Master Class in Conducting led by Gisele Becker

On Monday, February 22, 2010, the Potomac Chapter of the American Guild of Organists had a master class in conducting at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, MD. This is the Holtkamp organ that was used to accompany us. Our Host, Kyle Babin, the Director of Music of Bradley Hills Church, accompanied us on the organ.

Dean John Brooks is introducing our guest clinician, Gisele Becker.

Gisele Becker is the conductor of the Cantate Chamber Singers, and will be leading a conducting workshop at the upcoming 2010 AGO National Convention in Washington, DC. To say she is a wonderful and vibrant teacher would be an understatement. Potomac Chapter Dean John Brooks described her as "one of the area's most accomplished and inspiring choral directors."

First to conduct was Julie Evans, former Dean of the Potomac Chapter, presently Chair of the TriChapter Committee, and Director of Music at Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church of Washington, DC.

Gisele carefully watched each condutor.

Then she offered helpful hints and instructions.

Next was Emily Koons, Organist and Handbell Choir Director of St. Peter's Episcopal Church of Arlington, Virginia.

Here Gisele is emphasizing good posture.

Conduct with the right hand; entrances, cut offs and dynamics with the left.

Clarice Snyder is SubDean of the Potomac Chapter of the AGO. She serves as Director of Music of St. Luke's Epsicopal Church of Bethesda, MD.

Conduct more to your right, not in front of your body.

Good posture, clear direction. Say as much as you can with the least movement.

Ken Lowenberg retired from his position as Director of Music of Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church, but he stays busy substituting in the area.

Kyle Babin is accompanying as Ken directs.

Hand away from the body, not too high, not too low.

That was the best part of what you did. "It was?"

OK, everybody try it, steady beat with the right hand, indicate enter on two, cutoff on four.

John Brooks is the Dean of the Potomac Chapter of the AGO. He currently serves at Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Baltimore, MD. Gisele is demonstrating the "horizon" of his beat; do not go below this point.

Holding a book on the "horizon", John beats a pattern.

If it is a slow beat, imagine you are under water.

The size of the beat will indicate tempo and volume.

John was asked to conduct with one hand only, to demonstrate you can do it all with one hand.

Now you've got it!

Our host Kyle Babin even got to try his hand at conducting a piece without accompaniment.

He also got to try the one-hand technique.

We had a wonderful evening. Our thanks to host Kyle Babin and the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, and especially to Gisele Becker.

You can sign up for Gisele's workshop on the AGO 2010 convention website: http://www.ago2010.org/

Gerald Piercey, Editor

Heel & Toe, Potomac Chapter, AGO