E) First Conducting Exam Preparation
CHAPTER 6: FIRST CONDUCTING EXAM
A) Video Recording of First Conducting Exam
CHAPTER 7: ENSEMBLE SETUP AND COMMON TERMINOLOGY
A) Large Instrumental Ensemble Setup
B) Choir Configuration
C) Common Italian, French, and German Musical Terminology
D) Basic Conducting Pattern of One
E) Dynamics and Dynamic Changes
CHAPTER 8: CHORAL ENSEMBLES
A) Main Choral Ensembles
B) Second Conducting Exam Preparation
CHAPTER 9: SECOND CONDUCTING EXAM
A) Video Recording of Second Conducting Exam
CHAPTER 10: CHANGES OF TEMPO
A) Gradual and Sudden Tempo Changes
B) One Pattern in Duple and Triple Meter
CHAPTER 11: PREPARATORY BEATS
A) Preparatory Beats for Pickup Measures: Starting on the Second, Third and Fourth Beats
B) Conducting Styles: Legato, Tenuto, Staccato, and Marcato
CHAPTER 12: SCORE STUDY
A) Score Study and Score Preparation
B) Transposing Instruments and Clef Reading
C) A Common List of Instruments in Italian, French, and German
CHAPTER 13: REHEARSAL PLANNING
A) The Teaching Cycle: Macro–Micro–Macro
B) Application of Score Study and Error Detection in a Real-Time Rehearsal
CHAPTER 14: ERROR DETECTION
A) Error Detection
B) Applied: Hold Exercises on All Beats in the Four Pattern
CHAPTER 15: METER CHANGES, COMPOUND METER PATTERNS, AND FERMATAS OR HOLDS
A) Meter Changes
B) Compound Meter Patterns
C) Fermatas or Holds: Continuous, Brief, and Long
D) Third Conducting Exam Preparation
CHAPTER 16: THIRD CONDUCTING EXAM
A) Video Recording of Third Conducting Exam
CHAPTER 17: THE LEFT HAND
A) The Use of the Left Hand
CHAPTER 18: STYLE AND PHRASING
A) Conducting Musical Style
B) Phrasing in Instrumental and Choral Conducting
C) Accents and Syncopation
D) Fourth Conducting Exam Preparation
CHAPTER 19: FOURTH CONDUCTING EXAM
A) Video Recording of Fourth Conducting Exam
CHAPTER 20: COMPUND AND IRREGULAR METERS
A) Subdivision of Simple and Compound Meters
CHAPTER 21: FIFTH CONDUCTING EXAM AND SIMULATED REHEARSAL PREPARATION
A) Fifth Conducting Exam Preparation
B) Simulated Rehearsal Preparation
CHAPTER 22: FIFTH CONDUCTING EXAM AND SIMULATED REHEARSAL
A) Video Recording of Fifth Conducting Exam, and Simulated Rehearsal
B) Video Recording of the Simulated Rehearsal Exam
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Biography
Selim Giray is Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Mississippi, USA, and conductor of MYSP Repertory Orchestra. Giray performed as cover conductor for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and conducted the California High School All-State String Orchestra. Giray is the author of String Methods for Beginners (2020).
Michael Hanawalt is Director of Graduate Choral Studies at Florida State University, USA, where he conducts the Chamber Choir and teaches courses in conducting and choral literature. He is also the Artistic Director of the Tallahassee Community Chorus.
