Academic literature on the topic 'Conducting. Wind quartets. Music'

We discuss a recent peer-learning project we undertook as co-conductors of the Young Conservatorium Wind Orchestra at Griffith University. Drawing on current educational theory on peer learning and material from our conducting practice and research, we explore how this approach offers professional conductors the opportunity to work together in an inclusive and empowering learning environment. We outline our peer learning context, the learning relationship we shared, the most significant musical outcomes of such a process, and the implications for conducting pedagogy and the professional development of conductors.

Acquiring nonverbal skills necessary to appropriately communicate and educate members of performing ensembles is essential for wind band conductors. Virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) provide a unique setting for developing these proficiencies. For this feasibility study, we used an augmented immersive VRLE to enhance eye contact, torso movement, and gestures of novice wind band conductors. Ten undergraduates randomly assigned to no VRLE ( n = 3), VRLE with head tracking ( n = 4), or VRLE without ( n = 3) head tracking received eight treatment sessions over a 4-week period. While participants conducted a live ensemble, their eye contact, torso movements, and gestures were measured. A comparison of pretest and posttest scores showed that students using the augmented immersive VRLE with head tracking demonstrated greater conducting skill improvement than those not using virtual reality.

This study was designed to examine whether the presence of excellent or poor ensemble performances would influence the ratings assigned by ensemble members to conductors who demonstrated highly expressive conducting. Two conductors were videotaped conducting one of two excerpts from an arrangement of Frank Ticheli’s Loch Lomond. These videos subsequently were duplicated and synchronized with either excellent or poor performances that previously had been recorded with a university wind ensemble. To determine whether identical conducting performances would be evaluated differently on the basis of excellent or poor ensemble performance, college band, choir, and orchestra members ( N = 120) viewed each of the four 1-minute excerpts and rated conductor expressivity and ensemble performance quality on 10-point Likert-type scales and provided one brief written comment about each video. Results indicated that ensemble performance quality significantly affected ratings of conductor expressivity ( p < .001). However, the effect size was modest (partial η2 = .29). Participants’ written comments were directed most frequently to the conductor in the excellent-performance condition and to the ensemble in the poor-performance condition.

In this study, the authors examined whether a conductor's use of high-expressivity or low-expressivity techniques affected evaluations of ensemble performances that were identical across conducting conditions. Two conductors each conducted two 1-minute parallel excerpts from Percy Grainger's Walking Tune. Each directed one excerpt using high- and one using low-expressivity techniques. After watching a video of the four conducting segments set to a single audio performance of the selection by a university wind ensemble, participants ( N = 118) evaluated ensemble expressivity using a 10-point Likert-type scale. Half of the participants also rated the expressivity of the conductor using a second identical scale. Ensemble expressivity was rated significantly higher for the high-expressivity conductors; effect size was strong (partial η 2 = .57). Among participants evaluating both conductor and ensemble, there was a significant moderate correlation between ratings ( r = .56).

