Mr. Reid and Mr. Mathewson were discussing the role of the conductor this past week. It is interesting when a performing musician moves to the podium to become a conductor. There is a very different set of responsibilities for the performing musician and for the conductor. This week's discussion topic is likely to expose some interesting perspectives.
What do you believe is the role/responsibility of the performing musician? What do you believe is the role/responsibility of the conductor?
**Last week's posts were BEST when they included comments about other students' thoughts and ideas.**
Good luck on your exams!
-Reid
Posts
Dictionary definition of a musician: a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the role of the performing musician is to play music the way the conductor wants it to be play. The responsibilities is that they have to follow the conductor, play to play accurately and musicly, and to practice/remember their part.
Dictionary definition of a conductor: a person who directs an orchestra or chorus, communicating to the performers by motions of a baton or the hands his or her interpretation of the music.
I believe that the role of the conductor is to keep the band together and to support the band. They are responsible for making sure everyone is doing their part correctly, organizing the band (percussion in back,higher winds in the front, cue at the right time), keeping tempo, make sure the band is improving, and to provide help when needed. The conductor is in charge of making sure that the music is entertaining or educational or symbolic.
Both the musician and the conductor have the responsibility of interpreting the music and being organize(decently clothes, not losing music, etc). The musician is responsible to ask help and the conductor is responsible to give help. The musician can make suggestions, but the conductor has the power to accept it or not.
Performing musician:
ReplyDeleteThe role of the performing musician is to practice their music so thoroughly that when and if the conductor wants to change a style, they could do it without fumbling. The performing musician also needs to follow the conductor and listen to other parts of the band. It is the performing musician's responsibility to interpret what the conductor wants the music to sound like.
Conductor:
The main role of the conductor is to, as Derek said, keep the band together. He/She is to keep time, style, and dynamics for the band and correct individuals if the conductor feels that it is played wrong. The conductor also has to be able to know the music well and understand how the parts fit together. When necessary, the conductor is expected to give cues.
Both conductor and performing musicians have to be responsible overall, such as being on time, proper clothing, etc.
Performing musician:
ReplyDeleteThe role of the performing musician is to practice their music so thoroughly that when and if the conductor wants to change a style, they could do it without fumbling. The performing musician also needs to follow the conductor and listen to other parts of the band. It is the performing musician's responsibility to interpret what the conductor wants the music to sound like.
Conductor:
The main role of the conductor is to, as Derek said, keep the band together. He/She is to keep time, style, and dynamics for the band and correct individuals if the conductor feels that it is played wrong. The conductor also has to be able to know the music well and understand how the parts fit together. When necessary, the conductor is expected to give cues.
Both conductor and performing musicians have to be responsible overall, such as being on time, proper clothing, etc.
Preforming Musician - The role/responsibility of the preforming musician is to... preform! Of course if the preforming musician is part of a quartet, duet, trio, or is a soloist, it is up to he/she to practice their part/music to their liking. But if the musician is part of a band, orchestra, or symphony orchestra, they must know their part and practice it, as Derek and Linda has mentioned. However the musician must also be prepared for changes in the music in accordance to how the conductor wants the music to be played(i.e. Tempo, playing style etc.)
ReplyDeleteConductor - The role/responsibility of the conductor is to... conduct! Although the conductor does not play an instrument while conducting, it is their job to study each musician's part in a composition and know it front to back. Although I would not necessarily say the conductor keeps the band together, as Derek says, but rather the conductor keeps the band in time and organized as the conductor is not only in command during a performance but as well as preparation prior to the performance.
The musician is expected to be prepared for what ever the conductor WANTS to do, as well as being expected to KNOW what to do. However the musician is also expecting the conductor to KNOW what to do, during or prior to a performance.
