This is an article in The Australian on 30 April 2016.
It gives a wonderful insight into what a conductor does! Click here to see the article
VCE Music Performance: writing about music: is it beyond words?
This is what this presentation is about.
- How do you teach students to describe their responses to music heard and performed?
- What are the characteristics of responses to music listening? The elements of music are terms that describe music that is written and created by composers.
- How does a listener show higher level responses beyond describing how elements of music are used?
- What is the separation of what the creator/composer sets, what liberties the performer takes in interpreting the work, and what life experiences the listener draws on to make a response to the aural experience?
- How is it that academics says that music is “beyond words”, yet we challenge students to write about music listening and discuss performance interpretation?
- What is appropriate vocabulary and content for examination answers. Social media approaches music as showing passion – how do students write about their passion when responding to music listening and interpreting performances?
- How do you teach “expressive outcomes” (VCE Music Study Design Performance Unit 3&4 Key Knowledge Outcome 3)?
The workshop session discussed these challenges to school course design and teaching practice.
Click here to go to the VCE Music Performance Presentation Page.
How Marin Alsop’s classes for young women conductors are changing the face of the profession
It’s all about being powerful without apologising for it, she tells Jessica Duchen in Independent, Wednesday 3 February 2016.
When Marin Alsop stepped on to the podium to conduct the Last Night of the Proms in 2013, surrounded by pink balloons, the heady applause that greeted her masked the gentle cracking of a glass ceiling. She was the first woman ever to wield the baton over the highest-profile event in the UK’s musical calendar. Last summer she did it again.
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She is director of the graduate conducting programme at Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute in the US, and of course teaches both men and women. But whenever she takes an all-female class, she declares, she thinks it likely that the main issue will be power. “When I have a class of all men, it’s very rarely about power, but more usually about problems with connection. That’s a gross generalisation, of course. But I’d bet, from my experience, that the biggest challenge for women would be about how to deliver a gesture that elicits a powerful sound without any kind of apology, and without any kind of associated negative reaction from the musicians.”
This is the link to the full article.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/features/how-marin-alsops-classes-for-young-women-conductors-are-changing-the-face-of-the-profession-a6848966.html
What We Learned from the Women Conductors
In his latest Off the Cuff, Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny reflects on the successes, and opportunities for further improvement, from the inaugural Institute for Women Conductors.
or https://rolandyeung.net/?page_id=489
Former Berlin Phil concertmaster Thomas Brandis on working with Herbert von Karajan
This article in The Strad, a magazine for Stringers, gives wonderful insight into the relationship between a member of the orchestra and maestro Herbert von Karajan of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Two world premieres Batterham and Glenn “Made in Australia”
Two composers have approached The Grainger Wind Symphony to have their original concert band work performed. The GWS is becoming well known in performing new and recent works. I am privileged to prepare and conduct the first performances.
- Andrew Batterham is completing his composition folio for his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Melbourne. We are delighted to assist. The work Concertino for solo tuba and band is commissioned by Sérgio Carolino, tuba soloist, an extremely diverse and inquisitive performer. The work has forays into jazz, funk styles after an opening section couched in common-chord musical language developing traditional material in a slow, soulful way. Our soloist is Per Forsberg, a Swedish tuba soloists now resident in Melbourne.
- Nathan Glenn is a young composer very much influenced by video games and film music. He is new to the concert band genre, but has developed his craft quickly. Nathan lives in Melbourne and is a IT developer by profession. His work The Settlers takes up the migrant story and bursts into music with contemporary popular flavours and energy.
The concert is “Made In Melbourne” and is presented on Saturday 21 February 2015 at 8.00pm in St Stephens Anglican Church, Church Street Richmond. The program includes other works by prominent Australian composers Percy Grainger (of course), David Stanhope (Sydney), the late Peter Sculthorpe (Sydney), and Brian Hogg Melbourne.
GWS MadeInAustralia 21 Feb 2015
recipient of Outstanding Professional Service Award
“No single person has had a more significant impact on the music education landscape in Victoria than Roland Yeung.” from the CPTAV award ceremony program.I am proud and chuffed to have been awarded an Outstanding Professional Service Award by The Council of Professional Teaching Associations of Victoria on the evening of 9the December 2014 at Graduate House, University of Melbourne. The CPTAV is the peak organisation representing professional teaching associations in Victoria. There are 36 member associations that are comprised of subject-specific, discipline based and cross-curricular organisations which represents teachers across all sectors.
