by Kurt Knecht | May 9, 2013 | Uncategorized
I’ve written on this topic before, but it’s another great and simple rule for conductors. Don’t be an ass. If you didn’t get the memo, the days of the Toscanini type of tyrant conductor are over. For people like Ricardo Muti, it sometimes takes...
by Kurt Knecht | May 8, 2013 | Uncategorized
Please don’t sing while your conducting. I think conductors who specialize in choral music are more guilty of this than others. The singing conductor, however, is unfortunately not exclusively limited to choir directors. Many instrumentalists know the odd and...
by Kurt Knecht | May 8, 2013 | Uncategorized
Here is a great rule. Listen to your ensemble and practice the sections of the music that need work. When you actually work to listen to your ensemble, it places accountability on them. They will work harder because they know that someone is working very hard to pay...
by Kurt Knecht | May 7, 2013 | Uncategorized
When you are dealing with professional musicians, the educational component is still present, but your demeanor and approach need to be different. With professionals, you need to communicate what you want, but you must also give them the space and respect to create...
by Kurt Knecht | May 5, 2013 | Uncategorized
Here is an absolute rule that is constantly broken. In an educational context, it is absolutely necessary when asking a student to do something to give him or her the tools required for accomplishing the task. Most often, this takes the form of a practicing strategy.I...
by Kurt Knecht | May 4, 2013 | Uncategorized
Stop talking so much. Seriously. Stop talking so much. If you are talking, the ensemble is not rehearsing. I once played for a conductor who was perplexed that the ensemble was not learning music very quickly. The conductor said to me, “I don’t...
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