Conductor vs. Educator
Dan Halpern
Vernona Schools, Verona, NJ
dhalpern@veronaschools.org
A
s directors of school-based
performing groups, music
teachers constantly balance
the dual roles of conductor and educator. In many ways these roles are intertwined, but there are ways in which the
goals of a conductor are not the same
as those of an educator. A conductor
must ultimately place the highest value
on performance as an outcome, whereas
an educator will place a higher value on
student growth. Some might argue that
performance is the means by which that
growth occurs. However, placing too
much emphasis on performance can
cause some educators to limit opportunities for other types of learning.
Students benefit from participating in school-based performing groups
because they can engage in authentic
learning experiences that model the
processes of professional musicians. For
that reason ensemble directors often
model themselves on professional conductors. Teachers draw on their own
backgrounds as performers and attempt
to recreate elements of their experiences
in the classroom. The students are cast
in the role of the performers, and the
teacher is the conductor.
However, consider the difference
between a conventional professional rehearsal and a classroom. In a traditional
music rehearsal the conductor is completely in command and makes all decisions regarding what is done and how.
There is no discussion, no questions,
and all activities are geared toward the
realization of the conductor’s vision. In
many ways this is the complete opposite
of what a positive learning environment
should be.
A school ensemble rehearsal should
exemplify aspects of a professional rehearsal to the extent that it supports
learning objectives. If the goal is for students to do more than develop performance skills, then rehearsals should also
incorporate discussion, debate, question
and answer, and so on. In doing so students will not only learn to play music,
but will also be able to critique, analyze,
interpret, and create music.
This can be done by simply flipping the traditional approach of telling
students how to play, and asking them
instead. For example, rather than directing students to play a passage in a particular way, ask them to share their own
ideas on how it should be played. Take
multiple responses and lead a discussion
on which one is preferred. This process
enables students to develop their own
interpretations, as well as listen, analyze, and critique various approaches.
It forces them to engage in music as a
form of expression as opposed to a set
of directions to be followed.
A mentor of mine once said that
music teachers often spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make
small improvements to ensemble performance. A great deal of time, energy,
and resources are expended to improve
by 2% (assuming one can encapsulate
a musical performance in a numeric
score). A conductor would stop at nothing to achieve this improvement, however, an educator might think differently. How much more could students
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learn about music in the time that is
spent to gain a small increase in performance? This is not to say that a group
should not perform well. Rather, one
must remember that performance is not
the only goal of an educator, but rather
a means to a greater end.
Advocates constantly espouse the
value of music education as a creative
endeavor. But we must ask ourselves,
how creative is it to simply follow directions and realize someone else’s creative
vision? Student experience in performing groups must lead to a more meaningful understanding of music. Ensemble directors must set goals based on
student understanding, not just on performance. When selecting repertoire,
one must consider what deeper musical
ideas students will learn, and the learning process must incorporate various
avenues of exploration.
The role of conductor is just one
of many subordinate roles that must
be played by a music educator. By carefully designing instruction and thinking more openly about the structure
of rehearsals, directors can transform
students’ ensemble experience into a
deeper, more meaningful life-long connection to music.
For more resources and articles
please visit www.danhalpernmusic.com
&
OCTOBER 2016