A Practical Guide to Conducting

How does a novice conductor evolve into a serious performing artist? In this book, James Drew outlines simple and easy-to-understand rules for how conductors acquire and develop their skills. These rules, or concepts, are presented systematically and build upon one another. Once practiced and mastered, these concepts can be applied in any musical context, providing conductors with invaluable tools to enhance their abilities in this visual medium. Drew organizes the book into sections, each addressing a specific conducting rule. Each section begins with a clear, bold statement encapsulating the principle being discussed. These principles are based on the methodology developed by Norval Church and further refined by Gary Garner. Musical examples and illustrations help clarify these statements, and each section concludes with exercises that offer conductors practical opportunities to practice and acquire the presented skills. The sections are thematically sorted into chapters, which are grouped into three main parts. Part One establishes the theoretical foundation by placing the art of conducting within the context of a performance medium. Part Two presents a logical sequence of physical techniques that conductors must master to communicate effectively in this non-verbal, expressive form. Finally, Part Three focuses on the mental preparation that conductors require before rehearsals and performances, emphasizing the study, analysis, and conceptualization of musical scores.