This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Conducting (Conductors’) Technique, is published on this website in a PDF format. It is very detailed and practical, and it will give you the physical tools you need to take the limits off of your ability to create the accurate conducting technique you want without sacrificing your body.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)
IT IS EASY TO BE A GREAT CONDUCTOR. IT IS HARD TO NOT LET YOURSELF BE A GREAT CONDUCTOR. I really enjoy being on the flip side of what most people believe is true. What I mean, is that “common sense” says it’s hard to become an extraordinary conductor, and it is easy to be a mediocre conductor.
It is the opposite! Let me explain. If you are conducting two hours or more a day, why not become extraordinary? There is a cause and effect thing happening here. What you expect of yourself as you conduct – how you conduct, and whether you’re choosing the best technique (most effortless way to conduct), will determine whether you’re standing still as you conduct, or are choosing a way to make conducting a place to fully express yourself with ease.
Whether it’s conscious or unconscious, I believe most conductors believe it is much harder work to become a fine conductor, than muddle through being an average conductor. There are two major considerations here that show it is much harder not to be as good as you can be.
The first is, if you are an average conductor, do you have the potential to be a great conductor. If you have the potential to be a great conductor, and you’re conducting consistently, and you’re hiding this from yourself, THEN YOU ARE IN PAIN.
Why? Because if you really love conducting and what you conduct, and you’re muddling through, isn’t this an attack on yourself? What I mean, is that if you know what you would love to hear coming out of the orchestra or choral group, but all you’re offering yourself and everyone is boring interpretations, this is incredibly unloving, when you could do infinitely better.
The second major unloving thing a conductor can do to him or herself, is to believe it is too hard to be as good as want to be and can be. “Too hard” is based 100% on a lie. IT IS TOO HARD NOT TO CONDUCT SMART, SO THAT YOU ELIMINATE ALL OF YOUR TECHNIQUE WEAKNESSES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BY CHOOSING A TECHNIQUE AND POSTURE THAT MAKE CONDUCTING EASY.
But this isn’t all, when it comes to beliefs that make being extraordinary conducting too hard. When I was an aspiring concert guitarist, I was told that I had to think about the guitar ALL OF THE TIME, if I wanted to be one of the best concert guitarists. WHAT A CRUEL THING TO TEACH A KID!
I believe there are a whole lot of conductors out there that believe smart limited practice sessions aren’t enough. That if you want to be any good, you have to eat, sleep, drink, and think conducting 24/7. I can’t think of a quicker way to burn out a conductor, than to NEVER get away from conducting.
PRACTICE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF HOURS WITH INCREDIBLY CLEAR AND SMART GOALS WITHOUT SACRIFICING OUR BODY, AND “PUT THE BATON DOWN” WHEN YOU’RE NOT CONDUCTING OR PRACTICING IN YOUR HEAD.
When you “put the baton down” most of the day, then it is psychologically and emotionally possible to commit 100% to effortless conducting when you “pick the baton up”. Then it will be easy to be a wonderful conductor without exhausting yourself or attacking yourself by muddling through in your designated finite practice time.
