Kirkwall, 12-22 June 2006

Peter Maxwell Davies, Martyn Brabbins and James MacMillan at the Conductors Course.

THIS COURSE, now in its fourth year, was devised and is led by Martyn Brabbins, Sian Edwards and Charles Peebles. As before, eight promising young conductors at the beginning of their careers were selected from about 40 applicants: four from the UK and one each from the Netherlands, Israel, Finland and Taiwan/USA.

Following the established pattern, the 2006 course began three days before the St Magnus Festival and lasted nine days, during which the participants conducted symphonies, overtures, a concerto and contemporary music. The arrangements, and the timing, mean that the Festival can provide the professional groups with whom the conductors can work.

For the first six days, two pianos played by the superb orchestral pianists Lynda Cochrane and Judith Keaney, stood in for the orchestra in the St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall. This can be challenging, because the conductors must cue in the appropriate instruments from where they would actually be placed in an orchestra – not from the two pianists!

The conductors are then let loose on a full orchestra, this year the BBC Philharmonic. Each conductor has two 20 minute sessions, giving them a chance to conduct two or three different works. This part of the course has the largest audience because by this stage festival-goers have arrived and many of them want to see how each year’s participants conduct a full orchestra, and to watch the orchestra’s reaction to each of them in turn.

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It is interesting how often the conductors need to do less rather than more to achieve the affect they want

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The course includes an evening conducting the Festival Chorus, this year in Mozart’s ‘Requiem’. Providing access to a large choir is a unique aspect of the course – and for some conductors this is their first time in front of one. A further session is spent with each participant conducting part of a concerto – this year, the Walton ‘Viola Concerto’ with Lawrence Power and a pianist. The soloists are not only superb musicians, but very constructive in their observations about the conducting.

On the final day the conductors work with a small ensemble on contemporary pieces. This year it was the Nash Ensemble and the music was by Julian Anderson and Arnold Schoenberg. Martyn Brabbins is particularly noted for his conducting of contemporary music.

The directors bring a light touch and a sense of humour to the course which not only makes it more enjoyable but teaches the participants the importance of a smile and some humour in dealing with orchestras and other musicians. There are many hours of conducting – 5 for each participant. Sometimes the directors allow a full movement or work to be conducted uninterrupted. However, often a single bar or section is analysed and practised several times.

A special aspect of the course is that all the sessions are recorded on video and DVD so that each participant has a record of their conducting and the comments of the course directors. A master copy is kept in Kirkwall as a course archive. The technical side is handled to a very high professional standard and with good humour by Graham Worrall, using four static cameras and several microphones. During the course the material is used for private one-to-one and group analysis of the day’s work.

We ourselves have been privileged to be able to attend all four courses as audience members during the conducting sessions. Some people come for just one session; others arrive with scores and follow the whole course. Amateur musicians and conductors attend, but many, like ourselves, are ordinary music-lovers, curious to learn more about the strange art of conducting: something which is unique to our western culture. We find this enhances our understanding and enjoyment of music generally and enables us to get inside the particular works and learn about the structure of each piece.

It is fascinating how eight conductors with different techniques and personalities can give eight different interpretations of the same piece of music – all valid. The conductors need to decide which part of a complex score they need to concentrate on at any one time – is it following shape of the melody or concentrating on the accompanying parts to keep the momentum going? When are large gestures appropriate?

It is interesting how often the conductors need to do less rather than more to achieve the affect they want. For example, the left hand should not copy what the right hand does – the right seems more for steady rhythm and the left for shape and expressiveness. This is like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time. It is very hard work.

The course is not all about practical performance, however. One very popular morning session involved Martyn discussing the role of composer/conductors with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and James MacMillan. Some general points concerning culture and education raised considerable interest there, and another session, with the orchestra, began with the orchestra manager explaining what is expected from a conductor and the process of assessing their suitability and the pitfalls to avoid (be sure to say hello!).

There is also a much appreciated closed afternoon session when local amateur conductors are given training using the same techniques with two pianos. It would be difficult for amateurs to access this quality of tuition in the major music centres of the world!

The joy is not only the music but in getting to know musicians at the start of their careers and share their excitement and enthusiasm. We are pleased to know that the course will continue in the future, and look forward to making further new discoveries in a world to which there is still relatively little public entry.

For full details of the music studied and how to apply for the course see the special pages on the St Magnus Festival website.

© Robert Clark and Susan Costello, 2006

Link

• St Magnus Festival