[musictlk] conducting and lyric diction

Amy Billman amy0223 at gmail.com
Tue Nov 9 14:34:03 UTC 2010


I was a vocal performance major in college, so both conducting and diction
were requirements.
I got A's in diction, though I cannot say that I have a easy go to method
for explaining how to deal with IPA.
All of my diction classes were aural, because that was the way the professor
prefered to teach it since we were all voice majors; and he thought it
pointless just to have everyone write out IPA.
So yes, we were told what the symbols were, and then taught how to say them;
but most of it was read and pronounce or sing with proper pronounciation of
the words, be they French, German, Italian, etc.
I will also say that because the majority of my vocal music was in braille,
I learned pretty quickly what all the accent marks/symbols looked like since
almost all of the songs I sung were in a foreign language.
Conducting on the other hand, though I also came away with A's in the
subject, was a huge pain but doable; though it took a lot of work on my part
to be able to properly communicate things like queuing in different sections
by just glancing in their direction; especially since so many conductors
communicate with their eyes--making direct eye contact with the singers.
This, as I'm sure you're aware, is really hard to do without
sight--maintaining eye contact, in the literal sense; that is. :-)
IN my case, I hadn't ever *seen* anyone conduct, so for me there was also
the challenge of being able to conduct and look fluid and not like a spazz!
LOL!
I got a lot of help; both from other classmates, as well as the instructor.
It really was a lot of independent study on my part; and I do mean a lot!
I suppose I was also fortunate in that our instructor was a wonderful
teacher, and was not uncomfortable demonstrating something in front of the
class, and then coming over to me and showing me. It was very tedious;
complete with a final exam requirement of conducting one of the choirs.
Blech!
So really it's not something that's going to be an easy learn; and it will
take, in my opinion, if someone is enrolled in a conducting course, tons of
time outside of class. It's doable, but a lot of hard work.

Another thing I discovered, is that blind or sighted, when you are first
learning how to conduct, getting that fluidity of movement doesn't just
happen. I discovered that in class despite the fact that all my classmates
could see, that there were some who looked even more spastic than I did at
first. LOL!

Sorry for the novel; hopefully you can find something useful out of all of
this. *smile*


 "Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because Those Who Mind Don't Matter
and Those Who Matter Don't Mind." 
- Dr Seuss.
Amy Billman
Email: amy0223 at gmail.com
msn/windows live: messenger at amybillman.com
AIM: amyk0223
Yahoo: amyb0223
Skype: amyb0223
You can follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/amy0223
Facebook: http://facebook.com/amy0223
On myspace: http://myspace.com/clutchfan74


-----Original Message-----
From: musictlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:musictlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Ignasi Cambra
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2010 7:45 PM
To: NFBnet Music Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [musictlk] conducting and lyric diction

I don't know how big your music school is, but if there are many conductors
in there, you could probably try to do an independent study with one of
them. Maybe even a student conductor would work. I just feel as though
something like that would give you a much better idea of how conducting
actually works, and working individually with a conductor will teach you how
to actually conduct and get something out of it. Just an idea...!
On Nov 7, 2010, at 11:17 PM, Julie McGinnity wrote:

> Hi everyone.
> 
> I'm a sophomore in college, and I am planning ahead.  I have been
> asked recently by teachers to come up with a solution for taking
> conducting and lyric diction.  For those of you who have taken lyric
> diction, how have you dealt with the IPA?  I think that the lyric
> diction class tought at my university is mostly IPA and diagrams.
> Also, conducting is another thing that worries me.  Should I try to
> get an independent study?  I have tried in other classes, and I do not
> catch on to the motions easily.  I have some sight, but it was never
> enough to observe a conductor.  That is another important part of the
> class.  They have to observe a conductor and report on their
> observations.  I can't even think of an alternative for this.  I don't
> want to just try and get out of the class because I think it could be
> useful to me if it is tought correctly.  Any ideas?  Suggestions?
> Thank you.
> 
> -- 
> Julie McG
> Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
> Eyes for the Blind
> 
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
> 
> _______________________________________________
> musictlk mailing list
> musictlk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/musictlk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
musictlk:
>
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/musictlk_nfbnet.org/ignasicambra%40gma
il.com


_______________________________________________
musictlk mailing list
musictlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/musictlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
musictlk:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/musictlk_nfbnet.org/amy0223%40gmail.co
m
 

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature
database 5604 (20101109) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com
 





More information about the MusicTlk mailing list