I think it's interesting how the previous comments implied that the conductor is responsible for the style, not the musician, as if to say that the musician has no freedom in their own interpretation. Obviously I don't agree with this. The interpretation of the music is a mutual agreement between the conductor and the musician, which re-enforces the idea that being in an ensemble creates unity amongst people; should anything have to be adjusted, it is more reliable to trust the conductor as s/he is the one that hears the entire piece as a whole without any bias (i.e. not being distracted by their own parts). So yes, that would mean that sometimes there are disagreements on the interpretation; this does happen in the music world where bands break up due to musical differences. But for playing a composed piece, there's a general style to the piece where the details get specified based on the musician's/conductor's life experiences and personality, so to have musical conflicts in interpretation would mean that either one or both are so far off from the intent that they've read something completely different, or one or both have different ideas on how to present the music (e.g. musician wants to play traditionally, conductor wants to play satirically). I'm sure there are more, but those are the only ways I can think of where the interpretations are so different that they actually induce conflicts. Anyways, I'd hate to think that I have no say in choosing how I want play the music, and that I must abide completely and mindlessly by Mr. Reid's and Ms. Fox's words for the style.
ReplyDeleteUmm… so onto the actual topic:
Conductor’s role:
I agree that one of the conductor’s responsibilities is to keep time so that the ensemble plays together, but I wouldn’t say they are the sole reason for the tempo. Even non-musicians can keep a tempo, so why must trained musicians rely on a moving stick for time? Because the tempo per person will speed up and slow down very insignificantly without having a solid beat to play towards (as learned from when I’d lose my multiplier playing repeated notes in Rock Band). One person will speed up while another will follow until it all accumulates into a totally different tempo. So the conductor acts as the mutual tempo for everyone to play at while being strict with it (i.e. not following the ensemble’s tempo). Plus, they’re also there to help any lost musician jump back in. Also, the conductor conducts (damn that sounds bad) expressively not just to reiterate the style, but to give the musicians energy to feed off of. Nothing kills emotions better than watching a guy who plays apathetically. The conductor listens to the music and feeds off of that while the musician sees the conductor’s expressive gestures and feed off of that to sustain the mood of the piece. Whilst doing this, the conductor must be aware of not just the dramatic feelings, also the subtle feelings and be able to signal this no matter how passionately they feel the music. Like Justin and Linda said, the conductor must know the music well, where each cues is, and how each passage flows into one another (I actually have a belief that conductor should conduct WITHOUT a score—that’s how well they should know it). I also don’t think many people realize this, but conductors need to practice too! Have you ever tried switching from 4/4 to 2/4 to 5/4 to 3/8 in the same piece? It ain’t easy. Should a conductor be unfamiliar with a piece, s/he should be aware of the odd occurrences and practice, and should they happen to use a score, s/he should be just as prepared as the musician to make markings in the score for their own reference. S/he should also treat all section with equal amount of attention, (i.e. not just attending to the melody) and signal cues so that the musician can both come in at the exact time desired by the conductor and to be reminded of how important that cue is.
Musician’s role:
The obvious role for a musician is to play their part that make up an entire piece. They have to practice it not for the sake of doing well, but so that they can make the practices with the ensemble as efficient as possible—you come into rehearsal to practice being in a group, not to learn the piece. They also hold the responsibility of knowing the parts and understanding the music just as much as the conductor does. Like Justin said, they must be flexible in terms of style, environment, conductors, and sometimes instruments. While being flexible to change, they also must be flexible to different types of music and appreciate them at least for what they like, even if it’s only one section. Also, it is not optional, it’s a must for musicians to stylize their playing and play the music as intended. It’s what gives life to the music. It’s what draws people to want to listen to your playing specifically. A musician must also listen while playing; I cannot stress this enough. I find that many people come into an ensemble so engrossed into their own parts that they’re completely unaware of what’s going around them, and unfortunately this habit could transpose into their daily life.
role of musician: to interpret sound and use creativity to make music, and to share with others.
ReplyDeleterole of conductor: to guide the musicians within a group, and help keep individuals on track so that the ensemble can mesh into one and make music together.
