This article continues on from articles in previous issues of Interlude: “An Introduction to the Saito Conducting Method” Vol.17, No.1 March 2012 and “Conducting Technique: using Saito Principles” Vol.17, No.2 October 2012.
Conductor Education involves several different areas that should grow concurrently. They include: development of musicianship and aural perception; score study; knowledge of orchestration, voicing and instrumental techniques; psychology of music; development of leadership skills, community development and committees; teaching including techniques of multiple intelligences; and non-verbal communication including manual conducting technique. It is the last on which this series of articles concentrate.
More about The Saito Conducting Method
The Method is more than a catalogue of gestures or techniques. The teaching of the method is built on traditions transmitted to Saito from the European through Maestro Joseph Rosenstock. Rosenstock from Germany was appointed conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra in 1936 when Saito was Principal Cello. Saito worked under many European conductors including when he studied in Europe. The applications for the various techniques have a musical basis and the way of learning was applied to music from the orchestra and piano repertoire.
The Saito Conducting Method is like and unlike training in the martial arts. The method may be systematic in a very typical Japanese way, but the content, repertoire and reasons for the techniques come from the European tradition of Western classical music.
The Saito Method uses six piano works as conducting studies or etudes for demonstrating the basic techniques. They are by Western classical composers. They are rich with challenges. The choice of piano works was because when he was teaching conducting at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo which had attached to it a famous school for pianists. The skills of following a conductor was an important one for pianists. So pianists were regularly rotated through these duties. These studies were played by two pianists playing grand pianos. If the conductor was clear, both pianos would sound like one. If not, it was quite clear where the problem lay!
Conducting Circles Technique I
This is a fundamental technique for learning control of arm movement. Detail instructions were provided in the last issue of Interlude Vol.7 No.2 October 2012.
Before continuing this section, the Conducting Circles technique must be revised such that it is fluent, consistent, moving easily, flowing and without strain. Revise the strengths and weakness of this movement. To understand this helps you make better choices when shaping the sound of your orchestra or band.
Add variations to this technique, being sure that they are deliberate choices, not accidents. Be precise and timely when you make a change. Here are some examples of variations:
- set the metronome so that it sounds the off beat as well as the main beat to check that you midway point is at 12 o’clock
- change the tempo up 10 beats per minute and hold for 8 bars, then immediately drop down to original tempo for 8, alternating 8 on each checking that the new tempo starts from the motion out of the ictus at 6 o’clock
- change the size of the circle in the same tempo, keeping the same circle shape, maintain the new size for 8 bars, then alternate 8 on each
- up the level of intensity or resistance as you move through the air for 8 bars, then 8 at a more neutral intensity, alternate 8 on each
- change to other hand and repeat 2, 3, and 4 above. Conductors use both hands and arms so both need training. Give them equal time, perhaps more time on your weaker hand/arm
- mirror both hands repeating 2, 3, and 4 above.
Video your work to see if the movement is fluent, consistent, moving easily, flowing and without strain. Notice if the change of technique is a clear change and that the other elements of music do not change.
Conducting Circles Technique II
This follows on from previous work on circles. It involves stopping, accelerating and decelerating.
In this exercise there are three stages you move through. Then back to the second and then to first, then repeating this cycle.
1st stage
Conduct circles. Start at the beat point which is at 6 o’clock. A metronome should be set one circle = mm. 40 (beats per minute) and should continue sounding. Use just right hand and conduct standing. If the movement is fluent, consistent, moving easily, flowing and without strain, then move to the next stage.
2nd stage
Stop momentarily at 12 o’clock, resume, but you will have to catch up! Accelerate and fall into the beat point at 6 o’clock aiming to arrive on time.
Decelerate out of the beat point and stop at 12 o’clock. This should be at the exact halfway mark of the timing between beats. That is the stop should be at the minim beat/half note, if the whole circle is a whole note/semibreve.
3rd stage
Using the same stop, accelerate, decelerate pattern from Stage 2, open up the top of the circle and change the conducting shape to a U. So as you move out of the beat point you go up and stop at the same height at 12 o’clock but you will be out (or in) a bit from that position.
Retrace your movement back through the beat point at 6 o’clock with the same curve as the bottom of a circle and go up the other side of the U. Stop at the same height as 12 o’clock but in (or out) a bit from that position.
Check that you maintain the same curved bottom as in Circles I through 6 o’clock.
Check that you do this in the same time as in 1st stage. Listen to the metronome, subdividing in your mind so that you stop right on the halfway point, the minim beat of the bar and arrive at the 6 o’clock point on the click.
Aim to make movement is fluent, smooth in acceleration, smooth in deceleration, moving easily, flowing and without strain..
Check that the U shape is symmetrical on the vertical axis and remains curved at the bottom.
Add variations as listed above in Conducting Circles Technique I.
Conducting Circles Technique II requires you to move from each stage without a break and continuously. Move from Stage 1 to 2, to 3, then back to 2, to 1 and repeat this pattern. Decide at which point of your conducting shape you will change to the next Stage.
Video your work to see if the movement is fluent, consistent, moving easily, flowing and without strain. Notice if the change from one stage to the next, or one variation to the next is a clear change and that the other elements of music are not changed. You should see no unintended dynamic changes or accents, no changes in tempo or rubato, no obvious momentary changes in intensity, and no other stops or hesitations. If you are getting sore quickly because of this work, perhaps you are holding a particular part of your body with unnecessary tension. Perhaps you do not have enough muscular strength to move your arms like this. You should see a conducting teacher or if that is not possible, a physiotherapist or gym trainer who understands arm movement of dancers in order to determine strategies to improve your strength and flexibility and reduce tension and soreness.
Add variations to Stages 1, 2 & 3 as listed above in Conducting Circles Technique I.
The Conducting Circles Technique I & II are leading to learning Tataki ,the most important gesture, I think, of the Saito Conducting Method. It is the hardest to execute, but gives outstanding results with the minimum of energy! In conducting Circles Technique, learning about accelerating and decelerating is the key skill for this technique.
Summary
The Conducting Circles Techniques I and II are the first techniques help you learn to change from constant speed to motion with acceleration and deceleration. Control of these movements is important in achieving the into-point and from-point gestures of the Saito Conducting Method.
If this material is helpful, look for support material on my website. You are welcome to post any feedback at www.rolandyeung.net.
Conducting classes are being offered in 2013 and continuing in bursts through the year. Classes are in the evenings or on Saturday mornings and are organised in 5-week sequence of classes.
Please feel free to ask questions.
This article was published in “Interlude” the journal of the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association Victorian Branch Volume 18, No.2 – July 2013
Roland Yeung is a freelance conductor, adjudicator, tutor and clinician. He is music director of The Grainger Wind Symphony. Roland recently retired as the Director of Music at Carey Baptist Grammar School and was Artistic Director of the Melbourne School Bands and Strings Festival. He was awarded by his peers the life membership of the Association of Music Educators aMuse (Victoria), ABODA National and just recently been awarded life member of the Association of Directors of Music of Independent School ADMIS (Victoria).
e: roland@rolandyeung.net
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