“BASIC CHORAL

CONDUCTING”
by: Grace L. Santos
“BASIC CHORAL CONDUCTING”
Choral conducting is an art. Yes, there is art in
conducting. Moreover, it can also be considered
as a regime. Why? To conduct is to strictly
impose orders. Conducting is following 100% the
given directions of the conductor as commands.
Likewise in the same manner, Martial Law has
its own advantages and disadvantages. Many of
us experienced and witnessed it. Choral
conducting is like martial regime. There should
be strong leadership. Command is at its
strongest.
What and who is a good conductor?
He/She makes or breaks a choir or any
singing group. If you don’t have the time,
money, skill and the opportunity to go to
a university or even a scholarship
program to study to be a good conductor,
where can you learn those special skills
that will help you lead singers towards
achieving their excellence that is only
buried within them, but unharnessed and
undiscovered?
For us teachers, if we were not keenly
developed and musically nurtured as
conductors, how can we efficiently
conduct?
Can we really ably conduct with fitting
feelings?
How can we encourage communication or
evoke the right sound and singing we are
looking for?
There are many ways with which we can
count on or we can turn to in order to give
the best in us as required to each and
every one of us.
But before introducing some among these
varied ways, it is important to note that our
willingness to learn and to continually
bloom where we are presently planted,
plays a very notable factor.

Let us be reminded that nothing is

impossible to him whose yearning for a
certain cause is intense.

And to him who comforts himself with

shallow satisfaction, anything is just okay
and acceptable.
Today, we will review, learn and
unlearn some basic conducting
skills and techniques needed to
conduct correctly, especially, the
most sacred song of a great race,
us, Filipinos- the Philippine
national anthem, “Lupang
Hinirang” and “Pilipinas Kong
Mahal”.
Figuratively speaking, conducting
is quite an easy activity. One
ought to enjoy doing this musical
activity, heartily and with
creativity. In so doing, talent is
discovered and honed; a skill
starts to be developed and pushed
into its heights. And there are
numerous ways to achieve this.
How?
 AS A CONDUCTOR,
WHAT MUST ONE REMEMBER?

1. When and when not to conduct

2. The conductor’s role-
review the fundamentals
- the composer/s
- know the piece from the score
- key signature
- time signature and meter
- rehearsing communications
 posture, breathing, tone, vowels, diction,
phrasing, expression, score, beat/rhythm
musicianship(you cannot impart it unless
you have it, don’t hum the pitch, think it,
give pitches from the lowest to the highest
among others), ensemble and motivation(if
you can hear yourself, you’re too loud, a
choir is no better than its slowest/weakest
earner, don’t compete, JOIN!)

3. Eliminating superfluous and excessive

movements
Generally, professionals conduct with
refinement and clarity.
IN CONDUCTING, WHAT ARE THE DETAILS THE
CONDUCTOR SHOULD BEAR IN MIND BEFORE
THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE?

1. Attire – clothing, jewelries- earrings,

rings, necklaces, belt
2. Readiness – musicality, confidence, state
of mind
3. Accompaniment / instrumental /
background / is there (a) leading
singer/s?
 WHILE CONDUCTING, ARE THERE ANY
DETAILS THE CONDUCTOR SHOULD BEAR IN
MIND DURING THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE?

1. Posture and physical stance

Feet – At least 6 inches apart, toes pointing
forward, left foot slightly ahead of
right(keeps you from swaying and balances
an extended right arm/hand), weight slightly
forward, equally distributed
Relax knees slightly – Do not pulse the beat
with either the knee or toe
Hips – Place hands over the hipbones with
thumbs forward
Rotate hips slightly under by tucking
buttocks in-straightens spine
Raise sternum – Hands over head, lower arms to
shoulders, roll thumbs back
Shoulders – Back and down
Head – Elevate
Face – Vitally important part of leadership and
musical interpretation
DO NOT be afraid to move the feet to
turn to face a particular section of the
choir.
(Optional- DO NOT mouth the words or
sing when conducting- HARD HABIT TO
BREAK!)

2. Entrances and exits

3. Command responsibility
4. Well-focused and with zest, with passion
5. Be observant of your singers’ tonality, their
deportment and yours as well
 CONDUCTING PATTERNS
Patterns are based on the number of
beats per measure as shown by the top
number of the time signature.

