objective: Prepare a score and conduct a piece of choral music

LEARNING GUIDE

STEP 1: Determine a piece you are going to conduct

Options include:

a. Use the piece "Jenny," by Nick Meyers (SATB).  

OR

b. Choose a different piece of choral music to prepare and conduct.  Guidelines to choosing:

• • SATB, SAB or SSA scoring

  • Can be a cappella or unaccompanied

  • 4/4 or 3/4 time (simple duple or simple triple meter)

STEP 2: Prepare Your Score

a. Check out the score marking resources linked below to get ideas on how to mark a choral score.

b. Sing through EACH vocal line (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) to get an idea of how each part sounds.  Make note of where each part is most important (look for clues, including accidentals, faster passages, melody lines etc.)

c. Listen to a recording as you read your score.  Do this several times.  On each listening, choose one thing to focus on from the list below:

• One voice part at a time (ex. only listen to the Tenor line)

• Accompaniment only (this does not apply to a cappella pieces)

• Dynamics

• Phrasing

• Text

• Melody Lines

• Harmonic Motion

• Rhythm

d. Determine important moments in the music you need to reinforce.  Mark/draw/colour in your score to indicate those moments.  Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Breaths

• Starts of Phrases

• Dynamics

• Entrances in various voice parts

• Phrase shape

STEP 3: Practice Conducting Gestures

a. Participate in online choir classes (we are learning various patterns, drills and gestures).

b. Check out the conducting resources linked below.  Read articles and watch videos.  Consider gestures you have seen used in rehearsal.

c. Practice conducting in front of a mirror.

d. Practice breathing and preparatory gestures.  *NOTE: Keep your mouth open when you breath before an entrance!

STEP 4: Record Yourself Conducting Along to a recording or video track

a. Set your Phone or Camera up so that your entire upper body is in the frame.  Check that your arms are always visible (ex. can you still see your hands when conducting beat 2 in a 4 beat pattern).

b. Play an audio or video recording of your piece, and record yourself conducting the music.  Be aware of breaths, facial expression, dynamic gesture etc.  Conduct the score markings you have written into your score.

c. Review your conducting video.  Observe what is clear, and what you would like to improve.  Make a second (or third) recording.  Submit the video you prefer.

STEP 5: Submit BOTH a .pdf of your marked score, AND your completed video recording to the Dropbox on BrightSpace.

If you have questions, contact Mrs. Ciona