Beginning Conducting

Course Description:  The fundamentals of conducting, including the basic beat patterns and the accepted methods of indicating meter, tempo, volume and style.  This includes rhythmic movement and body language, hand independence, right- and left-hand gestures, basic leadership concepts, and aural skills.  The student enrolled in basic conducting is expected to demonstrate basic conducting technique to adequately lead a public school ensemble and demonstrate quality historical performance preparation and score preparation to teach the appropriate music.

Course Objectives:  The student will

          1.  Develop basic conducting technique.

          2.  Develop clarity and skill with the baton.

          3.  Knowledge of tempos, conducting terminology, clefs and instrumental transpositions.

          4.  Develop left hand independence.

          5.  Demonstrate expressive gestures and dynamic nuance.

          6.  Express musical intent through appropriate gestures, facial expression and movement.

          7.  Start and stop performing groups confidently.

          8.  Indicate correct tempo, dynamics, and articulation.

          9.  Use sound leadership techniques.

          10.  Develop error detection skills. 

Required and Suggested Texts:  There are no required texts for this class.

Required Materials:  Baton

Attendance Policy:  There are 29 class meetings during the fall semester.  Students are expected to miss no more than three class periods.  With the fourth and fifth absence, the final grade will be reduced 5% with each absence.  With the sixth absence, the student will be dropped from the class without notice.

        Absence 4-5,      Final grade reduced 5% for each absence

        Absence 6          Student dropped from class

Please call Dr. Archambo at 397-4210 prior to the absence and leave a message for Dr. Archambo if you are going to be absent.  The student is expected to have note-taking materials for each class and is expected to take notes. 

Student Assessment:  The student will complete

          1.  Assigned readings and assignments.

          2.  Exercises and practice in class.

          3.  Class discussion, demonstrations and lectures.

          4.  Written Examinations and drill sheets.

5.  Conducting competencies.

          6.  Video taping and evaluation.

Evaluation:  The student will be evaluated on

          1.  Class participation and attendance 15%

          2.  Written Exams and assignments 50%

          3.  Final Examination 15%

          4.  Video taping evaluation 20%

 GRADING.  Grading will be determined from specific project assignments, written exams, a final exam, and class attendance.  Please take notes.  Exams will be created from class notes.  Please keep your notes so you can review for exams.  Written exams will include material covered in the class and will include multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.   

Each question on written exams is given a numerical point value.  Every exam will total 100 possible points.  Grading is on a scale of:

     100-94 = A

     93-84   = B

     83-75   = C

     74-70   = D

     69-0     = F

Semester grading follows the same scale.  If you do not attend class, you will be expected to come in on your own time and get all assignments.  Take home assignments are due when announced and will not we accepted late. 

The instructor reserves the right to add, adjust, or cancel assignments as the course progresses.   The method of obtaining the final grade will remain essentially the same:  the total points achieved will be divided by the total points possible to obtain a percentage, and a grade will be assigned according to a percentage scale.

Conduct Statement:  College students are adults and are expected to behave accordingly.

Academic Dishonesty Statement:  Academic Dishonesty: Cheating, collusion, and plagiarism (the act of using source material of other persons, either published or unpublished, without following the accepted techniques of crediting, or the submission for credit of work not the individual’s to whom credit is given).  Additional guidelines on procedures in these matters may be found in the Dean of Students’ Office.  Cheating includes, but is not limited to: (1) use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; (2) dependence upon the aid

of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or (3) the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the university faculty or staff.  The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and

clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.  The term “collusion” means collaboration with another person in preparing work offered for credit of that collaboration is not authorized by the faculty member in charge.

Student Honor Creed

"As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.  Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only tobe honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.  We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all studentwork is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.  We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.  Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

Special Needs Statement:  Students with a disability must be registered with Disability Support Services before classroom accommodations can be provided.  If you have a documented disability that will impact your work in this class, please contact me to discuss your needs.  Disability Support Services is located in the Clark Student Center, Room 168.  They may also be contacted at 397-4140.

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information that needs sharing, or if you need special accommodations in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with the professor as soon as possible.