I was presented by aMuse President Lynlee Williams to a gathering of 9 other awardees from other professional teacher associations with their partners, council members and officers of member associations. Thanks so much for the honour.
Thanks so much to the aMuse committee lead by Lynlee Williams, and Professional Officers of aMuse, Kevin Kelley and Sue Arney, who deliver exciting, relevant and supportive program to music teachers and generalist primary teachers all over the state of Victoria. It is a privilege to work for and be of service to a wonderful team.
Thanks also to my wife Robyn for her terrific support and love.
Roland Yeung
9 December 2014
Conducting tutorials – are you making the same mistakes?
During May and August, I worked as a conducting tutor at the Victorian School Music Festival in a segment sponsored by the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association and Hal Leonard Australia. After each group performed, the conductor would be invited to work with me for 20 minutes or so.
The tutorial was held in a small store room just off the performance area in Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne. There was a laptop on which a video of the conductor’s performance just completed could be played, the conductor, me and our batons.
The following are some general issues that were discussed.
The first bar of a performance is the conductor’s responsibility. The second bar becomes the player’s responsibility. if the first bar is not right, then it may be that the conductor is not giving clear non-verbal gestures.
When replaying the beginnings of each piece, here are some of the technical issues that we identified. The conductor
- looked hesitant but not into the character of the music;
- looked careful but not leading;
- was beating with a strong metre and pulse but the music was legato and flowing;
- was beating strong but the music was soft in dynamic and mysterious in character;
- subdivided the but should wanted was meant to be singing;
- followed the band in that the ictus was reached after they played;
- gave beats in at a faster tempo that what the band played in the first bar;
- gave a single upbeat which was tense and out of time;
- looked down and lost eye contact with the players just as they were about to play; and
- held the left hand with palms facing forward in a standard stop gesture during the prep beat and the first bar when they were playing.
Are you doing these too? Set up a video camera or camcorder on a tripod and video yourself in rehearsal and performance. Just have a look at the opening bars of each new section and new piece. Send me your video and I can analyse your conducting and give you suggestions for improvement for a fee, after our initial discussion.
Roland Yeung
roland(at)rolandyeung.net
GWS Concert at ANBOC 2014 Melbourne Sunday 14 September
The Grainger Wind Symphony has been invited to perform at the Australian National Band and Orchestra Clinic, a conference held in Melbourne in 2014. Our concert is on Sunday 14 September starting at 6.00pm at James Tartoulis Auditorium, Mehtodist Ladies College, Barkers Road, Kew. The cost is $20 for adult.
The program is a balance of advanced works and works accessible to school concert bands. Three works are by Australian composers – Scott Cameron, Ralph Hultgren and Jodie Blackshaw.
1. “March” from Lyrical Suite by Scott Cameron 6’18” Gr4 pub. composer
2. “Earth Song” by Frank Ticheli 3’30” Gr2 Manhattan Beach
3. “Overture Spiritoso” by Ralph Hultgren 5’30” Gr2.5 pub. Brolga Music – a world premiere
4. “House Divided” by Brian Balmages 5′ Gr2.5-3 pub. FJH
5. “Into The Sun” guest conductor: Ingrid Martin by Jodie Blackshaw 8′ Gr4 pub. Wallabac Music.
This link will take you to the conference website.
Carnival of the Animals Free Concert – 3pm 21 September 2014 at Fed Square
Bring your children to this free concert in Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne for a 3pm start on Sunday 21 September 2014.
The concert will include two classic children’s orchestral works. One is Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint Saens. The narrator will read original words to each of the six movements selected from those submitted.
The second is Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev with narrator and dancers/actors/mimes.
An afternoon of classical music featuring wind symphony, narrator, and dancers – all a lot of fun.
This link will take you to the Fed Square advertisement.
http://www.fedsquare.com/events/grainger-wind-symphony-carnival-of-the-animals/