Baton Basics

Baton Basics offers a unique approach to teaching conducting based upon the concept of conveying weight, resistance, and energy in order to communicate a better concept of musical sound to the musicians. Featuring many detailed drawings and access to over 60 video examples on the companion website, Baton Basics guides conductors away from simply marking beat patterns, and towards a nuanced and phrased musicality that can be communicated to a group of musicians. Baton Basics is a key foundational text for the student and experienced conductor alike, and is a must read for anyone interested in improving and expanding their vocabulary of conducting gestures.

Diane Wittry is the Music Director of the Allentown Symphony, PA, and a frequent guest conductor in the United States and Europe. She is also recognized as a teacher of conducting, leading many master classes, workshops, and seminars throughout the world. Her first book, Beyond the Baton, about artistic leadership and programming for Music Directors of regional orchestras, has become a standard for the conducting industry.

Introduction Section 1. The Body Section 2. Motion and Gestures Section 3. Connecting with the Sound Section 4. Applying and Combining Gestures Section 5. Controlling Tempo and Volume Section 6. Becoming Centered Section 7. Making Music Appendix Index