Role/Resp. of a musican is....
ReplyDeleteYour role is to know the notes and picking up the rythm of the beat and knowing kwoing what your doing. In order for you to play infront of a crowd you have to play the exact same notes that are written in your note book and also making sure that you play it right and well. Another role is to be concious and have a very positive attitude towards your peers and to your self. You dont want to be stressing out on stage while playing, your just gonna make a fool of yourself. So you have to watch out for that.
Resp. for you, is to make sure you have all the parts you need to play your instrument and have all the right songs that away you`ll be playing the songs right and very beautifuly. Another resp. you are incharge of is that if your sections are having trouble with some stuff and cant seem to control there self you got to get them organized yourself and make sure evrything are good.
Role/Resp. for a conductor is .....
That you are conducting the whole class and getting the audiences attention. Another role is that you have to communicate with the players and cuing there role when to play.
A resp. for a conductor is that you are waving the waund properly and listening to the music carefully and even mostly paying attention the the wave sounds of the music and beat. When conducting you must glide through the the song and listen to the magical music and understanding the composers views.
Role of musicians: to develop a strong relationship with other musicians in the group so dependance isn't upon one person (conductor).
ReplyDeleteRole of conductor: to guide the musicians to depend on each other as a group and not on the conductor in a way so a conductor is not necessary anymore.
In a way, each musician is a conductor. If the conductor fails to deliver, the group will not fail because instead of the heavy reliance on the conductor, the musicians can depend on each other to deliver the final product.
A group of musicians is greater than one conductor.
Role of musician: To translate dots on a page into harmony that can be felt throughout their own body as well as others.’ A musician should also interpret music as something they believe in, that is merely guided and not created by the conductor.
ReplyDeleteRole of conductor: To facilitate the musicians with direction in the form of style and given rhythms. A conductor is there as a “tour guide” for a musician to get a feel for how a piece sounds technically, which allows them to use their creativity to interpret the sound into music.
As a musician, it is our responsibility to commit ourselves to the music we play. This includes the practice of techniques, the research of background of piece, the considerations of the instrument's boundaries and most importantly expressing the music through the fusion of those three elements. In addition, a musician should feel free to express their interpretation but also open to other suggestions or changes (such as those from the conductor). For soloists, it is important to convey the musical message to the audience and successfully "move" them " with soaring melodies or whatever. While performing in a group environment, it is always vital to listen to, pay attention to and accordingly accompany other members regardless to which line they are playing. In bands especially, the best performances are when the members discuss, understand and support each other through means of music but relationships as that can be heard felt, and seen by the audience.
ReplyDeleteThe conductor is the puppeteer of an entire show. When moving from a musician to a conductor, initially an overwhelming responsibility for others falls upon them. In addition to the responsibilities of a musician, the interpretation that is normally experienced alone on a single instrument is suddenly required to be played by many separate others sometimes even hundreds. The first challenge is almost like letting others read your mind. In my opinion, put the interpretation into words in order to meld the separate individuals together all while trying to avoid misunderstandings. The relationship between the conductor and musicians would also greatly help in this challenge. Along with words, a conductor's action should be "clear" and "obvious" (phrasing, dynamics, cues) so that the many musicians can all follow. When that's done, consider others' opinions or questions on a piece because this may be a subconscious or ,at times, conscious display of questioning the conductor's interpretation and it is important that everyone is clear on what they're supposed to do. This way the conductor will be considered as part of the band and not simply controlling the band like a successful puppeteer.
Feel free to disagree with my rambling ;)
Both the conductor and the musician have the responsibility of being in tune with each other so they can work in harmony. You can't have an ensemble without a conductor, and you certainly can't have a conductor without an ensemble. However, a small group of performing musicians could work without a conductor as long as they work together to be their own conductors, in a sense.