Background. The question of a comprehensive assessment of certain musicians’ work has both artistic and aesthetic, sociocultural, and ethical projections associated with the evaluation of the creativity and activity of the musician both during their lifetime and after their passing. This issue also continues to be acutely relevant in the area of studying and shaping the scope of cultural knowledge about traditions and innovations in all spheres of musical art, about the role of an individual in the historical and cultural process both in the national and in the civilizational, globalizational aspects. Another important aspect is the study of one’s own cultural traditions and achievements (at the national, regional and other levels.), which makes it possible to reveal something universal and particular in all areas of musical practice (composition, performance, teaching, etc.) and give them an objective assessment. In this connection, musicians – our contemporaries, whose achievements are diverse and very significant in the musical field and whose versatile contribution to the development of musical art cannot be overestimated, – need special public and scientific attention. One of such outstanding figures of modern Ukraine is Valerii Bohdanov (13/07/1939–10/10/2017), a trumpet performer, conductor, teacher, musicologist, who devoted his whole life to music art in its various manifestations, achieved the highest results in all spheres of activity and went down in the history of Ukrainian musical art as one of the rare examples of a universal musician. His performance, conducting, pedagogical, and research activities in the field of wind instruments performance are so significant that they require a complex study, which as yet does not exist, and this paper seems to be one of the first steps on this path. Objectives. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the life and career of the outstanding musician Valerii Bohdanov from the viewpoint of his contribution to the study of the history of wind performance in Ukraine. Methods. This paper employs a complex of several research methods related to the statement of the theme and its specificity: historical method, which allowed considering facts from life and work of V. Bohdanov in relation to the peculiarities of historical conditions of the time; historical and cultural method, thanks to which one can take into account the general context of music art, in particular, events and phenomena of musical practice within certain conditions of national culture, traditions and possibilities, specified amongst others at the ideological level; biographical method of research, due to which different periods of the musician’s creativity, directions of his activity, as well as their prerequisites, development paths and results are described; comparative method, associated with the comparative characteristics of stages and tendencies of Valerii Bohdanov’s work in different periods of his life; phenomenological method, featuring characteristics of unique interaction of various facets of the universal musician – the artist of music art. Results. The versatile activity of V. Bohdanov, a prominent musician, performer, conductor, teacher, researcher of the history of wind art in Ukraine, is distinguished by a special degree of interrelation of these spheres, which indicates the special quality of the universalism of Valerii Oleksandrovych’s personality as a phenomenon. According to the outlined and characterized areas of the musician’s activity all his achievements are determined, firstly, by the peculiarities of different periods of his life and career, historical circumstances and certain artistic experience, and secondly, by his personal qualities. The research and pedagogical activity of V. Bohdanov is one of the peaks of his multifaceted activity and the embodiment of the true mission, which combined the talent and experience of the practising musician, performer and conductor with pedagogical, scientific and educational work to the extent that allows speaking about a special status of a universal musician – a worker of musical art. An individual feature of V. Bohdanov’s universalism is that, being a practising musician, performer and conductor, he achieved the highest results in the scientific field, made an invaluable contribution to the study of the history of wind performance in Ukraine. Conclusions. The research findings indicate that Valerii Bohdanov’s activity is distinguished by the diversity and special status of universalism; its various facets are not just interconnected, they are interdependent and, thanks to a complex of personality characteristics, have become the basis for the outstanding result that was achieved by the musician. At the same time, the scientific side of Valerii Bohdanov’s work, dedicated to the history of wind instrument performance in Ukraine, has become a kind of pinnacle of his creative and life journey. Based on the aforesaid, we believe that the results of the presented research can be used in further scientific research related to such issues as: the study of Valerii Bohdanov’s research, performance, conducting, and pedagogical activities, as well as the work of other musicians, representatives of the wind music art of Ukraine; the characteristic of wind instruments performance schools; the search for answers to the questions faced by modern wind instruments performance, in particular, in the context of tradition and innovation, organology, genre-stylistics, repertoire, etc.

The essence of K. Orff’s musical and pedagogical concept is considered in the article; the importance of the creative development of students of secondary schools is revealed. The meaning of 'elementary music,' which is connected with movement, dance, and word and creates a basis for the child’s development, is clarified. The five-volume collection 'Orff-Schulwerk. Musik für kinder' is analyzed; its role in creating analogues in different countries is revealed. The problem of stimulating the creative potential of the individual by means of the music-pedagogical system is highlighted. The instruments of the children’s orchestra developed by K. Orff together with K. Sachs are described, which included melodic and noise percussion instruments, the simplest wind, and strings. The principle of active music-making and creative development of personality on the basis of playing children’s musical instruments, rhythmic movements, dance, and pantomime is analyzed. The role of rhythmic, vocal, and instrumental improvisations for the creative development of students is revealed. The curriculum at the Orff’ Institute is covered, which included the methods of teaching children’s musical instruments, a course of rhythmic exercises, choreography, conducting, solfeggio, instrumentation. The work ‘Theory and practice of music and aesthetic education according to the system of K. Orff’ (by E. Kurishev, L. Kurisheva) is analyzed, which highlights the practical experience of Ukrainian teachers in the classroom and extracurricular activities with students. The countries that have shown interest in Orff's pedagogy and continue to work actively on this system are listed. K. Orff's conviction is formulated that the art of the future is inherent in the nature of human abilities and it is only necessary to create conditions for the creative development of the individual.