The most common 4-beat patterns in

conducting are the following:
 3-beat pattern
 4-beat pattern
 2-beat pattern
 6-beat pattern
THE DOWNBEAT
THE THREE-BEAT PATTERN
THE PREPARATORY BEAT
THE FINAL CUTOFF
THE CUTOFF BETWEEN VERSES
PICKUP BEATS
THE FOUR-BEAT PATTERN
THE FINAL CUTOFF
THE TWO-BEAT PATTERN
THE SIX-BEAT PATTERN
ALTERNATE SIX-BEAT PATTERN
The Double Three-beat Pattern
 THE ROLE OF THE CONDUCTOR
1. Empowering the student’s full musical
potential
2. Usher singers in the real world of the
composition
3. Justify the composition while injecting your
own interpretation but not going out of
bounds from the score itself.
4. Execute with refinement and dignity
5. Improving conducting through self-assessment
6. Constant guided practice
 As a conductor, we should outline a
new musical paradigm for choral teaching,
rehearsing and conducting. Through
emphasizing how to develop conducting
strategies from the podium, we must also
present a systematic, pragmatic approach
in order for us and our colleagues to grow
and flourish productively.
 CONDUCTING NUISANCE
“Little things” mean a lot!
This saying sometimes contributes good,
but at times, it serves as an harmful
catalyst.
Conducting nuisances focus on those
awkward and cumbersome moments of
particular challenge to conductors.
These challenges give conductors the means
to grow, creating opportunities to refine and
improve their techniques.
 THESE ARE DEFINITE “NO-NO’S”
IN CONDUCTING:
1. Foot tapping
2. Finger snapping
3. Head banging
4. Hip swaying
5. Shoulder strut motion
6. Body language(non verbal communication)
- body mannerisms, postures, facial
expressions that can be interpreted as
unconscious communicants of somebody’s
feelings or psychological state
Refining one’s conducting
technique is a never-ending
process and the efficient use of
physical gestures on the
podium is a must for every
conductor.
BASIC CONDUCTING TIPS
Dss. Grace Mañalac de Leon-Santos
 DO’S DON’T’S
1. Basic Position and Posture(Head to foot)/body box walking to and fro
2. Poise clumsy
3. Style definite, clear
4. Hand Gestures confusing, too demonstrative
5. Focus more focused to the audience
6. Rapport with your performers(singers & accompanist) stoic facial expression, detached
- do not follow you accompanist. let him/her follow you.
7. Creativity and adaptability find difficulty in adapting to
sudden changes
8. Confidence & emotional preparation too mechanical and unmoved
9. Musical groundwork(astuteness in the score) lack of score background, form
- well-versed- entrances & exits kind of music, tempo &
KS(sudden changes)
10. Confidence & emotional preparation too mechanical and unmoved
11. Musical groundwork(astuteness in the score) lack of score background, form
- well-versed- entrances & exits kind of music, tempo &
KS(sudden changes)
12. Internalization dynamics involved
In this light, let us remind ourselves of
the fact that nothing comes easy, ever! If
we want something, we have to work for
it. Generally speaking, practice makes
perfect. Most of the times, perfect
practice does. Why? It is because we
must not only practice until we get it
right. Instead, we ought to rehearse and
craft ourselves perseveringly until we
can’t get it wrong. As teachers, it always
boils down to attitude.
Complacency is a disease and the virus is the
attitude... As perceived and commonly accepted or
claimed, teachers are not musically gifted. Yes
perhaps, a greater number of individuals did not
receive sufficient music education, much more,
specialized trainings and professional workshops.
Yet, many already have IT. Remember, many have
had fundamentals in Music. But what is more vital,
we must all be willing to learn more, grow more and
teach better in order to produce learned individuals
challenged and pushed into the best of who they can
be. The fun, enjoyment and self-expression our
pupils, our singers, and other singers(fellow teachers,
parents, community members) may experience
through Music and Art, will co-achieve it.
In parting, in my opinion as a Music teacher
and conductor since 1975, in conducting, just
like in any other field, what we really hope to
do with ease, we should learn first to do with
diligence. This is the reason why an opponent
who practiced 10k kicks is not feared by the
late Bruce Lee, but who he feared most, was
his opponent who practiced just one(1) kick,
ten thousand(10k) times. Yes, repetition is the
mother of learning, the father of action which
makes it the architect of accomplishment.
There are a lot, lot more to remember and bear
in mind, but the most important thing-
CONDUCT WITH YOUR
HEART!

GLS/Summer 2014
 CONDUCTING ACTIVITY
“Lupang Hinirang”
Lyrics: Jose Palma Music: Julian Felipe

Score Analysis: Conducting Fundamentals

Origin Stance - posture
General Mood Preparatory position
KS Hand positioning
TS Introductory cue/in between cueing
Meter Preparatory beat
Dynamics/Expressions Entrances and exits
Other musical notations (Clear hand signals)
 WHAT ARE THE NECESSARY
STEPS IN CONDUCTING?
1. Introduction – instrumental
2. Preparatory beat – cue or sign for the tempo and
brevity of voice asked from the singers.
Upward position, “Ready”
3. Preliminary Beat
4. Attack (“ictus”) Beat
5. Release Beat
SOME TIPS ON CONDUCTING