ReplyDeleteThe conductor of a large ensemble, such as our senior band, has the responsibility of choosing the music and guiding the musicians on a certain path. As other people have noted, an effective conductor keeps the band together, although it is the job of each individual performing musician to pay attention and stay in time. The conductor reminds the performing musicians of dynamics and hints at elements like colour and emotion that he or she believes the composer wanted to portray.
The performing musician must take the information and advice from the conductor and interpret it. The conductor will not tell the performing musician exactly how soft to play, or exactly what to feel while playing. It is up to the musician to decide this; to take an idea from the conductor and turn it into a reality. He or she also has to be in tune with the musicians around him or her, but it is not up to him or her to decide what anyone else should be doing.
In summary, it is the conductor's responsibility to manage the ensemble as a whole.
It is up to the individual musician to make sure he or she is positively contributing as one small but significant part of the whole.
I like the simple explanation Yusely provided, as that captured the gist of it really well, without needing to resort to long-windedness.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with her position; it is the role of the musicians to, of course, know the notes and technicalities, and play them correctly, as well as add musicality with-in their interpretations of the written music.
The role of the conductor is to keep the ensemble together, and in a school situation, help students with new technical difficulties, or notations. They can also suggest and guide the interpretations of the musicians towards the desired sound, filling them in with background information and composers notes that the musicians have less ready access to. It is also about providing a guide to how the parts fit together, as each musician does not receive a full score as the conductor does. But this is mostly about the technical need for a unifying factor, the actual unity and musicality is up to the band.
The role of a musician is to play the music well, listen to the conductor, as well as your fellow band mates, and helping others.
ReplyDeleteA conductor's role to me is that he/she has to direct the musicians, to help the musician play at the right time, and to give instructions and tips on what to do when you need help.
-Role/responsibility of the performing musician
ReplyDeleteAs a performing musician, he/she must always be willing to play any piece of music. Of course, as a performing musician, he/she will like some styles of music while he/she will not like other styles of music. However, the choice of music that the ensemble plays depends on the opinion of other musicians in the ensemble and the conductor. Therefore, the performing musician MUST play any piece of music that the ensemble chooses. During this year, I've observed that about 15% of the band (In block G) "whine" when we are about to rehearse a particular piece of music (No offence intended to anyone). I could see that some piece of music is preferred over other piece of music that we play this year. This is one critical error that is occurring in our band for several years. The willingness to play any piece of music will determine how well a musician can play(Of course, this difference could be little or significant). Also, the performing musician should listen to others in his/her own section as well as other sections. The musician should also have a daily time when he/she practices and a good technique when it comes to practicing.
-Role/responsibility of the conductor
The conductor is the key to a success in any ensemble. Since the conductor has the full score of any music that the ensemble plays, it is one of the conductor's responsibilities to hear and pick apart each different parts. Also, hearing every part in the correct style and tempo is critical. The conductor must be able to pick out anyone in the ensemble who does not play any section in a piece of music correctly. This could include such things as tuning,tempo,or style. One of the best characteristics of any conductor will be to deliver to the performing musicians and to the audience the emotions involved in a piece of music. As I have watched many classical performances, I have observed that many classical conductors enjoy conducting itself and I can clearly tell the style and emotions involved in each piece of music.
The only musical groups that feature conductors are large orchestras/ensembles. Rock bands, jazz quintets, brass ensembles, etc. need no conductor, I think, because of the (assumed) musical intimacy between the relatively small number of players. It is also easier to hear each part. Could a larger ensemble function without a conductor? Only if the band was comprised of masters, who could hear each part as well as interpret their own part's role within the whole, all while playing their part artistically. A conductor is very helpful even then; he guides the whole group not only in time, but in colour, texture, dynamics, etc. with his baton and body language.
ReplyDeleteSo basically a conductor's role is to help the many members function better together, but it is still the individual members' roles to interpret, listen, and play artistically.