La naturaleza produce una serie de sonidos, que al analizarlos en su habitad, representan un encanto especifico, el viento, las olas, un rio, una cascada, el movimiento de los arboles por el viento, el cantico de las aves; sonidos que el hombre a intentado reproducir con ayuda de instrumentos inventados por el, para crear la música, cada época, cada grupo social y cultural modifican los sonidos, los combina, para crear el arte musical, para satisfacer las necesidades de un grupo, o como inspiración en base a la necesidad de expresión artística única. Estos sonidos representados han producido influencia en los animales y en los seres humanos, inclusive las plantas, el propósito de este artículo es estudiar el efecto de la música en la conducta del adolescente. Dentro de los objetivos de la investigación, se demuestra como la música influye en la conducta de los adolescentes; en sus efectos emocionales, reminiscencias, como herramientas de socialización, desarrollo del apego intrafamiliar, modificación de la capacidad intelectiva. En la descripción de la muestra para la investigación se cuenta con una población de 317 estudiantes adolescentes, donde se utiliza la observación directa, análisis explicativo correlacional, cuantitativo y cualitativo, mediante la aplicación de encuestas y experimentación. AbstractNature produces a series of sounds which when analyzed in their habitat, represent a specific charm, wind, waves, a river, a waterfall, trees moving in the wind, the song of birds; sounds that man tried to play using invented by instruments to create music, every age, every social and cultural group modify sounds, combined to create the musical art, to meet the needs of a group, or inspiration based on the need for unique artistic expression. These sounds have been represented influence on animals and human beings, including plants, the purpose of this article is to study the effect of music on adolescent behavior. Among the objectives of the research, it is shown how music influences the behavior of adolescents; in their emotional effects, reminiscences, as tools of socialization, development of domestic attachment, modification intellectual capacity. In the description of the research shows it has a population of 317 adolescent students, where direct observation is used, correlational quantitative and qualitative explanatory analysis, by conducting surveys, and experimentation.

<p><em>The main goal of the work</em> is to study the level of physical fitness of students of music specialties. The objectives of the study reflect the gradual achievement of the goal. It also gives the analysis of the static strength endurance of the muscles of the body <em>Methods of research</em>: analysis and generalization of data in literature, pedagogical methods of research (experiment, testing), methods of mathematical statistics. 154 students of the first and second year of the Vinnitsa School of Culture and Arts named after M. D. Leontovich participated in the pedagogical experiment. Such as students of the specialty “Music Art”, the specializations “piano, orchestra, string instruments” (violin, viola, cello, double bass); “Orchestral wind instruments and percussion instruments” (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, tubo, percussion instruments), “folk instruments” (accordion, accordion, domra, bandura, guitar); “Vocal, choral conducting”. <em>Results</em><em>.</em><strong> </strong> It is noted that the level of work capacity, health status and occupations depends on the effectiveness of their physical education. It is possible to increase the effectiveness of the process of physical education of students through optimization and development of professionally important physical qualities. Student’s educational and further activity of the specialty "Musical art" provides an unpleasant work pose and peculiarities of the manifestation of physical qualities, which level of development depends on the effectiveness of professional activity. <em>Findings.</em> The estimation of indicators of the physical readiness of students with the use of battery tests, which characterize the static strength endurance of the muscles of the torso is evaluated. Evaluation of the students' physical fitness made it possible to determine the general tendency of significant deterioration of the indicators for the period of study. </p>

