Conducting is not simply the act of marking beats; it is the much more rich art of communicating emotion, character, and mood through movement to a large group of performers in order to freeire them to create music together. Baton Basics is based on the premise that the most effective and musical forms of conducting are about conveying energy, and that doing so is a fundamentally physical activity. In Baton Basics, conductor Diane Wittry offers a unique approach to teaching conducting through familiar gestures: weight, resistance, and energy, combined with size, beat placement. The end goal is the ability to communicate a better concept of musical sound to the musicians. Wittry demonstrates how conductors can communicate through gestures, by training the muscles of their fingers, hands, wrists, forearms, and full arms. She also provides techniques for releasing body tension, improving posture, and developing a deeper sense of calm on the podium through overall body and breathing exercises. Additionally, she guides the reader on an exploration of the concepts and diagrams of the Musin and Saito conducting methods, and providing innovative suggestions on how to best incorporate these other styles into his or her own technique. Featuring many detailed drawings and access to over 60 video examples on the companion website, Baton Basics guides conductors away from simply marking beat patterns, and towards a nuanced and phrased musicality that can be communicated to a group of musicians. Baton Basics is a key foundational text for the student and experienced conductor alike, and is must for anyone interested in improving and expanding their vocabulary of conducting gestures.
Industry Reviews
"After her singularly successful exploration of what a modern conductor needs to know about all aspects of professional life in Beyond the Baton, Diane Wittry has written another essential book. In this lucid, comprehensive study of conducting gesture and technique, Wittry has managed to distill and clarify the essence of the conductor's craft." -Alan Gilbert, Music Director, New York Philharmonic
"Diane Wittry's Baton Basics is an extraordinary addition to the art of conducting pedagogy. With impressive clarity, she dissects the physical science of gesture and motion, and she tackles the less easily defined skills of leadership with sensitivity and understanding. Diane has explored the intricacies of our profession with great imagination and insight."-JoAnn Falletta, Music Director and Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Virginia Symphony
"Diane Wittry has proven herself as an exceptional conductor and conducting teacher whose new book Baton Basics tackles the issue of conducting from more than just a gestural aspect. Her concentration in this book for conductors is one which uses not only a systematic approach to building a gesture, but also deals with the issues of conducting without tension. Weight, resistance, intensity and the character of the musical phrase are all dealt with in
clear and concise language. This book is a valuable tool for those teaching conducting in choral or instrumental courses."-Jo-Michael Scheibe, Chair, Choral and Sacred Music, Thornton School of Music,
University of Southern California
"Diane Wittry's new book is a welcome contribution to the library of conducting texts. Her holistic approach, especially her most useful ways to imagine various hand and arm motions, will help innumerable young conductors better employ their bodies in expressing music. A must for every conductor's shelf." -Charles Peltz, Director of Wind Ensembles, New England Conservatory and Music Director, Glens Falls Symphony
