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Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)

The hands lead the arms when you conduct, and when the hands and the arms move without any holding, you will find your most effortless way to use the arms and hands in conducting. In reality the shoulders support and move the arms, and the arms support the hands. I want to look at this going in the other direction, which is the fingers and hand leading the arms. If you think of the hands leading energized arms, then you are more likely to find the best consistent relationship of the arms to the hands to the baton.

This means as the hands “lead” the arms, then you aren’t leading the arms with the elbows, which means the elbows are not held unnecessarily high and away from each other.

What are energized arms? It is the Alexandrian term for arms that are so alive, that they do not create down in the body. In other words they don’t act as a downward pull on the shoulder girdle. This is incredibly important for the conductor. How does the conductor support his arms effortlessly, and is this even possible? Yes, but it is an extraordinary act of whole body organization, so that the conductor doesn’t massively overwork the front of the shoulders (anterior deltoids) and create a held and compressed shoulder girdle and torso to keep the arms up.

Raise your arms to conduct and hold your arms up for three hours motionless. When I said this, what were you first thoughts, and what did you feel in your body? I’m guessing panic! What would have to happen for this to be effortless for three hours? If I sent you away for three weeks and said come back to me and be able to support your arms fearlessly and effortlessly for three hours, what would you need to do?

Stand and raise your arms to conduct without holding your elbows out (We’ll see if this is necessary for conducting, since so many conductors hold their elbows out). Did you slump forward or arch your torso backward to support your arms? Did you pull your head down as you raised your arms? This time release your neck and have your head direct upward, as you raise your arms to conduct. Now release your neck and direct (head leading a lengthening spine), and as your arms come up, unlock your legs and your torso under your shoulders, as you raise your arms.

As your arms are up, feel what is happening in the arms, neck, torso, and legs as you hold your arms up. Is your neck beginning to tighten? Do you feel the shoulders tense more and more to hold up the arms?

Lower your arms, and this time think of your arms floating up or being lifted for you into conducting position, and feel your lower back releasing and remaining released, as your arms floated up. It is a wonderful feeling to not lock and/or arch backward the lower back, when your arms are raised to the front of the body. Were you able to experience your arms coming up to conduct, as if you weren’t lifting them with the shoulders (anterior deltoid muscles), as if they were being raised for you?