Articles & Advice

Here are links to PDF files of various published articles. Mostly extremely unacademic but perhaps of some use. I hope to develop this area with further articles and resources.

General Conducting Articles
Conducting Thoughts
With particular reference to conducting young musicians and non-professionals
Conducting Do's & Don'ts
Some basic tips for the inexperienced conductor
Conducting Effective Rehearsals
Advice on how to plan and execute good rehearsals
Score Study
Some thoughts on this topic, including my personal approach
Conducting Education
An overview of some research I have carried out into the training of conductors in various parts of the world
Quotes
Some interesting conductor sound bites I have read or heard
Warm-Ups
Routines for warming up wind and brass ensembles

Wind Orchestra repertoire guides
Ghosts by Stephen McNeff
Aue! by Christopher Marshall
Winter Dances by Fergal Carroll
Danceries by Kenneth Hesketh
Gallimaufry by Guy Woolfenden
Paris Sketches by Martin Ellerby

Commissioning & reviews
WASBE Conference, Cincinnati 2009
North Cheshire Concert Band Commissions

 

 

 

 

 

I think the most important thing, apart form further developing my conducting technique, I have taken home is the knowledge of what it means to have a score studied: untill now I have thought that a simple - in musicology often (over)praised - Formanalyse and marked cues suffice. But conducting the 3rd movemnt of Paris Sketches and the Mahler experience successfully proved me wrong. I am also extremely happy to know that in some parts of the World orchestras are not out to get you, waiting for your mistake and then taking much effort in showing you you had made it!