Choral conducting class on the cloud

Abstract

The phenomenon of conductor-singers interactions is so complicated to be recorded with text. This article reveals how the researcher resolves this communicative problem when the instructor carries out the teaching and learning process in a conducting class.

Conductor-singers interaction phenomenon must happen in real time and it is so difficult to describe this communication process by words and kept in people’s memory securely. For the convenience of further discussion and review, in this research, video taking would be treated as a vital source, as a kind of “non-verbal text”. So, the video clips taken could be retrieved as an actual event or “text” for class discussion, peer observation and review, materials for assessing and as a huge data bank for further research purposes.

Cloud servers like Google Docs, YouTube and social networking platforms like Facebook, provide a superb user-friendly environment to ensure seamlessly information sharing. Student-conductors are required to record their own conducting clips and upload to YouTube. And then share the videos in a set-up group in Facebook. The video clips which taken by the students as one of the home assignments or by the instructor during the lessons are the important sources as the research data. ritCical movements in videos clips would be treated as crucial materials for analysis and discussion. By the use of these online applications, I found this cloud computing arrangement offering a warm aura for both instructor and learners working with each other. More than that, student-conductors are even more excited in their involvements especially in the peer observation and the mutual discussions, showing an inspired learning outcome. This pedagogical arrangement is not only benefit to conductor training, but also applicable in other practical modules such as instrumental performance.

Since it is a self-reflection process of the learners, their own thoughts together with the colleague’s views are valuable for the further development of aesthetic value in their life of art. Last but not least, the whole learning phenomenon will be treated as the evidences to affirm the resolutions of this conductor-singer communicative problem.