The effect of varied conductor preparatory gestures on singer upper body movement

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the effect of five conductor preparatory gestures on indirect measurements of individual singers' (N = 60) head and shoulder movements at two junctures as they sang a familiar melody. To inform music teacher preparation, the preparatory gestures were chosen to test various recommendations made by choral conducting instructors. Among primary results: (a) participant head movement significantly increased when the conductor modeled upward head movement; (b) participant shoulder movement significantly increased when the conductor modeled upward shoulder movement; (c) participant shoulder movement increased during a downward moving gesture as compared to an upward moving gesture; and (d) participant head and shoulder measurements differed between the initial breath and the internal breath taken in the melody. These results were discussed in terms of choral conducting pedagogy and music teacher preparation. © National Association for Music Education 2012.