This month, Yamaha Artist and Conductor, Russell Gray, completes his five-part master class on conducting
for BBW readers by sharing his timeline to performance...

It’s important to have a timeline to hit certain targets on the way to the performance. I work backwards from the stage and this is my personal timeline.

FIRST NIGHT REHEARSAL

This night is about planting a flag in the ground, and about assessing how far the band is from the goal and setting the standard to aim for. It’s about establishing or re-establishing a relationship with everyone and getting everyone motivated to work hard.

I am well aware how lucky I am as a working professional conductor in the brass band movement. I arrive when the band can already play the music to a high standard, so my timeline works well for me. It wouldn’t work if the resident conductor was not there, so I do appreciate the work they invest.

WEEKEND BEFORE

This is the time for sectional rehearsals. I enjoy breaking the band into sections to look at the forensic detail of every bar of music. I love putting the band back together on the Sunday afternoon and hearing a very different band from the one I heard the Friday night before.

FIVE NIGHTS BEFORE

A big night of run-throughs. I go through my notes from the previous evening and run the piece three times. It’s important to remember that a band has to be able to play the end of the piece on tired lips. Players can’t rehearse that if they have not started from the beginning.

FOUR DAYS BEFORE ...

 

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