The ideas of Hideo Saito regarding conducting and conducting pedagogy are a valuable addition to the field, an addition that English-speaking people are likely to be unfamiliar with. Besides devising a unique collection of terms for talking about conducting, and assembling a set of exercises designed to facilitate the practice of a variety of gestures, Saito develops and operates from a framework which allows for the description and evaluation of almost any conceivable rhythmic gesture. While he pays attention to time, space, direction, size, and expectations, he often explores the ways velocity and changes in velocity can be employed to elicit desired sounds from players and singers. He is certainly not the first teacher to focus on the role of velocity in conducting gestures. However, the level of sophistication and thoroughness of his examination of velocity, and changes in velocity, is unique. His diagrams are noteworthy as well.Saito's conducting method is very popular in Japan. Seiji Ozawa, the Music Director/Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for more than 25 years, is just one of Saito's students who have had very successful conducting careers.This dissertation, in combination with accompanying videotaped examples of Morihiro Okabe teaching in the authentic Saito tradition, will provide the reader with an introduction to and an evaluation of the Saito conducting method. The reader will learn how to interpret Saito's diagrams of conducting motions, discover who the key people are, and view a Saito teacher instructing students. The reader will be introduced to the core teachings of Professor Saito, see what Saito's primary musical exercises are, and see how these exercises are used to promote musical and technical competence in conducting. This dissertation seeks to give the reader a foundation for further investigation of Saito's ideas and practices.This dissertation proposes, and employs English names for many gestures Saito labeled in Japanese. The Japanese terms are very descriptive of the motions. Providing equally descriptive English terms should be helpful to readers who are not fluent in Japanese. / School of Music
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/181567 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Valent, Joseph Arthur |
| Contributors | Koriath, Kirby L. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | xii, 115 leaves : ill., music ; 28 cm. + 2 computer optical discs (4 3/4 in.) |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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