Musician:
ReplyDeleteI think that our role as a musician is to be able to play a given piece of music, and be able to follow the conductor, and their instructions. Our responsibilities would be that we have to go home and practice our music, so that the following day, we would be able to play the piece well, follow the dynamics, and interpret the music well.
Conductor:
The role of a conductor is that they are supposed to be able to conduct well, and know their score so that they would conduct a piece of music successfully, so that the band would be able to make nice music. And so their one their responsibilities, would be to practice conducting their music at home and have it ready to conduct.
I feel that the role of a conductor is to keep time as well as help indicate, or even, remind us how a certain part is meant to be played, a tempo change, and sometimes, emotions. For example, when, in band, Mr. Reid wants more out of a section, he'ld look at the section and gesture at them, while keeping time, to play out more. The conductor also helps any wayward musician who gets lost find his way back into the piece. Not that the sole responsibility of keeping time is kept in the conductor's hand, the responsiblity is also shared by the musician who must keep his own sense of time and tempo.
ReplyDeleteA musician's role is to be able to be prepared to play the piece they're given in the alloted time before a performance. This role includes not only being able to play the piece note for note, but being able to play it with cohesively with the rest of the ensemble as well as being able to play it expressively and with a suitable interpretation of the piece.
I agree that musicians do have to interpret the music but I think that ultimately interpretation of a piece is the responsibility of the conductor.
ReplyDeleteJust as a big Hollywood film typically has one director, an ensemble as big as ours has one conductor. The director of a movie has a vision that the cast and crew work towards, and the conductor of a band has a 'vision' that the musicians work towards. If every individual was free to interpret and play the music however they wished, without the guidance of the conductor, the end result would be very different. It is the role of the conductor to put everyones focus on the same vision. The conductor guides us in our interpretation of the dots on our page. He feeds us the background information he finds useful, uses helpful analogies, informs us of other peoples' parts, waves his hands around and tells us directly how he thinks the dots should be translated into music. From that, each individual is responsible for conforming to his vision, watching the conductor, listening to the rest of the ensemble and to themselves, aswell as paying attention to dynamics, rhythm and style. The conductor acts as, as Yette put it, the "unifying factor"; he interprets the words and symbols of the composer and conducts the ensemble towards one sound.
gosh I hope that made sense. I am super tired.
for some reason my reply to the last discussion topic wasn't posted so let's hope this one works..
Performing Musicians:
ReplyDeleteI believe the role for performing musicians is to work hard trying to exceed the conductor's expectations. Also to thoroughly practice their material knowing every bar. It is important for the muscians and conductor to be on the same page because the muscians are interpreting the conductor's image of music.
Conductors Role:
The role of the conductor is to have the knowledge to guide the musicans through the music. It's the conductor's job to point out the mistakes and help the musicans fix them. One of the most important things that a conductor does is develop the sound for the ensemble.
Musician
ReplyDeleteI think the role of performing musician is to play a piece of music fluently. In order to do so, you should go home and practice. While practicing, try to concentrate and pay attention to what you’re playing in case you make a mistake, if you do, fix it, and you will play your role.
Conductor
The conductor is the leader of the band and has the responsibility to keep the ensemble together. The conductor tries to keep the band in beat while playing a piece of music. Therefore the conductor is important to the band.
i believe a role of a musician is to play their best and listen to their fellow classmates and the conductor
ReplyDeletei believe a role of a conductor is to help the musicians to keep in the timing
Performing musician:
ReplyDeleteI think the role of the musician is to play any piece of music the conductor wants and play it how it is interpreted musically instead of just technically and how it is on the sheet. Also, if the musician has trouble with a part, its his/her responsibility to fix it.
Conductor:
I think the role of the conductor is to lead the ensemble by keeping them in time and to point out any mistakes or problems to someone and try to help them fix it. Also, the conductor is expected to give cues if it has to be played at that exact time or if its a very important part of the piece.
