Registration Info

Coming soon

For more information, contact [email protected].

"I am so grateful for all of the information your books and the Conducting Technique Intensive workshop have given me. It has been an enormous gift and made an incredible difference in my conducting and my choir. Thank God for "Body Mapping". It has transformed my conducting and my confidence. What a wonderful feeling to have absolutely no fear or apprehension before a concert. By following all of the guidelines that you've set out, I know that both myself and my choir are extremely well prepared and excited to give a spontaneous musical experience."

-Conducting Intensive Participant

About the Course

Conducting Technique Intensive: A Conducting “Boot Camp”: Essentials of Body Mapping, Laban Applied to Harmonic Rhythm and Breath

Taught by this country’s master teachers of Laban applied to conducting, the course is designed for in-depth exploration of what is at the root of a conductor’s gesture, and to give participants the tools to effect immediate change through expressive gesture in their ensembles. Using innovative new pedagogy developed by Jordan and detailed in his new book, The Conductor’s Gesture. Regardless of experience, will learn skills that will rebuild their conducting technique, or set the foundation for those new to conducting. In addition to the text, The Conductor’s Gesture, the class will use The Conducting Etudes, a new book by Jordan (GIA, 2013). These etudes provide the materials for conductors at all stages to arrive quickly at expressive gesture.

Students from all levels of conducting development are welcome; however, this course moves at a fast pace. Participants are taken through all levels of conducting technique development.

Intensive study sessions arriving at what is necessary to prepare a conductor’s “insides” for teaching and conducting by James Jordan, author of The Musician’s Soul, The Musician’s Walk, The Musician’s Spirit and the The Musician’s Trust. For conductors who have studied with Jordan, these sessions have been characterized as “energizing” and “affirming.”

Specifics of the Course

Regardless of the level of the conductor, conducting technique and understandings are rebuilt from the “ground up.” This carefully sequenced class is a result of 25 years of conducting pedagogy research and practice pioneered by Jordan. This is the only time during the year that this material is taught anywhere in the country!

  • Re-mapping the body architecture for efficient and expressive movement
  • Daily sessions in Alexander Technique as applied to conducting
  • Daily Movement sessions aimed at expanding one’s conducting vocabulary
  • Intensive work on breath and its interaction with conducting
  • Intensive work and understanding of the application of the principles of Laban to conducting
  • Understanding of States and Drives within Laban that become not only a conducting aid, but a rehearsal technique
  • Musical analysis applied directly to conducting technique
  • Sessions focusing on the use of the breath as an expressive and communicative tool

This class may be taken separately or in conjunction with any of the conducting courses offered in the summer sessions.

Faculty

James Jordan

Tuition

Coming soon

Required Texts

Evoking Sound (Second Edition)-James Jordan
The Anatomy of Conducting Workbook

Recommended Texts

The Conductor’s Gesture; James Jordan, Meade Andrews and Giselle Wyers; GIA
The Musician’s Breath; James Jordan, Nova Thomas and Mark Moliterno; GIA The Musician’s Soul; James Jordan; GIA