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A presentation that encompasses the lessons one conductor learned from master teacher Jerry Jordan. This presentation is one attempt to codify all of the lessons I learned about directing choral music from my mentor.
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Good to Great:Conducting, Rehearsal, and Discipline
Good to Great:Everything I Know About Creating an Exceptional
Choir
Good to Great:Lessons my father taught me: a tribute to Jerry
Jordan
Jordan Training
1985 – 1990 Undergraduate
(Clinton High School)
(Broadmoor Baptist Church)
(Master’s Mississippi College)
(Doctorate, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1993-1997)
1997 – 2000
“visiting professor”
$20,000
Real education
Basics: High expectation
Excellence
Basics: Recruiting
Your people are everything.
Do everything you can to get the right people in choir.
Basics: Travel
Recruiting bonus
Show your choir the world
Expose students to tastes, smells, sounds of other cultures
Basics: Blend
Same Pitch
Same Vowel
Same Volume
Basics: Taking the stage.
Confidence.
Connecting with the audience.
Tempo of walking speed.
Basics: Selecting the Music
The Secrets
It’s not easy.
It’s not easy.
Pick music that makes your choir sounds good.
Don’t Follow the Crowd.
Embrace the Classics.
Avoid the Latest & Greatest.
Avoid the Latest & Greatest.
Unless it is REALLY good.
Look for music written by
people that understand the
voice
Look for music by composers who exhibit
creative thought.
The Infinite Variety of Music
Infinite Variety of Music
Infinite Variety of Music
How many different ways can a note be
sung?
NuanceA Few Secrets
Hearing beyond what
you see:
Hearing beyond what
you see:
ABILITY TO SEE WHAT ISN’T
THERE.
Hearing beyond what
you see:
SEEING BEYOND WHAT
THE COMPOSER PROVIDED
Hearing beyond what
you see:
IMAGINING INSPIRING SOUNDS
Hearing beyond what
you see:
SEE WHAT IS IMPLIED
Hearing beyond what
you see:
COURAGE TO BREAK THE
RULES
What is the Most Expressive Element
in Music?
What is the Most Expressive Element
in Music?
METER
From Wikipedia:Meter or metre is the measurement of a musical line into measures of stressed and unstressed "beats", indicated in Western music notation by a symbol called a time signature.
Why is meter the most Expressive
Element in Music?
Why is meter the most Expressive
Element in Music?
Influences every beat of every
measure.
But you can’t see meter
when you look at music.
But you can’t see meter
when you look at music.
You have to know what to
do with it.
But you can’t see meter
when you look at music.
It is an unwritten rule.
See shapes.Pergolessi: Oh My God, Bestow Thy Tender Mercy
How many different ways can a note be
sung?
Denial of Expectations
Denial of Expectations
Great composers set up an expectation and then deny, or prolong, the fulfillment of that
expectation.
Your job as a conductor is to magnify those efforts.
Teaching the Notes Wrong
Teaching the Notes Wrong
Most people teach notes without any interpretive idea
Will have to unlearn the wrong way
When we “Add Interpretation”
Interpretive ideas to add at the very beginning
Dynamics
Meter
Line
Sight-read musically?
Value of Repetition
Value of Repetition
Most directors “STOP” when their musicians finally get it right
“Lock it In!”
Repeat the right thing at least three times to lock in the correct action-response or interpretation
Responses:
Great! Again!
One more time – this time watch me
Once more – greater dynamic contrast.
Fixing the Link
Fixing the Link
Music is made up of parts – sections – verses
Build sections into your music – rehearse groups of measures together and then build
Most likely to make mistakes:
At transitions between parts
Variations of established patterns
The unwise conductor only works the different sections – not the transitions. Once you get it right, repeat it. And then, again!
Modeling
Modeling
Importance of vocal modeling
You can’t fix everything with words.
Use instruments that you know well.
Ask ensemble to do it “EXACTLY” the way you do it
Don’t stop until they do it the way you want it.
Your modeling doesn’t have to be perfect.
Isolating to the Individual
Isolating to the Individual
Brings a new level of attention from your ensemble
There is a certain “one of the crowd” feeling in ensembles
Turning the tables on the “ensemble” brings a much higher level of concentration from your members
work with the individual on a musical task
Pick someone who will do well at the task
Go down the line
Ability to Choose your Response
Ability to Choose your Response
Every action does NOT deserve a reaction from the teacher
React vs. Pre-act
We have the ability to choose our response in every situation.
Experienced teachers don’t react – they pre-act – they know what they are going to do if a student does something wrong
Catch a child doing something good.
Positively reinforce good behavior
Text – Vowels - ConsonantsKnowing What You Want
Connecting the Notes
Attention to Diction
Use of the Shadow Vowel
(Dracula Talk)
Relish the Sounds of every word.
Sandstrom: Sanctus
K. Lee Scott: Go Lovely Rose
Unlock dramatic potential of powerful
wordsCarey: Hear de Lambs a-cryin
Realize when vowel shapes and sounds
work against musical ideas.
Tu-a
Alleluia
Conducting and Gesture
When is it Important?
Does your conducting inspire your choir to actually watch you?
Can they look away and still perform with
precision?
Train your choir to watch you
Train your choir to watch you: do
something differently when they aren’t
watching.
Emphasis ConductingPatterns and Cues
No Patterns, no cues
Conduct an interpretation
Email: [email protected]
Google voice: 205.588.4794
Cell/text: 205.335.5353
Blogs:
immigrantconductor.org
samfordacappella.org
shpcchoirs.org
alabamasymphonychorus.org
Good to Great:Conducting, Rehearsal, and Discipline
