Conducting Exercise - Saito Technique

Wayne Toews shows how to conduct his Intermediate Preparatory Motion Exercise based on the Saito Conducting Method. The exercise shows how to connect Into-point and From-point gestures. A From-point gesture called the Intermediate Preparatory Motion is used on the rests. See more at www.conductorschool.com.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Wayne Toews
• Saito Conducting Method
• conducting
• conducting exercise
• basic conducting
• conductorschool
• music
• Hideo Saito
• baton technique
• conducting excellence
• orchestra
• band
• choir
• Saito conducting workshop
• 2010 SOA conducting workshop

[ProfMishka]

All I can say is this kind of conducting would drive professional players nuts. After the basic gestures needed for great ensemble, the conductor's job is to reenforce what the players already know and to inspire great performance. It is never to get in the way, distract or to confuse the efforts of the group. Watching this guy is like trying to figure quadratic equations while driving on the 405 at rush hour.

[Tataki46]

@ProfMishka I agree wholeheartedly with your second and third sentences. Professional players have never had any problem reading or responding to the gestures and have praised them for their clarity and expressive qualities. The music is on the video. Please create a video response to show me how you would conduct it. If you want a copy of the exercise, make the request through conductorschool(dot)com

[06erpw]

@Tataki46 Nope, I'm afraid I have to agree with Mishka - there is no focus to the beat whatsoever, and because of that you can actually hear the pianist's timing is not entirely with you. I also disagree totally with your earlier comment that when the music stops the hand should stop, because, as almost every other musician will tell you, the energy of the phrase should be able to continue through the rests if appropriate. Stopping hinders this expressive ability.

[Tataki46]

@06erpw I invite you also to produce a video to show how you would conduct it. Did the pianists not play exactly together? This is a study to show how Into-point and From-point gestures can be connected through the use of intermediate preparatory gestures. Watch again and see that the motion decelerates but never completely stops until the end.

[RomanDzundza]

Погоджуюсь з вашою точкою зору щодо ауфтактів, вони у вашій вправі правильні. Окрім одного моменту, в кожному 4-му такті не має чіткої 1-ї долі, це через те, що ваш останній жест у кожному 3-му такті зупиняється у низу, а має зупинитися у верху, щоб дати чіткий раз!

[Tataki46]

@RomanDzundza Google translation "I agree with your point of view on auftaktiv, they are entitled to your right. In one moment, every 4th cycle is not clearly the 1st of fate, it is because your last gesture in every 3rd cycle stops at the bottom, but should stay at the top to give a clear time!"

Use of a From-point motion on beat 1 in measure 3 makes is absolutely clear when beat 2 will begin.That is the purpose of the exercise.Try it, but you must burst precisely & decelerate to make it work.

[MinoTauroEletronyko]

Fritz Reiner would love it

[RomanDzundza]

Translation terrible! Lose content of my thought.

I tried to do exercise, otherwise you would not write.

[Tataki46]

@RomanDzundza Google translation (part) "Imagine for a moment that your right hand is a metronome - it always works! Constantly! Your inner sense of rhythm should always be in your hand - this engine is music. Music never stops, it's always evolving. For this is the main job of the conductor - to give impulses choir or orchestra."

Agreed. From Hideo's Saito's analysis of gestures - we can show the beat by accelerating into it or bursting from it. In this exercise I show both.

[RomanDzundza]

Уявіть на хвилинку, що ваша права рука це метроном - він постійно працює! Постійно! Ваше внутрішнє відчуття ритму повинне постійно бути у вашій руці, яку бачать оркестранти - це двигун музики. Музика ніколи не зупиняється, вона завжди розвивається, а диригент найбільше працює ауфтактами! Бо це головна робота диригента - давати імпульси хорові чи оркестру.