On the Principles and Practice of Conducting

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Preface
Acknowledgments
Make Beautiful Music: Involving Singularity of Tones in Succession and of Tones Sounding Simultaneously
Free the Mind, Hear Everything: Connecting the Open Consciousness to All the Sounds, All the Time
Free the Body: Involving the Necessity of Freeing the Body from Unnecessary Muscle Tensions
Be the Music: Applying the Free Body in the Service of a Maximally Beautiful Performance
Addendum A. Starting, Stopping, and Fermatas: Achieving a Collective Sense of When to Begin and End the Sound
Addendum B. Odds and Ends: A Miscellany of Matters Musical, Physical, and Practical
Bibliography
Index

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About

A practical manual for building musical understanding and physical skills, intended for conductors at all stages of development. This book is a practical manual for anyone who stands on a podium helping an ensemble make music. The four main chapters address the major obligations of the conductor: (1) bringing the musical tones to life in the most beautiful, most moving way possible; (2) freeing the mind to fully absorb all the tones; (3) freeing the body of unnecessary tension; and (4) effectively using the freed mind and body to influence the sounds. Each chapter begins with a summary of the underlying principles, presents real-life applications, and offers exercises for developing skills. Video demonstrations of the exercises as well as downloadable scores and parts are available on a companion website. The parts, in multiple transpositions, allow for hands-on experience where standard instrumental complements are unavailable. Markand Thakar, music director of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, is an internationally renowned pedagogue of conducting. A protégé of the legendary Sergiu Celibidache and former assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Thakar is author of Looking for the "Harp" Quartet: An Investigation into Musical Beauty (University of Rochester Press, 2011) and Counterpoint: Fundamentals of Music Making (Yale University Press, 1990).

Reviews

This is a phenomenal book. It is written in a thoroughly approachable manner that can be enjoyed by music lovers curious about the art of conducting, and function as an invaluable resource for students of conducting. The online component is helpful as well, with its inclusion of video exercises and music parts for small ensembles of various combinations, so the student can get hands-on practice. . . . Thakar writes with the warmth and humility of a devoted teacher and the expertise of a seasoned professional who has learned his craft through years of study and good, old-fashioned real-world experience. Most importantly, he writes as somebody who understands and loves music on a deep level, a must for any conductor worth his or her salt. Highly recommended

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