“Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they just need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and the greatest things can happen.”
Pete Carroll
As conductors, our art is non-verbal communication. As ensemble directors, our main focus is people. In both of these things, it takes an unbiased, outside set of eyes to find ways to fine-tune our skills.
When I coach, I strive to help conductors understand their gesture as a closed system of communication. Understanding what our movements are and are not communicating, and learning to avoid noise and confusion in our signal allows us to find greater efficiency in serving the needs of the music and the ensemble. In finding gestural efficiency, we find a cleaner canvas on which to paint the music.
In our work with our ensembles, building community is key. Word choices, rehearsal techniques, repertoire selection, standing arrangements, and even attire can play a big part in working for or against this goal. We all fall into patterns. My role as a coach is to help people recognize patterns that may be working against their goals, and help replace those old patterns with new habits that facilitate positive community.
Paul H. Thompson 