How Do I Get Better?

The Conductor's Podcast

Welcome to the Conductor’s Podcast Summer Mini Series!

Hi there! Welcome to the Conductor’s Podcast Summer mini series. During the month of July, we are taking a break from the usual interview conversations. Instead, I will be sharing some tips on different aspects of a conductor’s job with you every week.

In today’s episode, I will be talking about how to improve my conducting!
This is the question that I got asked a lot, and in today's episode I will be sharing some tips that were given to me, and also some that have worked well for myself in these areas:
CONDUCTING TECHNIQUES

• Develop a variety of gestures
• Use videos to get used to a delayed sound
• Eye contact
• Posture

SCORE STUDY

• Use a piano reduction to learn the harmony and structure
• Follow melody, bass line, and instrument entrances first
• Have a set of steps that you go through
• Mark your score for two purposes: to study the music, and to use during performance / rehearsals

REHEARSAL TECHNIQUES

• Watch your own videos
• Study your score thoroughly - note where might be problematic and need rehearsals
• Write down different ways of rehearsing the same thing
• Watch rehearsal footage, or go to rehearsals
• When in rehearsal, split your mind - what you are hearing v.s. What you are doing

Best way to practice: having an ensemble that you constantly work with!

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