Music Director (3 days) this course introduction to the role of musical director. Beginning with an overview of chart writing and basic arranging skills, students learn how to rehearse and conduct a rhythm section from the keyboard with an emphasis on articulating styles and feels, directing tempo changes and rubato, creating intros and endings, and working with singers and horn players. After a review of conducting skills, the emphasis shifts to horn arranging and writing for other auxiliary instruments, including full score arrangements. This course include fundamentals of conducting including: beat patterns, posture, arm and hand position, articulations, dynamics, left hand functions, incomplete beats, fermatas, basic score reading and application of skills to contemporary music. Students will be focusing on longer scores and various musical styles. Emphasis is placed on conducting for film/video soundtrack recording. Topics include conducting to click track, variable click, meter changes, odd meters, and use of visual aids on the soundstage: punches, streamers and flutters. There will be a maximum of 20 participants per class.

What you will learn

The role of musical director: this part of the course will develop and improve your basic arranging skills, learn how to rehearse and conduct a rhythm section from the keyboard with an emphasis on articulating styles and feels, directing tempo changes and rubato, creating intros and endings, and working with singers and horn players. Musicianship - This will be taught through practical activity in a sequential and enjoyable way that will be applied to a choral setting using a variety of accessible repertoire in different styles. Study of popular music composition devices and their foundation in the basic music theory, through the analysis of popular harmonic structures, melodies, and various common rhythmic patterns. Basics of harmony and theory will be covered, including the role of melody, harmony and rhythm, major vs. minor chord qualities, song form and the basics of chart creation. Introduced to basic rhythmic notation and will study ear training by using popular songs as examples. Your fee also includes an ID card to access the building, as well as access to our library facilities for the duration of this course.

Who is it for?

This course is ideal for anyone who regularly in as music directors, music performance, songwriters, producers, studio engineers, composers for film and television and more, or would like to be music director.

If you are new, this course will introduce you to the essential basic skills that will give you the confidence. If you have been in a music composition, music production, or music performance for some time but would like to improve your theoretical knowledge, then this course is for you.