The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 3B
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 3B
World Wide Web of words
Some University composing students have instrumental or vocal expertise too.
Behind bato
J ommy last column of the fall
semester, I offered some
books I consider among the
best of 2010. But let's say you got
an iPad for Christmas instead of a
box of books.
(In which
case, well
done). Maybe
you find turn-
ing pages ay
bit too 20th
century. Or
maybe you're DAVID
sitting in my LUCAS
class right
now - laptop
raised like a barricade in front
of you - and you're too bored to
listen, but you've already updated
your status and Googled yourself
and your exes.
In my first column of the new
semester and the new year, then,
I want to suggest some online
resources to enrich your experi-
ence of poetry in 2011. Just as
importantly, if by some cruel trick
of the verse gods this column rep-
resents your only interaction with
poetry, I think you deserve the
chance to read some other opin-
ions about what makes a good
poem, and what it is that makes
poetry so good.
No matter your stage of involve-
ment with poetry, one of the best
places to start your browsing,
reading or even research is the
Poetry Foundation's website. As
the parent organization of Poetry
magazine, the Poetry Foundation
has made one of itsgoals the sup-
port and promotion of poetry in
communities everywhere, both
physical and virtual. The volume
of information on the site's front
page can make you feel as if you've
just downed your second Monster
Energy, but once the shock wears
off, you can search for poemsby
theme, poet or even occasion.
You can also follow the site's blog,
Harriet, on which a rolling cycle
of poets muse or grouse about the
craft.
Good as the Poetry Foundation
is, it suf
to man
ogies ax
of up-a
poets. S
by inter
easily e
wrong
reates,j
wrong
the Gia
it's sor
him ati
Youc
Park 35
visit Po
today. I
present
establis
to Zimi
poems1
written
out a fe
once, it
most ol
outside
helping
little le
ffers from alack common invigorating wayto remember it's
y American poets, anthol- not just English professors and
nd websites: an awareness Daily columnists who care about
nd-coming international poetry.
lure, you can find books If you find poetry you meet in
rnational Nobel laureates class to be too difficult or absurd,
nough. There's nothing you may be relieved by whatyou
with reading Nobel lau- find at Garrison Keillor's Writer's
just like there's nothing Almanac and Ted Kooser's Ameri-
with seeing Springsteen at can Life in Poetry. Keillor and
nts Stadium in 2009. But Kooser tend to publish poems that
ething else to have seen are witty, accessible and frequent-
the Stone Pony in 1975. ly Midwestern in sensibility.
can't return to Asbury If the idea of reading poems
years ago, but you can selectedby Ted Kooser makes
etry International Web you want to drown your sorrows
Poetry International in apple pie and decaf, you may
s poets - emerging and already know about Silliman's
hed - from Afghanistan Blog. But if you don't know the
babwe. Tour the site. Read poet, computer programmer and
translated from Arabic or blogger Ron Silliman, he writes
tin Nigerian English. Print one of the most widely read and
w pages if you'd like. For respected poetry blogs on the net.
can be you readingthe Unapologetically committedto
bscure-sounding author the avant-garde, Silliman's opin-
of Cafd Ambrosia - and ions are frequently idiosyncratic,
that poet to become a sometimes controversial, but
ss obscure. almost always compelling reading.
Poetry and blogging seem to go
together like - well, like apple pie
Phe spoken and decaf. Other poets who blog,
sometimes even about poetry,
)rd is online, include Eduardo C. Corral, Philip
Metres, Aimee Nezhukumatathil
and C. Dale Young. Many liter-
ary magazines and organizations
r sites offer a new poem now publish blogs as well, includ-
ek or even per day. The web ing Ploughshares and VIDA:
ne Slate publishes a poem Women in Literary Arts.
uesdays, selectedby for- This column is short, and the
et laureate Robert Pinsky. Internet is long. My list cannot
has excellent taste, but you begin to represent the poetry
just as fortunateto visit available there, much less be
on a day when he is read- comprehensive. I've left out many
commenting on a poem fascinating developments with
e annals of the language. an online presence, from perfor-
read a poem a day from a mance poems to Flarf and Fibs.
of aesthetics - as well as So if you read this and cannot
om the poetry world - at believe that I've forgotten your
Daily and Verse Daily. favorite poetry website, please
ky's Favorite Poem Project let me know via e-mail. By then
ted when he was U.S. Poet it will probably be time to check
te - features Americans of Facebook again anyway.
Graduate students
wave their way to a
conducting degree
By VERONICA MENALDI
Daily Arts Writer
Conducting an ensemble
takes more than a few waves of a
baton and a fancy suit - it takes
imagination, patience, knowl-
edge, experience and humility.
Prof. Jerry Blackstone, chair
of the conducting department in
the School of Music, Theatre &
Dance, said that since ensembles
generally consist of people from
a variety of backgrounds, a con-
ductor's job is to unify them.
"The ensemble is as a good
as the conductor," he said. "The
choir will only be as good as the
person standing in front of them,
same is true for an orchestra or
band. Just like a football team,
the members might be really tal-
ented, but until there is someone
there to unify and build a team
and perspective, it's not going to
work."
Arian Khaefi, a choral con-
ducting graduate student, said
he fell in love with conducting
because it allows him to create
music in a collaborative setting.
"I think that (conducting) is a
wonderful way to communicate
with people," Khaefi said. "It's
about the ability to help peo-
ple make fantastic sounds and
shape the music."
Although conducting might
be something a selection of
undergraduates have a strong
passion for, Blackstone said it
isn't offered at that level because
the department wants the stu-
dents to have experience as a
vocalist or instrumentalist.
