I've been thinking a lot about what Haltmeier said in class the other day, about how we in the music education program here are challenged to question everything, to be on the same level as our conductors and educators, and also how that is completely contradicted whenever we sit down in choir.
I almost wanted to laugh yesterday when I thought about it. Dr. Oliver was conducting, and Dr. Lee, as per her usual style, took a seat in one of the sections of the choir and "played along" as a student. And then, the unthinkable happened! Dr. Lee raised her hand and ASKED A QUESTION! God forbid! She had a question about where the altos should be breathing or something like that, and it just got me thinking about how I personally would never have the guts to raise my hand and ask a question in that class.
But that's really not how it should be! I think it's true that the size of the performing ensemble plays a major role in how free the members are to question their conductor. For instance, you asked us to think of a major orchestra and think of whether they get to question their conductor. I thought of one: The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. They don't have a conductor! And I'm sure that they work together really well. I'm sure they challenge each other and throw out lots of new ideas during every rehearsal. So maybe this paradigm of the high-and-mighty conductor is really not how it should be at all. DISCUSS.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I have no problem asking a question, I just don't find it necessary as most choral problems are self-explanatory. The real debate was why we can't question the conductors answers to those questions. To answer that: 1. You're wrong, they're right, and I firmly believe that, and 2. Time is of the essence. Sure we have four years, but I sure don't wana be in a choir that sounds like ours for four years.
I think what Dr. Lee did by raising her hand and asking a question, is very different from challenging a directors style, interpretation, etc. If she were, in fact, asking a question about breathing or phrasing, that is more of a clarification thing then a challenge. Have you ever been in an ensembe where the director gives you a comment about phrasing, breathing, etc., and the next time you go to rehearse you feel like you're the only person that remebered to do it? It used to happene to me all the time in high school, and as a way to bring my directors and fellow ensemble memebers attention to it I would ask, "At last rehearsal didn't you ask us to..." or, "Not all of the [insert voice section] are agreeing on this part in the score, which would you prefer us to do?" I think asking a question like this does more the help the director get to their goals about how the group should sound - it is very different from, "I don't like the dynamics here, why don't you try...?"
Post a Comment