Choral Conducting
Recommended Books
The Music Collection includes many books on choral conducting. Most are classified in MT 85 where books on the study and instruction of conducting in several contexts can be found. Meanwhile, biographies and memoirs of esteemed choral conductors are in ML 422, and their writings, like Sir John Eliot Gardiner's text on Bach, can be found elsewhere too. Also run the subject search, "Choral conducting," for a variety of applicable results. The recommended books below are sorted by their call numbers to ease browsing. Hover over the info icon to see a description of the book.
Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven by
Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most unfathomable composers in the history of music. How can such sublime work have been produced by a man who (when we can discern his personality at all) seems so ordinary, so opaque--and occasionally so intemperate? John Eliot Gardiner grew up passing one of the only two authentic portraits of Bach every morning and evening on the stairs of his parents' house, where it hung for safety during World War II. He has been studying and performing Bach ever since, and is now regarded as one of the composer's greatest living interpreters. The fruits of this lifetime's immersion are distilled in this remarkable book, grounded in the most recent Bach scholarship but moving far beyond it, and explaining in wonderful detail the ideas on which Bach drew, how he worked, how his music is constructed, how it achieves its effects--and what it can tell us about Bach the man. Gardiner's background as a historian has encouraged him to search for ways in which scholarship and performance can cooperate and fruitfully coalesce. This has entailed piecing together the few biographical shards, scrutinizing the music, and watching for those instances when Bach's personality seems to penetrate the fabric of his notation. Gardiner's aim is "to give the reader a sense of inhabiting the same experiences and sensations that Bach might have had in the act of music-making. This, I try to show, can help us arrive at a more human likeness discernible in the closely related processes of composing and performing his music." It is very rare that such an accomplished performer of music should also be a considerable writer and thinker about it. John Eliot Gardiner takes us as deeply into Bach's works and mind as perhaps words can. The result is a unique book about one of the greatest of all creative artists.
Call Number: ML410.B1 G34 2013Publication Date: 2013
The Robert Shaw Reader by
Robert Shaw is considered to be the most influential choral conductor in American history. This is the first collection of his letters and notes about music ever published--at another time, it is the book Shaw would have written himself. The letters are an invigorating mix of music history and analysis, philosophy, inspiration, and practical advice. Shaw examines technique, but only as a means to an end--he moves beyond that, delving into the essence of what music is and what it has to say to us. The heart of the book is composed of Shaw's previously unpublished notes on fifteen major choral works, ranging from Bach's B Minor Mass to Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms. Often inspiring and sometime hilarious, these writings reveal the full breadth of Shaw's knowledge, intensity, and humor.
Call Number: ML422.S52 A3 2004Publication Date: 2004
A Life in Music: Conversations with Sir David Willcocks and Friends by
Told in a series of interviews with Sir David Willcocks and rounded out with reflections from a roll-call of eminent composers, musicians, and friends, this book presents a portrait of a highly gifted musician whose leadership, decency, and humanity have inspired countless singers to follow his example and live a life rich in music. Includes CD with many of Sir David's famous recordings.
Call Number: ML422.W56 A5 2008Publication Date: 2008
Choral Conducting: Philosophy and Practice by
Choral Conducting is a resource for singers, teachers, and choral conductors, and a college-level text for students of choral conducting. It also includes an overview of what is involved in leading a choral group and examines theories of learning and human behavior and the history of choral music together with conductor's role. The book also discusses issues of the conductor-vocalist relationship, the mechanics of singing, rehearsal strategies, and more.
Call Number: MT85 .D76 2003Publication Date: 2003
Choral Conducting and the Construction of Meaning: Gesture, Voice, Identity by
It is a truism in teaching choral conducting that the director should look like s/he wishes the choir to sound. The conductor's physical demeanor has a direct effect on how the choir sings, at a level that is largely unconscious and involuntary. It is also a matter of simple observation that different choral traditions exhibit not only different styles of vocal production and delivery, but also different gestural vocabularies which are shared not only between conductors within that tradition, but also with the singers. It is as possible to distinguish a gospel choir from a barbershop chorus or a cathedral choir by visual cues alone as it is simply by listening. But how can these forms of physical communication be explained? Do they belong to a pre-cultural realm of primate social bonding, or do they rely on the context and conventions of a particular choral culture? Is body language an inherent part of musical performance styles, or does it come afterwards, in response to music? At a practical level, to what extent can a practitioner from one tradition mandate an approach as 'good practice', and to what extent can another refuse it on the grounds that 'we don't do it that way'? This book explores these questions at both theoretical and practical levels. It examines textual and ethnographic sources, and draws on theories from critical musicology and nonverbal communication studies to analyze them. By comparing a variety of choral traditions, it investigates the extent to which the connections between conductor demeanor and choral sound operate at a general level, and in what ways they are constructed within a specific idiom. Its findings will be of interest both to those engaged in the study of music as a cultural practice, and to practitioners involved in a choral conducting context that increasingly demands fluency in a variety of styles.
Call Number: MT85 .G167 2009Publication Date: 2009
Conducting Choral Music, Eighth Edition by
The established leader in its field for over thirty-five years, this Eighth Edition of Conducting Choral Music contains new information on uses and application of supermetric conducting patterns, conducting choral/orchestral works, ethnic and multicultural perspectives and lists of selected octavo music, considering the audience, the choir/chorus retreat, responsibilities of the choir member - a self-assessment, suggestions for adjudicators of choral music festivals, and updated reference lists.
