My Professional Philosophy /Pedagogical Approach
Performing choral music is a uniquely unifying human endeavor, which has the potential to engender glimpses of the sublime. Abraham Maslow refers to these moments as peak experiences. In my career I have found that these transformative experiences can be actively sought through a teaching and rehearsing pedagogy that is tied to a Socratic educational philosophy.
Generally speaking, the paradigm of the past is a top-down approach, which in my (humble) opinion is restrictive to the growth of both the ensemble and conductor. If I were to prioritize our collective mission as conductors/educators, I would say that the music and its intent should be our first goal, the musical, emotional and intellectual growth of our ensembles, both collectively and individually, our second goal, and in a distant third place the conductor’s self-importance.
How is a unified, collaborative and meaningful approach to be achieved? It is important to realize that this is a constant, self-perpetuating process that starts with the introduction of each new piece and ends with the ensemble’s internalization and rendering of the composer’s intention. In actuality, it begins in our program planning long before we introduce the piece to the choir. Clearly, the choice of repertoire is of paramount importance, if one of our goals is to bring the composer’s intention to fruition. There are many fine composers who select wonderful texts and set them in a meaningful and artful way. They can be found in every period of music and from all cultures. A varied and balanced repertoire should be a chosen, because each piece of music that we perform becomes a portal into its own world, where we have the opportunity (and duty, ultimately) of reaching into that world making it alive and vibrant.
After we have chosen repertoire, we must have a teaching strategy that is effective – a strategy that sees clearly the final goal at the first reading of the piece. Interestingly, the final goal is not the concert – it is that peak experience moment when the ensemble realizes the intention of the composer and brings it to life. If we are teaching to and for a concert, festival, etc., then I think we have missed the boat. Many of the peak experiences that have occurred with my choirs have happened during rehearsal.
To offer an exhaustive explanation of my pedagogical approach is beyond the scope of this missive. Rather, I shall offer a listing of essential areas that underpin the process: demand and teach for excellence; teach your choirs to read music; know and demonstrate vocal health; develop keen listening skills; keep your rehearsal productive and lively; create cohesion in your ensembles; allow the choir to take responsibility and release control. Each of these topics could generate lengthy articles and there are many other topics that could have been included, but you get the general idea.
Finally, I will leave you with what I share each summer with the participants of the Sarteano Workshop:
“Good conductors tell their choirs about the music. Excellent conductors show the music with their gestures. Master conductors unfold music as if it were an inevitable process of nature, a collaboration like the opening of a flower’s petals.” - Brian O’Connell