A presentation that encompasses the lessons one conductor learned from master teacher Jerry Jordan. This presentation is one attempt to codify all of the lessons I learned about directing choral music from my mentor.

1. Good to Great: Conducting, Rehearsal, and Discipline

2. Good to Great: Everything I Know About Creating an Exceptional Choir

3. Good to Great: Lessons my father taught me: a tribute to Jerry Jordan

4. Jordan Training 1985 – 1990 Undergraduate (Clinton High School) (Broadmoor Baptist Church) (Master’s Mississippi College) (Doctorate, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1993-1997) 1997 – 2000 “visiting professor” $20,000 Real education

6. Basics: High expectation Excellence

7. Basics: Recruiting Your people are everything. Do everything you can to get the right people in choir.

8. Basics: Travel Recruiting bonus Show your choir the world Expose students to tastes, smells, sounds of other cultures

9. Basics: Blend Same Pitch Same Vowel Same Volume

10. Basics: Taking the stage. Confidence. Connecting with the audience. Tempo of walking speed.

11. Basics: Selecting the Music The Secrets

12. It’s not easy.

13. It’s not easy.

14. Pick music that makes your choir sounds good.

15. Don’t Follow the Crowd.

16. Embrace the Classics.

17. Avoid the Latest & Greatest.

18. Avoid the Latest & Greatest. Unless it is REALLY good.

19. Look for music written by people that understand the voice

20. Look for music by composers who exhibit creative thought.

22. The Infinite Variety of Music

23. Infinite Variety of Music

24. Infinite Variety of Music

25. How many different ways can a note be sung?

27. Nuance A Few Secrets

28. Hearing beyond what you see:

29. Hearing beyond what you see: Ability to See what isn’t there.

30. Hearing beyond what you see: Seeing Beyond what the Composer Provided

31. Hearing beyond what you see: Imagining Inspiring Sounds

32. Hearing beyond what you see: See what is Implied

33. Hearing beyond what you see: Courage to Break the Rules

34. What is the Most Expressive Element in Music?

35. What is the Most Expressive Element in Music? METER

37. From Wikipedia: Meter or metre is the measurement of a musical line into measures of stressed and unstressed "beats", indicated in Western music notation by a symbol called a time signature.

39. Why is meter the most Expressive Element in Music?

40. Why is meter the most Expressive Element in Music? Influencesevery beat of every measure.

41. But you can’t see meter when you look at music.

42. But you can’t see meter when you look at music. You have to know what to do with it.

43. But you can’t see meter when you look at music. It is an unwritten rule.

44. See shapes. Pergolessi: Oh My God, Bestow Thy Tender Mercy

45. How many different ways can a note be sung?

48. Denial of Expectations

49. Denial of Expectations Great composers set up an expectation and then deny, or prolong, the fulfillment of that expectation. Your job as a conductor is to magnify those efforts.

50. Teaching the Notes Wrong

51. Teaching the Notes Wrong Most people teach notes without any interpretive idea Will have to unlearn the wrong way When we “Add Interpretation” Interpretive ideas to add at the very beginning Dynamics Meter Line Sight-read musically?

52. Value of Repetition

53. Value of Repetition Most directors “STOP” when their musicians finally get it right “Lock it In!” Repeat the right thing at least three times to lock in the correct action-response or interpretation Responses: Great! Again! One more time – this time watch me Once more – greater dynamic contrast.

54. Fixing the Link

55. Fixing the Link Music is made up of parts – sections – verses Build sections into your music – rehearse groups of measures together and then build Most likely to make mistakes: At transitions between parts Variations of established patterns The unwise conductor only works the different sections – not the transitions. Once you get it right, repeat it. And then, again!

56. Modeling

57. Modeling Importance of vocal modeling You can’t fix everything with words. Use instruments that you know well. Ask ensemble to do it “EXACTLY” the way you do it Don’t stop until they do it the way you want it. Your modeling doesn’t have to be perfect.

58. Isolating to the Individual

59. Isolating to the Individual Brings a new level of attention from your ensemble There is a certain “one of the crowd” feeling in ensembles Turning the tables on the “ensemble” brings a much higher level of concentration from your members work with the individual on a musical task Pick someone who will do well at the task Go down the line

60. Ability to Choose your Response

61. Ability to Choose your Response Every action does NOT deserve a reaction from the teacher React vs. Pre-act We have the ability to choose our response in every situation. Experienced teachers don’t react – they pre-act – they know what they are going to do if a student does something wrong Catch a child doing something good. Positively reinforce good behavior

63. Text – Vowels - Consonants Knowing What You Want

64. Connecting the Notes Attention to Diction Use of the Shadow Vowel (Dracula Talk)

65. Relish the Sounds of every word. Sandstrom: Sanctus K. Lee Scott: Go Lovely Rose

66. Unlock dramatic potential of powerful words Carey: Hear de Lambs a-cryin

67. Realize when vowel shapes and sounds work against musical ideas. Tu-a Alleluia

69. Conducting and Gesture When is it Important?

70. Does your conducting inspire your choir to actually watch you?

71. Can they look away and still perform with precision?

72. Train your choir to watch you

73. Train your choir to watch you: do something differently when they aren’t watching.

74. Emphasis Conducting Patterns and Cues No Patterns, no cues Conduct an interpretation

77. Email: philip.copeland@gmail.com Google voice: 205.588.4794 Cell/text: 205.335.5353 Blogs: immigrantconductor.org samfordacappella.org shpcchoirs.org alabamasymphonychorus.org

78. Good to Great: Conducting, Rehearsal, and Discipline