Background. Musical culture of Kharkiv has a rich history associated with the names of prominent musicians such as R. Genika, I. Slatin and others. But the creative work of our senior contemporaries, artists, who created in the second half of the XX and early XXI century, made a great influence on the formation of the modern musical face of Kharkiv, the state of professional music education, too. O. I. Litvinov, a composer, pianist (as well as accordion player, performer on wind instruments), conductor and arranger, is no doubt among those artists. However, the creativity of this outstanding musician, who was actually the founder of professional jazz education in Kharkiv, is not currently the subject of widespread discussion in contemporary Ukrainian musicology. There are few sources that would cover O. I. Litvinov’s life and career. For the first time, he is mentioned as the founder of pops’n jazz performance department in a print publication dedicated to the 85th anniversary of KhNUA named after I. P. Kotlyarevsky. In the same context, O. Litvinov’s name is found in O. Kononova’s essay on the evolution of music education in Kharkiv in the jubilee edition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the University. There is a biographical article in this very anniversary publication. In the earlier anniversary edition “Pro Domo mea” (on the 90th anniversary of the institution) there is some information about O. Litvinov regarding the history of the jazz department creation. Basic biographical data are briefly presented in the article of I. O. Litvinova in the Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine. A small booklet dedicated to the major milestones of O. Litvinov’s life and creative work was published in the KhNUA (then KhSUA) named after I. P. Kotliarevskyi to mark the 75th anniversary of the musician. There are also several publications devoted mainly to specific dates in the creative life of the maestro (concerts, anniversaries, etc.): by H. Derev’ianko, L. Lohvynenko, M. Dvirnyi, A. Moshna, I. Polska, and O. Sadovnikova. Among purely research works devoted to this striking personality are the Master’s work by Yu. N. Shikova, which was written under the guidance of І. І. Polska at Kharkiv State Academy of Culture. The purpose of the article is to systematize existing information on the life and creative path of the prominent Kharkiv musician, give a brief description of the main features of his performing and composing style. Methods. The work employs historicobiographical, analytical and comparative methods, as well as a genre-stylistic approach. Results. O. Litvinov was born on November 17, 1927 in Zaporozhye. He received his elementary education at a piano music school. From 1943 to 1951 he was in military service, participated in the World War II. After the war, he continued to study music at Kharkiv Music College named after B. Lyatoshynsky, later at the Composition Faculty of Kharkiv Conservatory. He was expelled from there because of his passion for jazz. From 1951 he continued his musical activity as an artist of the MIA Variety Orchestra (in Dnepropetrovsk), in 1955–1956 he was a soloist of the Sakhalin Oblast Philharmonic and Khabarovsk Regional Philharmonic. In 1956–1958 he was the leader of the variety band of the Palace of Culture for Food–Industry Workers, in 1958–1961 he was the leader of the concert band of the Palace of Culture for Builders. From 1961 to 1973, he was the director of his own collective – Honoured Variety Ensemble “Kharkivyanka” at Kharkiv Electromechanical Plant. In 1965 he received the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine, in 1978 – People’s Artist. From 1973 to 1978 – Artistic Director and Conductor of the “Donbass”, Honored Mining Ensemble in Donetsk; from 1978 to 1980 – assistant at the Department of Cultural Studies, director of the Jazz Orchestra at Kharkiv Institute of Law. Since 1980 he worked permanently at Kharkiv I. P. Kotliarevskyi State Institute of Arts: first as a senior lecturer, later as an associate professor of the Chamber Ensemble Department, then as a professor of the Orchestra Wind Instruments Department. Since 1994 he created and headed the Department of Variety Orchestra Instruments, and at the same time he directed the variety-symphony orchestra of Kharkiv State Academy of Culture, the violin ensemble of the National Academy of Law named after Yaroslav the Wise. Since 1999 O. Litvinov was a full member of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences of National Progress. In 2001 he became a diploma winner of the regional competition “Higher school of Kharkiv region – the best names” in the nomination “Head of Department”. In 2002 he was awarded the Honorary Medal of the Ministry of Culture and Arts of Ukraine. He died on March 15, 2007. O. Litvinov’s creative personality combines the image of composer, arranger, conductor, performer-multiinstrumentalist (apart from piano O. Litvinov played the accordion, organ, wind instruments, violin). O. Litvinov’s works employ the best achievements of world classics and Ukrainian academic music, in particular, the Kharkiv composition school, and embody the best features of jazz and, more broadly, variety music of the twentieth century. These stylistic origins often coexist organically in one piece by O. Litvinov. The performance style of O. Litvinov as a conductor is characterized by very clear, bright, emotional gestures, especially outstanding sounding of the orchestra, the ability to clearly show every change in the thematic development of the piece. The style of O. Litvinov’s arrangements was significantly influenced by the music of Hollywood films, the art of contemporary Soviet composers – Saulsky, Broslavsky, Pokrass, Dunaevskyi, jazz masters – Tsfasman, Utesov, Bernstein and others. Conclusions. O. Litvinov’s creative life was very bright and rich, and his musical activity was diverse and multifaceted. In the present works, the main focus is made more on the “polyphony” (according to A. Mizitova and A. Sadovnikova (2002, p. 17) of this life, its external events. Characteristics of the composer’s, performing, conducting styles of the artist are “inscribed” in this polyphony only as its “voices”. However, each of these voices needs, in our opinion, more detailed consideration. For example, O. Litvinov’s compositional heritage is very large, but only a few of his compositions are performed today and well known to the public. In fact, only one piece for violin ensemble (or for violin and piano), “Eternal Movement”, received true popularity among the performers and the public. Most other works are not published, and the fate of most scores is unclear. So, the direction of further research can be related to a more detailed study of some particular works of O. Litvinov that have survived as well as to deepening knowledge about his performing and pedagogical activity.