I liked Yusely's explanation the best. It was simple and summarized much of what everyone said, and my thoughts mirror hers.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to note the various levels of ownership/responsibility which come with being either a musician (when playing individually or in an ensemble) or conductor. Performing by yourself offers the least amount of 'responsibility' as, better or for worse, you are only affecting yourself. When you are part of an ensemble it is your job to work your hardest so you don't disappoint your fellow musicians. Your ups and downs will now not only affect yourself, but others as well. Finally, other than the 'general necessities', it is the conductor's responsibility to gain the trust and respect of their ensemble in order to be a 'proper' leader. A great conductor is not one without the support of his/her peers and, as such, the conductor has the greatest amount of responsibility.
I think that the role of a musician is to interpret how the conductor wants the music to be played. A musician should listen to the other people in group so they can understand how their part fits in.
ReplyDeleteI think the conductor's role is to guide the whole group. The conductor keeps the group in time and makes sure the piece sounds musical. They make the music sound like one group not a lot of people that happen to be playing the same song.
I believe the role of a musician is to play music as if they were singing it. As in listening to each other, and helping each other out.
ReplyDeleteThe role of a conductor is to conduct with best interest, and with eye contact. Because without eye contact-there is no contact with the musician.
I think that the musician must understand the music that they are playing, and practice it so that they are able to play almost flawlessly in class. The conductor must also do their homework; they have to know all the details of the music that they are conducting and be able to unify all of the musicians so that when the band plays as a whole, the musicians will know their individual parts and the conductor will know how to join these together.
ReplyDeleteThe role and responsibility of the performing musician is to practice and be familiar enough with the material to watch the conductor and take signals to interpret the notes to make it music. When practicing at home the musician must master the techniques, notes, and rhythm, whereas during rehearsal the musician must watch the conductor and convert to match his/her style, dynamics, musicality, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe role and responsibility of the conductor is to review the score well enough on his/her own to rehearse the piece with the ensemble and be familiar with the parts, style of the song, dynamics, key, etc. He/she needs to know the piece well enough to specifically work on and improve the piece (like going over certain parts to improve the sound quality/technique/musicality etc). He/she is in charge of leading the musical expression and style of the piece so that the performing musicians can then take that then make it their own in one way or the other. The conductor also brings the entire ensemble together and ties everything in.
Preforming Musician:
ReplyDeleteThe role of the musician is to watch the conductor, know the music well and help others in their section.
Conductors Role:
The conductors role is to be able to keep the group in time and make sure that they are guiding the group towards portraying the composers masterpiece.
First I would like to acknowledge the facts that everyone has posted, they are amazing. Even when I post, it would sound like I got the ideas from you guys in the first place. I can’t help but search for some different ways to say what you guys are trying to say. So here is a short something to add to an already amazing blog.
ReplyDeleteMusicians are like lines of different colored patterns of thread, ready to make something whole. Typically a thread can be thick or thin it just doesn't matter, they make different "colors" of sounds. Sounds that make the music more, boosting the feeling, emotion and expression that a conductor can't do with a stick alone. Different ranges of player have different sounds even if they use the same instruments, because everyone thinks differently and feels different in their own way. Musicians are independent sometimes, but when we put them together, with help from a important role, The Conductor.
The Conductor has a role that is pretty special. Not because he stands in the front the whole time, but because all the musicians look up to him. Like the owner who watches over the receivers and senders of a blog, a conductor is simply the needle to the thread (musicians).He weaves it all together to form what is called music. Sewing music? Well it just happens to make a wide variety of different clothes and sheets of sounds. Colors of sound vary with the musicians not the conductor; for he is only a needle, creating such a masterpiece with all the thread he has been given. However don't take the conductor too lightly, because not everyone can sew music together in a way that is beautiful and breathe taking, it either takes a great amount of skill or just pure talent and skill.
Sometimes it takes two to make music. Well a needle and thread to make something heart warming or a conductor and musician to make something fantastic.
