An analytical study of videotaped rehearsal and conducting techniques of selected junior and senior high school band conductors

Includes abstract. --- Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of Rochester, 1986.This study analyzed the rehearsal and conducting techniques of eight teachers of school bands by a systematic analysis of rehearsal video tapes. Four Junior high school and four senior high school conductors participated in the study. The criteria for selection were excellent festival records and reputations for having developed successful music programs. The conductors were videotaped rehearsing their bands at their own schools in an environment as close to normal as possible. The initial tapes were screened for examples of the following four main areas of the study: warm-up/tune-up procedures, the teaching of balance, the teaching of intonation, and the teaching of rhythm. These four areas are described in Chapters Three through Six. Other examples of rehearsal techniques, such as rehearsal planning and the correlation of theoretical concepts and compositional techniques are mentioned in Chapter Seven. Chapter Eight surveys five criteria of conducting involving physical/visual techniques used by each conductor: i.e. posture, right hand position, left hand postion, eye contact, and performer response. Appendix A lists the frequency of specific rehearsal obJectives and techniques: articulation, phrasing, dynamics, expression, precision, rhythm, tone, tuning, the use of tenuto/rubato, modeling by playing (instrument) and singing, and the use of positive reinforcement. The data found in Appendix B indicate the frequency of the following conducting techniques: eye contact, staccato beat, subdivided beat, transitions, legato beat, hand cueing, eye cueing, change in beat size, contrast in beat styles, independence of hands, and releases/fermati. A log of warm-up/tuning procedures using scales, chorales, rhythm studies, chord studies, articulation studies, technical skill builders, individual tuning, and verbal instructions can be found in Appendix C. Eight tapes containing nearly seven hours of taped material were reviewed to produce a master tape which provides examples of individual conducting behavior. Each taped example on the master tape is discussed in the text of the study. Examples were found of the conductors teaching within the four main categories: intonation, balance, and rhythm, tuning and warming up. The study, however, found only minimal examples in the following sub-categories: odd meter passges, unusual or difficult rhythms, and mixed meter. Other desired examples of conducting behavior, such a facial expression, eye contact and expressive beat patterns were found to be minimal