Student Privacy Statement:  Federal privacy law prohibits me from releasing information about students to certain parties outside of the university without the signed consent of the student.  Thus, in almost all cases I will not discuss your academic progress or other matters with your parents.  Please do not have them call me.  Regardless of these important legal considerations, it is my general policy to communicate with the students, not their parents, even when a student has signed a consent form. 

Class Schedule, Fall, 2010

August                              Introduction to Conducting

Tuesday    24      1        Syllabus, Introduction to Conducting

History of Conducting

Thursday   26      2        History of Conducting

Role and Function of the Conductor

Section I:  Manual Technique Fundamentals

Tuesday    31      3        Pivot Points and Planes of Motion

Proper Stance

Ready Position of Arms, Hands, and Fingers

The Preparatory and Downbeat Motions

The Preparatory and Downbeat Sequence

Causes of Poor Attacks

The Cutoff

Practice Procedures

Using a Podium and Risers

Position of the Conductor’s Stand

September                       Section II:  Standard Conducting Gestures

Thursday   2        4        The Basic 4, 3, 2, and 1-beat patterns

Position of the Beat Frame

Primary and Secondary Metric Accents

Tuesday    7        5        Common Time Beating Problems and their Solutions

Other Basic Right-Hand Functions

Tempo

Dynamics

Musical Style                    

Thursday   9        6        Using the Baton

Purpose, Function, Selecting, Holding the Baton

Placement of the Ictus

Finger and Wrist Tension

Left Hand Techniques

Indicating Crescendo and Decrescendo

Other Common Uses of the Left Hand

Tuesday    14      7        Written Exam I

Section III:  Intermediate Techniques

Thursday   16      8        Active, Continuation, and Passive Gestures

Preparatory Functions, Cuing, The Melded Gesture, The Dead Beat

Tuesday    21      9        Attacks and Entrances occuring after the Downbeat

Attacks on beats other than one

Fractional Beat Attacks

Fractional Beat Entrances

Thursday   23      10      Cutoffs other than the Outside Loop

The Loop Cutoffs

Rapid Cutoffs

The Single Handed Cutoff

The Phrase Release

Conducting Fermatas

Section IV:  Advanced Techniques

Tuesday    28      11      Asymmetric and Changing Meters

The Five Patterns

The Seven Patterns

Fast Tempo Asymmetric Beat Patterns

Changing Meters

Thursday   30      12      Patterns in Simple Meters

Patterns in Compound Meters

The Asymmetric Divided Three

The Asymmetric Divided Four

October

Tuesday    5        13      The Nonmanual aspects of conducting

Facial Expression

Communicating with the Eyes

Thursday   7        14      Written Exam 2

Section V:  Beyond Manual Technique

Tuesday    12      15      Musical Qualifications

Historical and Theoretical Knowledge

Conducting Musically

Leadership

Gaining Confidence and Earning Respect

                             Section VI:  Clefs and Transpositions

Thursday   14      16

Tuesday    19      17

Thursday   21      18

Tuesday    26      19      Written Exam 3

                                    Section VII:  Music Selection, Score Study and Preparation

Thursday   28      20      Music Selection Considerations

Basic Score Study Skills

General Score Study Concepts

November

Tuesday    2        21      Detailed Score Study

Tempo, Melody, Harmony, Rhythm

Marking the Score

Text: Pronunciation and Meaning

Marking Bowings and Articulations

Thursday   4        22      Manual Technique Decisions

Anticipating Performance Problems

                                    Section VIII:  Rehearsal Procedures

Tuesday    9        23      Preliminary Considerations

Ensemble Performance Level

Rehearsal Goals

Prerehearsal Planning

Warmup and Tuning Period

Thursday   11      24      The Rehearsal Proper

Error Detection and Correction

Pacing

Avoiding Excessive Verbosity

Sectional and Individual Problems

Drilling Difficult Passages

Miscellaneous Problems

Tuesday    16      25      Rehearsal Teaching and Evaluation

Music Reading

Intonation

Teaching the Ensemble to Watch

Teaching Ensemble Listening

Tempo Considerations

Thursday   18      26      Balance

Tuesday    23      27      Written Exam 4

Tuesday    30      28

December

Thursday   2        29