I think that the role and responsibility of the conductor is to guide the musicians to help them reach their full musical potential. The conductor communicates with the musicians through motions of a baton or through his/her hands with his/her interpretation of the music. The conductor needs to keep the band together and on track. The conductor needs to keep time, indicate when instruments need to come in with cues, and keep dynamics. A conductor also needs to notify the musician when something is being done wrong so that it can be fixed and the ensemble can sound better.
ReplyDeleteI think that the role and responsibility of the performing musician is to know what he/she is playing. The musician needs to be attentive and listen to those around them. A performing musician needs to constantly get their heads up from the page and look at the conductor to make sure that they are in sync with the rest of the band. I a performing musician also needs to be flexible and adapt to what the conductor wants to hear in terms of style, dynamics, and tone.
Musician
ReplyDeleteThe role of the musician is to learn their parts such as figuring out difficult transitions, fingerings, and rhythm. They should be able to prepare the pieces in a given time and perform them well. In class, they need to be aware of their own part and how it fits in the ensemble. As well, noting things down and not losing anything are also the musician's responsibility. In their practice time, a musician should learn to play the song with style and expression in a way that the conductor might want. They also need to be aware of any signals that that a conductor might give while playing. However like David Wong said, the musician should not always depend on a conductor to be able to play together.
Conductor
The role of the conductor is to obtain challenging music that intrigues interests in the musicians. The conductor should also show us how he/she wants the piece played and assist us with difficult parts. He/she informs us on the time and attire for upcoming events. When the conductor asks for a part to be worked on, he should follow up and check to see if the part of the song is actually practiced. Few of the things that a conductor should teach us are how to interpret and how to play with style and emotion in the piece. In class, he/she should show us techniques and exercises that we can use to enhance our skills. Also, the conductor should bring the band together and provides us with the feeling like we belong together, so then the music will be together.
The Role/Responsibility of a conductor
ReplyDeleteThe role of a conductor is to keep the band together, as well as instructing the band on what he wants the sound to be like, or what style he wants the song to be played as. Because the conductor is what holds the band together, he or she must know the music well, so therefore the responsibility of the conductor is to learn the music well.
The Role/Responsibility of a musician
The role of a musician is to play together with the band, as well as studying the music, and playing in the style indicated. The responsibility of the musician is to learn the parts of the song, as well as watching the conductor for cues and speed changes.
Performing musician
ReplyDeleteTo learn their part(tempo, fingerings, style) and to know how their part fits into the piece. Their responsibility is also to look at the conductor to pick up the tempo and look out for cues.
Conductor
To keep the band together and to guide the musicians through the piece.
Musician:
ReplyDeleteI think the role of a playing musician is to be able to interpret their pieces of music and also practice them. They should listen to the what's around them and also figure out how they fit into the big picture. During rehearsals they should carry a pencil to mark down things that are discussed in class. They should watch the conducter but they should also count in their head to keep the tempo.
Conducter:
I think a conducter's main job is to show the tempo and the colour changes through moving the baton. They should know their music well, maybe even better than a playing musician. That way they could cue in certain parts, and keep the band together as a whole.
I agree with Luke's take on the role and responsiblity of a musician. Notes on a piece of paper is not music; it's up to the musicians to provide their interpretation and musicality to the piece. This also includes transitions and colour changes, and little things like dynamiccs and articulations. They also have to be aware of the parts around them, and where their part fits in with the rest of the ensemble.
ReplyDeleteThe conductor is who unites these musicians in time, and one interpretation. In large ensembles, it is difficult to hear every part, so the conductor is the one who holds everyone together.
I have to agree with Yusely and Yette.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty simple. The role of the musician is to play the piece correctly and use there own interrpritation. Nevertheless, i think they also have the responsibility to play the music the way the consucter invisioned it. They have to represent the conducter in the best light possible while still putting their own musicianship into it.