Students interested in con-
ducting degrees are usually
those who have an undergradu-
ate performance degree or a
liberal arts degree from a pres-
tigious college.
"People who want (the
degree) are people who have a
passion for ensembles, whether
it be vocal, orchestral or band,"
Blackstone said.
Since potential conductors
are required to have a deep
understanding of the piece, they
usually have an undergraduate
focus in theory, musicology or
performance.
"They aren't amateurs,"
Blackstone said. "They are pro-
fessionals that could go in any
direction but chances are, they
got bit by the conducting bug
due to their love for working
with groups of people and mak-
ing an ensemble."
Khaefi's decision to go into
choral conducting started when
he was young, at his grandmoth-
er's wake. He was intrigued by
the classical music playing.
"I've never heard anything
like it before," he said. "Turns
out it was Mozart's Requiem.
After I heard it, I knew I had to
be a part of whatever that was."
Music, Theatre & Dance
junior Ken Sieloff said he has
a strong interest in pursuing a
graduate degree in conducting
- most likely choral, due to his
natural inclination as a leader
and his passion for music.
"I've always been a leader,"
Sieloff said. "Not only musically,
but with things outside of music
as well. There's something about
the preparation that goes into
conducting and actually con-
ducting a performance that is
really satisfying to my inner
musician."
Sieloff added that, as a con-
ductor, the relationship that
develops with the members of
an ensemble and with the music
is highly rewarding.
"Being able to study a single
piece of music so deeply that
you know it inside and out really
gives you an interesting connec-
tion," he said.
The University's program has
three divisions of conducting
classes - vocal, orchestral and
band, each led by a faculty mem-
ber who focuses in that area. In
those classes, two or three times
a week, a student will stand up
and conduct while everyone else
sings or plays. At the conclu-
sion, the professor responds to
the student's conducting. The
sessions are recorded for the
student to look back upon and
improve. In addition, students
will continue to have private les-
sons in their major instrument,
where they will learn to polish
their aural skills, as well as tak-
ing classes in music theory and
history.
Generally speaking, Black-
stone said finding a conducting
job post graduation is very com-
petitive and difficult, though
University students tend to find
positions.
"If a conductor is willingto go
anywhere, then you have a much
better chance of getting a job,"
he said.
The secrets to conducting
Sieloff said one of the main
characteristics a good conductor
needs is humility.
"You don't want to come
across as arrogant; you want to
come across as knowledgeable,"
he said. "It's about not acting
boastful or arrogant but rather
helping to lead."
The long process a conduc-
tor goes through begins with
the selection of the piece and
the decision of how many mem-
bers will be in the ensemble.
After that, the conductor has to
determine the ensemble's skill
level. Other factors that need
to be decided are how long to
rehearse, how many rehearsals
to schedule, what the perfor-
mance venue is like and if there
are enough players.
This already very difficult
and exhausting process also
requires additional technical
knowledge. Blackstone said it
is the conductor's job to know
absolutely everything there is to
know about the selected piece,
including its history, informa-
tion about the composer, where
it was written, for who it was
written and the musical quali-
ties of the piece throughout, like
dynamics and texture.
The conductor is also expect-
ed to know where anticipated
problems might occur and how
to prevent them. After the con-
ductor has done all that, he then
has to practice the gestures and
be able to sing along.
The best way for a conduc-
tor to be successful, Blackstone
said, is for them to come into
the first rehearsal with a dream
that turns the black-and-white-
noted sheet paper into music.
"The rehearsals are meant
to develop the orchestra, choir
or band's ability to match that
dream," he said. "If a conductor
has a strong, detailed dream or
imagination, the rehearsals will
be focused, effective and get a
lot more done."
Blackstone said conductors
are also required to know how
to make their bodies produce
the sound they want. Though
it doesn't hurt, conductors
don't have to be great sing-
ers, pianists or able to play
all the instruments, but they
need to understand how the
voice works and how to get the
sounds they imagine out of any
instrument.
"Conductors need to have
done a lot of homework, so
when you conduct you're not
green," he said. "You're an
expert at the piece. You've done
your homework in such a way
that you know it better than
anyone in the room. That way,
See CONDUCTORS, Page 4B
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David Lucas uses words like
'Flarf.' To ask him what they mean,
e-mail dwlucas@umich.edu.
3
NIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
WHAT DO
IHODES/MARSHALL/MITCHELL
SCHOLARS
DO AFTER THEIR STUDIES
Well, this guy became
president.
What will you do?
Anything you want.
You've written your own game
plan so far in life. Why not take
it one step further and become
a Rhodes, Marshall, or Mitchell
Scholar?
the united states of America
-z00
Come to a Rhodes/Marshall/Mitchell Orientation Session:
Monday, January 24, 2011 a 5:00-6:00pm
Koessler Room, Michigan League, 3rd Floor
Thursday, January 27, 2011 a 5:00-6:00pm
Pendleton Room, Michigan Union, 2nd Floor
Tuesday, February 1, 2011 " 5:00-6:00pm
Pierpont Commons, East Room
SPECIAL SESSION:
How to Write a Rhodes, Marshall, or Mitchell Essay
Monday, March 14, 2011 a 5:00-7:30pm
Vandenberg Room, Michigan League, 2nd Floor
To learn more, please contact the Provost's Council on Student Honors at
734-763-8123 or visit the website at
www.provost.umich.edu/scholars/
Prof. Jerry Blackstone is the chair of the conducting department.