If I asked you to fix a loose screw on a wall fixture, would you grab a hammer out of your toolkit? Or a saw? Or a chisel? Probably not. Because you know the best thing to use to accomplish that goal is a screwdriver. Well, I often think of the shape of our left hand when we are conducting in much the same way. One of the most vivid ways we can evoke the sound we want from an ensemble – a sound that matches what we want to hear – is the shape we show in our left hand. I think it starts with finding a neutral, “plain vanilla” shape that we can use to serve as our default shape. Then we can creatively explore hand shapes to characterize more specific sounds we may want to hear. Let your creativity be free to come up with any number of shapes. The only limit here is our imagination!
As long as the hand shape elicits the correct sound, we are golden. Obviously using a fist for a subtle, elegant flute cue would be inappropriate. Likewise using an “asking hand” with your palm up as if asking someone to give you something, would not fit a subito piano passage. As you watch your conducting in the mirror, or on video recordings, look for hand shapes that match the sound you seek. Each tool in a toolbox is perfect for some task. The trick is to make the choice that is best.
Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
KHS America
The content of this Blog article or Banded Story is the intellectual property of the author(s) and cannot be duplicated without the permission of KHS America and/or the author(s). Standard copyright rules apply.
RECENT BOONSHAFT'S BLOG POSTS
#303. Targeted Scatter
In my last blog, I wrote about the idea of using scatter seating in rehearsals. The virtues of this approach can’t be overstated. Another related idea is using what I call “targeted scattering.” So often I ask my alto saxes to sound like the horns when they are...
#302. Scatter
The next time you see your band, tell them that you are going to do a “scattered” rehearsal. Explain that they can sit anywhere in the room they want, as long as they are not in the same location, or next to the same people as usual. Preferably, they should not even...
#301. A Lesson Learned
One morning last year, while I was rehearsing an all-state band, we came to a measure in a march that had a giant crescendo to the final climatic strain. They played it fine. It wasn’t inspired. It didn’t give me goosebumps or make the hair on the back of my neck...
We look forward to the evolution of this exciting program, and welcome feedback on how we can further enhance the work that you do in music education.
We are excited to offer your program the opportunity to join the KHS America Academic Alliance today.