Background. Topicality, objectives, methodology and novelty of the research. The creative achievements of the Honored Art Worker of Ukraine, Professor Shaliko Harehinovych Paltadzhian (1941–2020) are a significant contribution to the history of the development of Ukrainian musical culture and, of course, deserve special attention and thorough in-depth research. However, there is not still any fundamental work about this talented musician, brilliant French horn player and wonderful conductor. The author of this article was lucky to study together with Sh. Paltadzhyan at the Kharkov Conservatory and to work with him until the end of life of this outstanding artist. This essay aims to capture some of the features of the creative portrait of Shaliko Paltadzhian, relying on the few existing reference sources and self-own memories about the artist, and also to emphasize his, in a sense, a unique role in the educational process at the Kharkiv National University of Arts and at Ukraine in general. Accordingly, touching upon the educational, methodological and sociological spheres, the study as a whole adheres to the chronological method of presenting events inherent in the genres of historical and biographical essays and portraits. The main results of the research. We traced the creative path of Shaliko Paltadzhian from his very appearance in Kharkiv in 1959 as an entrant at the Kharkiv Conservatory, where, despite the almost complete impossibility of communication due to the language barrier (the musician was born in Armenian city Gyumri, which was known as Kumayri from the period of the Kingdom of Urartu), he, nevertheless, charmed the examiners with the extra-ordinal expressive sound of his French horn, and until the last decade of fruitful work of this wonderful musician at Kharkiv National University of Arts and the “Slobozhansky” Youth Academic Symphony Orchestra . We consider Sh. Paltadzhian’s working with this orchestra as a new special stage in his conducting activities. Being, at the same time, the leader of the Student orchestra of the Kharkiv National University of Arts and the professional team of the “Slobozhansky” Orchestra, Sh. Paltadzhian, thus, makes the first in Ukrainian musical education sphere practical step in the implementation of a modern project on the introduction of so named “dual form” of vocational training, which joints the instructive process in an educational institution with the practice at the workplace. In addition, he does it long before the official directives (“Slobozhansky” Orchestra already exists 28 years). The example of the “Slobozhansky” Orchestra testifies that the organization of the educational process in a dual form gives a positive result and fully corresponds to modern educational methods: after graduating from the University, the musicians come to new teams as the very well prepared professionals, because they were passing through a “double” school as orchestra students. Shaliko Paltadzhian as a conductor proved this in practice. Conclusions. In perspective, the method of dual form of education can be adapted to any specialization. In our case, the practical bases for this are orchestras (symphony, wind), children’s music schools, music colleges, art faculties at other universities, and so on. “Slobozhansky” Orchestra partially solves the problem of mass moving abroad of the best domestic youth. The orchestra has an interesting creative atmosphere. World-famous conductors, soloists work with him; the collective tours in Denmark, Spain and Italy. Some graduates have already turned down foreign offers and stayed at home in Ukraine. Thus, Shaliko Paltadzhian played a key role in a landmark scientificeducation experiment conducted at the Kharkiv National University of Arts named after I. P. Kotlyarevsky. The weird and wonderful, versatile talent of this bright, charismatic musician is striking. As a Professor at the University, Sh. Paltadzhian taught various educational disciplines in the last decade of his life: opera and symphony conducting, musical instruments studies, arrangements, reading scores. He is also the author of scientific papers and manuals. His brilliant talent and clear human soul will forever remain in our memory.

