Author Archives: Roland

Conducting Classes 27 October to 1 December 2012

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Teachers are invited to take a short series of Conducting Classes in Term IV culminating with a video session with podium time in front of the Boroondara Symphonic Band.
The classes are for teachers and community band/orchestra directors wanting to establish the basics in conducting technique. The teaching will be based on the principals of the Saito Conducting Method.
Roland Yeung is the clinician. More information about Roland’s conducting credentials can be found on this web site.
The compulsory dates are introductory class Saturday mornings 27 October and 1 December, and video session Friday 30 November 7.30pm – 10.00pm in Kew.
A minimum of another 2 class dates are subject to negotiation to cater for busy teachers. Numbers are limited.
The application form can be downloaded by clicking here.
This is most suitable for beginner and experienced conductors.

The Conducting Classes will cover the following fundamental topics for establishing a strong basis for conductor development:

  • Conducting stance for maximum presence and minimum effort
  • Centring and focussing conducting gestures for improved communication
  • Standard beat pattern shapes for basic articulations
  • Learning movement between the beat points with constant speed, acceleration and deceleration
  • Best hand shape for baton hold for comfort and best look
  • Making gestures that are predictable and easy to understand by players
  • Achieving flow and phrase shapes
  • Moving with minimum effort and maximum clarity
  • Score analysis and preparation for conducting
  • Different ways of thinking about conducting music
  • Podium etiquette
  • Review of video to improve self-learning
  • Pathways for continuing professional development.
This series classes is the first of a series that further the learning of the Saito Conducting Method and applying it to concert band and orchestra repertoire.

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reviews of ear training and music theory software

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Discovered this website through CBDNA postings. Thought it would be of interest to music teachers of VCE Music Performance.

Ear Training Software Comparison lists and rates 24 ear training and music theory software and lists and rates 16 online ear training sites. There are a number of reviews including of Auralia 4.

Auralia 4 and Musition 4 are written and marketed by three Melbourne chaps with Peter Lee doing most of the promotions. With content selectable to match AMEB and VCE, the newest version is cloud based – details can also be found at their Rising Software website.

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1st day at ANBOC 2012

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After a welcome from National President Jemima Bunn, Conference convenor and ABODAQ President welcomed delegates. 105 delegates have enrolled 9 from Victoria – yay!

Each of the special guest clinicians gave a mini keynote describing what inspired them in their music career. It is worth reading these wise words and keeping them in mind.

Craig Kirchhoff (Minnesota USA)

Craig showed a boy who was three years old conducting Beethoven Symphony in a YouTube clip. Clip here. “The boy understood the music”.

This lead to Craig stating:

“I believe

  • every student regardless of age has the capacity to be deeply moved by music
  • they need us to move them from a love of being in a band to the love of music
  • they need to experience the best possible music that is available to us.”

To support these statements, he read out concert reviews of concert performances experienced by Grade 5 and 6 students. They were moving and enlightening in how they illustrated their rapture.

Joanne Erwin (Ohio USA)

Gave a shorter address. She reflected on the students we meet and have helped. She encouraged us all to say thank you to those who have helped you. Thirdly she shared Conductors Calisthenics from Elizabeth Green. They were warmups which put conductors in contact with the vertical and horiztonal planes in front of us upon which we place our gestures.

Richard Miles (Kentucky USA)

He gave a long story about school bands. He organised his high school band using the “organised captivity centre” called Study Hall. He looked for students who were bored with Study Hall and invited them to band instead. He formed a band of 110.

“We take what we have and we deliver what we can.”

“If we deliver content we must do it with conviction.”

“The speed of the leader is the speed of the gang.” – Mark Twain.

Roland Yeung.

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Conducting Lessons at ANBOC 2012

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During the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Conference 5-8 June in Brisbane, Roland Yeung will be offering one-on-one or small group conducing lessons. These lessons can cover a full range of issues to do with conducting concert bands and orchestra, and staging concerts. Conductors are encouraged to bring a work they know to work on – the lesson can be on the general conducting posture to match the work, clarity of conducting gestures, or gestures for a particular change in the music score. Conductors can come to the lesson just with their baton to work on principles of the Saito Conducting Method – a gesture can be taught and used in a range of characters. Scores can be analysed to help plan rehearsals focussing on what is essential for music performance. Perhaps discuss rehearsal strategies to empower your musicians to play in a more characteristic manner, show leadership in how they play, listen across the group to inform them how to play their own part and ways to use routines to build success. Planning planning events need a vision and attention to detail with a solid project timeline. For more information or make contact with Roland, please visit rolandyeung.net 

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Bendigo workshops

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Sponsored by Allans Music Billy Hyde Education, I have been invited to spend two days in Bendigo working with the music teachers and students of concert bands, jazz ensembles and VCE Music Solo Performance students. Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 June 2012.

I am looking forward to working with these musicians as the region has strong music culture, perhaps because it is too cold to play outdoor sport! I will conducting bands from Bendigo South East Secondary College, Bendigo Senior Secondary College, Weerona Secondary College and also working with the Bendigo Combined Schools Symphonic Band in the form of a Melbourne School Bands and Strings Festival Preview.

Thanks Chris Lee from Allans Billy Hydes Education for organising this and inviting me up.

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Conducting Classes at ANBOC 2012 Brisbane

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ROLAND YEUNG will give two Conducting Classes as part of the Australian National Band and Orchestra Conference ANBOC 2012 schedule. The classes will be repeated once. He will also give private conducting lessons.

SAITO CONDUCTING CLASSES I & II

The two conducting classes will focus on conducting gestures using principles of the Saito Conducting Method.

How can a conductor lift the confidence of the musicians so they will play in time?

How can a conductor show the expressive elements whilst maintaining the traditional conducting patterns?

How can a conductor show expression and maintain the musical flow?

How does a conductor reduce the strain in the neck and shoulder?

The first class, through practical activity, will introduce the key concepts of the method. Saito analysed conducting gestures and discovered that clarity and artistry in gestures is dependent various parts of the motion, namely the beat point, secondary point, and movement between these using acceleration and deceleration. Conductors will be able to reflect on their own conducting referenced to the three basic conducting gestures in simple quadruple time. How these gestures in the various parts of the motion influence changes in articulation, dynamics and tone colour are illustrated.

The second class will revise the three Saito gestures learnt in the previous class and introduce other gestures in the Saito Conducting Method. Saito categorized gestures by the relation of the secondary point to the beat point. Those which there is an acceleration leading to the beat point, are called into-point motions. Those bursting gestures, which decelerate to the following beat point, are called from-point motions. By combining the two motion types conductors can clearly show phrasing without interfering with the rhythmic flow of the music.

By understanding how to control the secondary point, conductors allow the performers to anticipate when the beat will occur and to envision the ideal sound. Having the ability to predict gives performers the confidence to control timbre, tuning, articulation and ensemble blend. Of the dozens of methods used to teach conducting worldwide, these concepts remain unique to Saito’s method.

To each session conductors should bring their own baton if they are comfortable using one. Some notes and worksheets will be made available.

Make an appointment by sending an email message or posting a reply. The Conference runs between 5 – 8 July 2012. Details of the conference can be found here.

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