Perplexity regarding the conducting direction

But what else can be done on the other hand? Do you prepare an orchestra / chamber group for an entrance exam? I think what they want to see is the technique of the gesture and the ability to conduct in advance... in other words, the basis of conducting; after all, if you attend a course, it's because you have to learn... if we were already "learned" we wouldn't need it

I don't know yet how conducting courses are outside of Italy, but I don't think every conservatory prepares a symphonic movement specifically for entrance exams; if instead they can "afford" to do so, then I will eat my words

I don't know what to think... meanwhile, I often use the expression "conducting a record" when I see conductors who have absolutely no influence on the orchestra's performance. When a conductor moves on their own and you can distinctly hear that the orchestra is not doing what the conductor is asking, just like a record.

But if I had to decide how to organize an entrance exam for a conducting course, well, I would also be plagued by a thousand doubts...

I understand your points of view and they have raised a question (which I had thought about without delving deep) for which I have tried to find an answer.

I don't have unbeatable experience, but I followed a basic conducting course and conducted something (a beautiful experience).

While it is true that one must learn... if we were already "learned" we wouldn't need it, it is also true that for admission to the first year of piano you must play something, so it is reasonable that there be a "real" conducting test (I will explain what I mean later).

In my opinion, to evaluate the "potential" abilities of a future conductor, even a small instrumental group might suffice, such as a string orchestra made up of a few elements.

Given that I take for granted that if a conservatory wants to manage an orchestral conducting course it must have an orchestra and that the same, for obvious reasons, should also be available for admission tests, I think they could quite well require the candidate to prepare (however they see fit, using a CD?) on a selection of pieces that the orchestra knows and has studied to perfection. On the day of the test, the candidate can highlight their abilities by showing charisma, gesture, concertation (even if it is "zero") in front of flesh and blood musicians... the same thing they would do with the audio from a CD, so why not?

It is a real test, certainly more selective (and since when does that spoil things?), exciting, and immediately useful to the candidate.

The opposite would be like applying for a singing class by singing playback to Pavarotti... think about it carefully, come on.

Am I wrong?

conducting a CD.

that's what I used to do too at 12-16 years old (if I was alone at home, because otherwise I would feel embarrassed).

in reality, by doing this thing, one does not conduct but rather one is 'conducted' (by the music that is already there, beautifully packaged) and the pseudo-conductor is actually nothing more than a dancer! who translates into gesture the emotions that the music evokes.

When one truly conducts, however, the beauty of the gesture is the last thing... the first things are effectiveness and clarity... otherwise the music does not happen.

Anyway, when conducting, the gesture must be ahead, so conducting over a CD is possible. If instead you follow the orchestra, you are not conducting as Luca says... How do you think most conducting students practice? This year I studied conducting in addition to piano, and to practice at home I conducted over a CD, since the gesture (both for attacks and for dynamics, phrasing, and anything else) must be ahead in real conducting; even in "virtual" conducting it must be so. The examiner sees immediately if you are conducting or following the CD..

PS: I will add that having tried both things, in my opinion conducting to a CD is more difficult than conducting an orchestra!

I don't have much time now but I will get back to it as soon as possible but

>in my opinion conducting a CD is harder than conducting an orchestra!

More than anything it is useless, I have seen students present themselves with the CD and everything seemed to go smoothly and then fail "miserably" when faced with arrangements for piano four hands. In short, if 2 don't start together... let alone 30

The other thing that the CD doesn't help with is time management, since he conducts it is as if he were also dictating the metronome but with a real orchestra it is already difficult to get the right tempo, let alone managing changes in tempo (agogics).

And there are many other things to say, but I will get back to it.

Assuming that the CD doesn't help and that I don't think one has a duo available every time, how should a conducting student practice?

Besides using the CD, I used to practice by playing one voice at a time on the piano and conducting with the other hand, but it cannot be done for the entire symphony... I think (in my case, I did it for the most difficult passages)

Of course pianthor, surely this is a first step or one of the steps. One of the things a conductor should know perfectly about an opera is the melos (precisely meaning that by melos one does not only mean melody) and if it is mainly composed of melody, the conductor should be able to sing it perfectly (with correct dynamics and breathing). Only singing can restore the true sense, for example, of the wind parts.

Conducting pedagogy is an articulated subject matter.