Master of Music
Department of Music
Frank Tracz
This document was submitted to the Graduate School of Kansas State University as a partial requirement for the Master's in Music degree. It contains theoretical, historical, and rehearsal analyses for Sonata No. 13 by Giovanni Gabrieli as arranged for brass octet by Glenn Smith, movements II. Andante and III. Minuet & Trio from Serenade No. 12 in c minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as edited by Frederick Fennell, and Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo by Sir Malcolm Arnold as arranged for full symphonic band by John P. Paynter. Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo was performed by the Kansas State University Wind Ensemble on February 15, 2012 in McCain Auditorium on the Kansas State University campus. Sonata No. 13 was performed by members of the Kansas State University Brass Ensemble on April 18th, 2012 in McCain Auditorium. There was no formal performance or rehearsal for Serenade No. 12 in c minor. The analytical methods employed in this report include the Unit Study approach used in the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band book series and the Tracz method of macro-micro-macro graphical score analysis.

Master of Music
Department of Music
Frank Tracz
The following report contains the research and analysis of three musical compositions prepared for effective rehearsal and performance for the Graduate Conducting Recital. The repertoire selected includes Hats Off to Thee by John Zdechlik, performed by the Kansas State University Brass Ensemble on April 18th, 2012; Mercury Rising by Nathan Daughtrey, performed by the Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble on April 3rd, 2012 and Suite Française by Darius Milhaud, performed by the Kansas State University Concert Band on April 25th, 2012 all under the direction of Sarah Bernard-Stevens. The report comprises extensive research and theoretical analysis compiled to effectively rehearse and conduct the above-mentioned works.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici (b. 1937) has gained recognition as a composer for both instrumental and vocal settings. Although his instrumental contributions include solo, chamber, and orchestral works, to date he has only written one composition for wind band. A conductor must devote himself / herself to score study and analysis in order to form an accurate interpretation and to conduct effective rehearsals. A vital part of score study and analysis is familiarity with the composer’s technique and style of writing. A brief biographical sketch presents Del Tredici’s background, education, honors and awards, academic career, and influences, as well as a discussion of his compositional and orchestration techniques. Both movements of In Wartime are analyzed using the elements of melody, harmony, form, rhythm (which includes tempo, meter, rhythm, and rhythmic techniques), orchestration, texture, and dynamics. Rehearsal considerations for each movement are presented based on the author’s experience rehearsing and conducting In Wartime. The intention of this document is to facilitate conductors in their study and preparation of In Wartime in order that they may realize more effective rehearsals and inspired performances. Included in the appendices are trumpet parts transposed to the key of B-flat and instructions for the construction of the wind machine indicated in the score.