Honors Thesis Archive

Author	Alexander O'Connor
Title	A Comparative Analysis of Rehearsal Techniques for Instrumental Ensembles During Group Playing
Department	Music
Advisors	Brandon Jones, Erik Zinter, and Erin Hill
Year	2020
Honors	University Honors
Full Text	View Thesis (361 KB)
Abstract	In musical interpretation and the conveyance of performance aspects, instrumental conductors play a fundamental role. Particularly during rehearsal, the conductor is tasked with identifying ensemble errors and unifying the ensemble. While research exists on the generalized rehearsal, little has been done on the actions and techniques the conductor utilizes while the group is playing. Through a survey of 41 questions distributed to various conductors and instrumental players across Ohio, participants were asked to identify which actions were used by their conductor, how often they were used, and how effective they felt the actions were to the performance and improvement of their group. Such actions include modeling by playing an instrument, giving cues during group playing, showing dynamics with pattern size, mirroring, refraining from conducting, and various others. The study breaks down each action and discusses their effectiveness based on the survey results to identify best practices when conducting a group ensemble.