Klarinet Archive - Posting 000892.txt from 2003/06

From: myke cuthbert <cuthbert@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Left, Right or mixed handed?
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 11:52:12 -0400

Several great conductors are left handed, however, to the best of my
knowledge, they all still give the beat pattern with their right
hands. Most conducting teachers will make everyone use their right
hand for the beat pattern because it's where orchestral musicians
expect to see the beat. In 4/4, is beat 2 the one that goes to the
right (from the performer's perspective) or the one that goes inward?
Normally it's both, but if the conductor is using her left hand then
it might be one or the other, and it could be easy to confuse.

Don't be discouraged though, Stephanie; once you have the basic beat
patterns down, the most fluid and subtle skills in conducting will be
done with your left hand; right handers tend to find this the hard
part of learning to conduct while leftees who have been beating time
with their right hand find it much more natural.

Best, Myke

perickso@-----.net [ Jun 25 ]:
> Stephanie, I think this is an example of how an ignorant teacher can
> discourage a student without realizing it. The right-arm traditionally
> conducts the beat pattern (a left-brain skill in most people) but if those
> brain lateralization skills are reversed, which DOES happen, it would make
> sense that some lefties would want to conduct with the left hand.
> Personally I don't see any reason it would make a huge difference to anyone
> except the teacher who insists that's the way to do it only because it's
> conventional.
> >
> > Question. I had a professor tell me that it was wrong
> > to conduct with my left hand (told us to conduct, and
> > i just naturally started with my left arm). Is this
> > wrong? I didn't think it was......but according to her...

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/