The role of the conducter is to guide the musicaian into what he or she wants. They have to be responsible for communicating if they want their interrpiratation to work out. For that, they have the responsponsability of knowing exactly what they want from the musiciand. Then they have to be able to tell them.
-Emily McBa
I believe the role of a performing musician is to play their part musically-which requires practice time-, to watch the conductor and play in time, and to listen to the music being played by themselves and others.
ReplyDeleteThe conductors responsibility is to guide the performers through the piece and to keep the music flowing well.
Sorry for the late comment, but just got back to mentality of things after being confined to a bed for most of the past week.
ReplyDeleteRole of a Performing Musician:
To interpret feeling out of dots on a page in the style depicted by conductor. Individual work that the group cannot work without must be done as well for the performer to succeed. Also as Anna mentioned earlier, it is the performers responsibility to come to rehearsal ready to play as a group, not as an individual.
Role of a conductor:
To know the music well enough to introduce time, style, phrase flow accurately to performers. (note that rhythm and notes are not part of this as this should be in the hands of the performer already) Basically, the conductor should be playing the music in his/her head with minimal errors before hearing the actual band play it.
Roles of both:
To work together. Eye contact should be active, ears open as well. A conductor and performer must share something to turn music into something great; and that's attention to detail. That can be easily found in a simple gesture that must connect from the conductor to the performer. Also the same goes vice versa in situations such as cadenzas.
The role of the conductor, in my opinion, is to communicate the desired style of a piece. The performing musician interprets what they see on a page, perhaps in a style they think is suitable, but the conductor directs that style, in such a way, that a good ensemble of 100 can sound like one.
ReplyDeleteThe role of the musician is to follow the conductor and to interrpret the music on the page. Their responsibilty would be to listen and watch the conductor and everyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe role of the conductor is to lead and hold the band together. The responsibility is to make no mistakes and to direct tempo and colours changes etc. throughout the peice.
The role of the musician is to interpret and read the music, but not to get too indulged in it. The musician should also be able to play what the conductor is trying to portray.
ReplyDeleteThe role of a conductor is to be able to communicate with the band in front of them and give them meaningful signs that signify exactly what you want to hear.
The musician is who makes music based on the paper and conduct. However, he/she needs to play the style that how the conductor wants to play the music even thought that is not exactly how it goes.
ReplyDeleteThh conductor is one of the band who acts as 'diplomat'. He/she interprets the music and shares the idea with all musicians by conducting band. He/she shouldn't be the one who doesn't give clear sign that whole band cannot communicate.
Musician: basically, to sum it up in one word- musicianship. We learn about that in strings a bit and my interpretation of good musicianship is to: a)practice your parts as much as you can b) come prepared [instrument, music, PENCIL, ready to learn etc.] c)being supportive of your peers d) to follow and communicate with the conductor [especially while playing eg: making eye contact, following cues and gestures from the conductor] d) be commited [come to rehersals, work hard in making the sheet music into real music] e) to just enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteConductor: they are like the leader of the band, the one who pulls the musicians together and melds all of the individual preparation of the musicians into an ensemble. They need to be confident and prepared in what they do.[study the piece, conduct in a sure manner] They also have to be highly adaptable to their surrounding/circumstances. [eg. different bands have different social dynamics, acoustics at different performece places are different].
The roles and responsibilties of the
ReplyDeleteMusician:
Are to be able to play thier part and instrument without mistake. If something needs to be changes they should be able to just changes it and play it within a practice or two. They are the musical part of a band. You could put just a conductor on stage but that wouldn't be musical. They musicians need to have with them all the equipment need for a practice/performance. last but no least they MUST enjoy themselves!
Conductor:
Are to keep the band in time, and in tempo. He/She is there to choose the style and make it one band instead of a group of individul palyers that are in the same room. The conductor should know the music too. To know when to que the musician to come in and to be able to correct the band to make sure they have the best performance possible.