Creating a Conducting Video

1) The Self-Observation Video

Recording a video of oneself leading an ensemble is an important means of self-observation for conducting students and professionals alike. The perspective from the ensemble is almost always different from the conductor's own self-perception.

Creating a self-observational video is easy: Turn on a video camera (or even just an iPhone), point it at the podium from the perspective of someone in the ensemble, and hit record.

The question is, what do you do with that footage after you capture it? I always advise my students to view the video as if it someone else were conducting. In other words, step outside yourself and be as critical of what you see as if you were observing any other conductor.

When I say "be critical," that does not mean focus only on the negative. Conductors observe other conductors all the time and we’re always observing "critically," whether we like to admit it or not. If that criticism is focused in a positive manner it becomes a learning opportunity. We can learn much from other conductors without being disrespectful of someone personally.

If you truly embrace the idea of critical self-observation, you will learn much from watching your own footage, both what's working and what's not. That's information you can use to improve your conducting. Just be tough on yourself!

2) The Showcase Video

Many conducting programs and workshops, like Chorus America’s Conducting Masterclass, require applicants to submit videos that demonstrate their prowess leading an ensemble.

Creating a video for others to evaluate your work is a different beast than the observational video. In this instance, you cannot afford to show the world your warts. Your video must include evidence of musicality and technical competence. And, you will need performance footage, because people evaluating a showcase video rarely ask to see you in rehearsal. What they want to see is you as a performer.

Choosing Video Clips

A showcase video should include three or four five-minute segments of contrasting performance footage totaling roughly 15-20 minutes in length. (No evaluating committee will watch more than that—they can usually tell if a conductor interests them in the first minute or so.) If the committee requests rehearsal footage, include one segment of about five to ten minutes in length.

The above five-minute segments do not necessarily have to be continuous. You could splice together two segments to create the larger segment from a single movement, for example. I wouldn't have too many splices though—they might wonder what you're not showing and lots of fast cuts can get a bit disorienting.

Whatever you choose for those segments, make sure they are your BEST five minutes of conducting. Remember, you are advertising your musicality and technical competence. Make sure the committee can see that in the segments you choose.

Tip: Record video of your performances at every opportunity and continuously update your file of "My Best Five-Minute Clips." Be ruthless in culling them and refresh and replace with better examples. You don't want to have to agonize over which clips to include every time you are asked to submit a DVD. It's much less stressful to have things organized and ready to go at all times.

Improve Your Video with a Separate Audio Recording

If possible (and especially for performance footage), have a separate audio recording made from the front and sync it to the video taken from the back of the ensemble. Committees are used to hearing camera audio that is out of balance or predominately from one section. But, it's so much better if they can hear the ensemble's reaction to your gestures (which they can see in the video), clearly and without having to listen hard to see if the ensemble did what you showed.

Be Sure to Obtain Recording Permissions

Lastly, if you are performing with union ensembles and/or in union-controlled concert halls, there may be restrictions on making a video of your performance. Discuss with the appropriate people how to obtain permission to record, stressing the anticipated purpose for such recordings. You may have to sign a legal waiver that will govern the use of the video recording. Be careful to abide by the agreement. In the event that a fee is required, you will have to use your judgment as to whether or not the footage is likely to be a good investment in your career and, therefore, worth the fee.

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This article is adapted from The Voice, Spring 2012.