Call Number: MT85.G175 C6 1998Publication Date: 1998
Conducting a Choir: A Guide for Amateurs by
Imogen Holst, 1907-84, was a much-loved source of inspiration for countless musicians and students who encountered her over the years of her involvement with the Dartington Summer School of Music and the Aldeburgh Festival. This book conveys her infectious enthusiasm and insight as a choral conductor. Here she sets out, clearly and concisely, a wealth of practical information on the physical business of conducting which will be of particular value to the amateur conductor. She deals with the forming and training of a choir, the presentation and rehearsal of the music, and how to approach public performances and competitions. Her final chapter gives advice on the rehearsal of specific choruses by Purcell, Handel, and Britten.
Call Number: MT85 .H73Publication Date: 1973
Evoking Sound: Fundamentals of Choral Conducting and Rehearsing by Call Number: MT85 .J63 1996Publication Date: 1996
Art and Science in the Choral Rehearsal by
In recent decades, cognitive neuroscience research has increased our understanding of how the brain learns, retains, and recalls information. At the same time, social psychologists have developed insights into group dynamics, exploring what motivates individuals in a group to give their full effort, or conversely, what might instead inspire them to become free loaders. Art and Science in the Choral Rehearsal explores the idea that choral conductors who better understand how the brain learns, and how individuals within groups function, can lead more efficient, productive, and enjoyable rehearsals. Armed with this knowledge, conductors can create rehearsal techniques which take advantage of certain fundamental brain and social psychology principles. Through such approaches, singers will become increasingly engaged physically and mentally in the rehearsal process. Art and Science in the Choral Rehearsal draws from a range of scientific studies to suggest and encourage effective, evidence-based techniques, and can help serve to reset and inspire new approaches toward teaching. Each chapter outlines exercises and creative ideas for conductors and music teachers, including the importance of embedding problem solving into rehearsal, the use of multiple entry points for newly acquired information, techniques to encourage an emotional connection to the music, and ways to incorporate writing exercises into rehearsal. Additional topics include brain-compatible teaching strategies to complement thorough score study, the science behind motivation, the role imagination plays in teaching, the psychology of rehearsal, and conducting tips and advice. All of these brain-friendly strategies serve to encourage singers' active participation in rehearsals, with the goal of motivating beautiful, inspired, and memorable performances.
Call Number: MT85 .P395 2020Publication Date: 2020
Teaching with Respect: Inclusive Pedagogy for Choral Directors by
This is a book for choral directors who find themselves in conversations they might not feel ready to have. Teaching with Respect prompts us to ask deeper questions about the language we use, about systems of power, about our heritage and inheritance. When we examine our teaching, we may find that, while we do not intentionally act with racism, sexism, or bigotry, we may be complicit in adopting systems and language that marginalize and discriminate. But since we want to be the kind of directors that foster artistic communities built on respect, we must be willing to ask such questions. And the burden cannot be on our singers who are being marginalized to teach us a more respectful path; it is on us to learn how it is that we are marginalizing. In this book we look closely at our teaching strategies. How does our repertoire and instruction intersect with our singers' identities, specifically their learning abilities, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, and race? How do we engage with our audience? The book suggests an ethical approach to teaching choral music that is centered on respecting the singers in front of us. Readers will discover ways to maintain and elevate their artistic standards of excellence while also expanding their mindset.
Call Number: MT88 .S54 2017Publication Date: 2017
Camerata: A Guide to Organizing and Directing Small Choruses by
Camerata: A Guide to Organizing and Directing Small Choruses distinguishes itself from all other works on choral conducting by starting at the very beginning--the conception and purpose of an ensemble--and continuing through all other aspects of rehearsing and organizing a chorus to performance and reception. Wenk offers basic information on getting started, recruiting singers, planning programs, rehearsing music, publicizing concerts, sharing responsibilities, financing the operation, knowing the law, and finally getting better. He also offers detailed suggestions for creating an executive group to manage the choir as well ideas for repertoire and programming. In addition to a step-by-step guide, Camerata provides a wealth of supplementary material including a prospectus, a statement of goals and means, programs, organizational documents, a singer's guide, documents for organizing a folksong competition, a list of websites for publishers and choral federations, and an annotated bibliography of works on choral conducting. Wenk also includes more than twenty original Christmas carols and carol arrangements for performance by your small chorus. This work will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in starting a new choral organization or improving an existing ensemble. Although the book focuses on chamber choirs, Wenk's practical suggestions, based on more than forty years of experience as a choral conductor, can be easily applied to any choral organization.
Call Number: MT88 .W33 2014Publication Date: 2014
Sound Advice: Becoming a Better Children's Choir Conductor by
Sound Advice is a valuable resource for college students, beginning teachers, and experienced conductors of children's choirs. It covers the vast array of skills needed by today's conductor and will benefit all choir directors who want their choirs to reach a higher level of artistry. This book will be useful on many levels: for the college student studying the child voice and elementary teaching methods; for the teacher beginning to direct choirs in schools, synagogues, churches and communities; for experienced children's choir directors who wish to know more about orchestral repertoire for treble voices, conducting an orchestra, and preparing a children's choir to sing a major work with a professional orchestra. The underlying educational philosophy is sound; the author sees development of musicianship through singing as the primary goal of a children's choir program. This philosophy differs dramatically from the traditional concept of the conductor as all-knowing and the singers as receptacles. An outstanding aspect of the book is how the author leads the reader to an understanding of how to teach musicianship. Developing literacy in the choral setting is a mysterious, amorphous process to many conductors, but the author clearly outlines this important process with practical suggestions, well-documented examples, and a clear reading style which will reach readers on many levels. The comprehensive repertoire, skill-building sheets, and programs for all types of children's choirs will provide teachers with immediate and highly valuable resources.
Call Number: MT915 .B35 2003Publication Date: 2003
Interlibrary Loan
Users are encouraged to search for items beyond University Libraries' catalog via RILM Abstracts of Music Literature and WorldCat. Materials not available in print or online may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Please allow up to seven days for electronic delivery and up to fourteen days for delivery of physical items.