This is a pioneering yet practical book and DVD devoted to all aspects of the women's choir - a groundbreaking contribution and a true collaborative effort from top professionals in the field. For the first time in a book, choral leaders bring together historical, philosophical, psychological, sociological, pedagogical, and real-world considerations to the women's choir - information missing from most choral methods and conducting texts. Areas of focus include: working with beginning, high school, collegiate, and community women's choirs; improving the sound of women's choirs; suggested repertoire for women's choirs; composing for women's choirs; building community within the ensemble; warm-ups and rehearsal strategies; building excellence in women's choirs. Sections also focus on mentoring, auditions, seating arrangements, historical women's repertoire, healthy vocal development, gender issues, history, status of the women's choir, and much more. This book features research, practical insights, and round-table discussions. The included DVD demonstrates choral techniques and teaching ideas with two women's choirs: Aurora, from Luther College, conducted by Sandra Peter; and The University of Kentucky Women's Choir, conducted by Lori Hetzel. Conducting Women's Choirs is, quite simply, essential for anyone who is involved in the women's choir movement and interested in the culmination of decades of experience and wisdom by leaders in the profession.

Improve your conducting skills, or those of your student conductors, by exploring two basic elements of conducting: gesture and movement. Allan McMurray, Director of Bands at the University of Colorado, gives valuable insight and demonstrations on topics such as the baton, eye contact, posture, score study, energy, the left hand, use of space, facial expression and other important aspects that influence how easily a conductor communicates to the ensemble. This is a "must see" for new directors, and a great refresher for veteran directors.

This DVD reveals the stellar conducting and rehearsal practices of four master conductors: Richard L. Floyd, Craig Kirchoff, Allan McMurray and H. Robert Reynolds. Each conductor gives a brief introduction followed by a demonstration; providing a resource that directors at all levels will benefit from.

Celebrated band composer Frank Ticheli shares compositional insights in reference to his moving work, An American Elegy with conductor Allan McMurray.

The culmination of almost thirty years of research, writing, and teaching, this important book presents a vision of conducting gesture and technique as a movement language. In this comprehensive resource, the theories of movement education icon Rudolf von Laban are applied. Each section is detailed through research, extensive discussion and suggestions for study. Also in this volume, an in-depth application of States and Drives is explored, and direct applications to specific works in choral literature are made. A sequential curriculum for the practice and development of expressive conducting technique is also included and demonstrated on the DVD.

Timothy Mount. In this 75-minute video, Dr. Mount, working with his choir, demonstrates and talks about clear beats, well defined conducting patterns, preparatory beats, cut-offs, and the many challenges of fermatas. This is a superb contribution for choral conductors, both experienced and aspiring.

This is the third DVD in the series featuring master conductors and teachers Frederick Fennell, Mark Hindsley, and William Revelli. This DVD chronicles the beginnings of the school band movement in America as experienced by these three legendary leaders. Their firsthand personal accounts, recollections, and experiences from the early days of the school band movement are truly unique and inspiring. Frederick Fennell describes those individuals who were most inspirational to his early musical development, Mark Hindsley provides rare and priceless descriptions of his association with A.A. Harding, and William Revelli describes what it was like to participate in the National Band Contests. This DVD is a must for anyone who cherishes what these three unique and inspirational individuals gave to the concert band profession.

This three-DVD set includes all three of the "Master Conductors" DVDs: "A History of the School Band Movement"; "A Legacy of Wisdom" and "The Art of the March."