Effective choral conducting: A case-study investigation of four elite primary treble choirs and their conductors who are working in Hong Kong

Choral singing has become one of the major cultural and artistic activities in Hong Kong primary schools. It is also the extension of the classroom singing experience and served as a platform for students to nurture their singing skills, enhancing musicianship and facilitating artistic experience through choral performance. In view of the tight rehearsal arrangement, conductors are required to manage the rehearsal efficiently and effectively. In order to achieve the musical tasks and objectives being put forward within each choral rehearsal, the teaching and learning effectiveness are crucial within the process. The current paper looks at four elite choirs and their conductors focusing on their conducting and rehearsal behaviors in relation to successful and effective rehearsal performance. Besides, this study also investigates the modes of communication utilized by the choral directors within the rehearsal structure, including conductor’s task presentation, ensemble interaction and conductor’s feedback. The unique contribution of this paper to music education research is that it takes both the experimenter’s perceptions, those of the conductors and the choristers into account and triangulates these data in a detailed analysis. Certainly, such investigation could contribute valuable information on the teaching and learning effectiveness within the choral performance preparation process. Copyright © 2003 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.