A masterclass in the art of conducting (From Oxford Mail)

A masterclass in the art of conducting

1:00pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News

IT may seem like twirling and thrashing for the fun of it but there is an art to conducting an orchestra.

Six musicians were given a masterclass in baton technique by master conductor Peter Stark on Sunday.

The group took part in the session at at Radley College in Abingdon as part of the Abingdon Music Festival.

Mr Stark has conducted the London Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra, and was the former principal conductor of the Oxford Symphony Orchestra. He was a consultant on hit BBC2 show Maestro.

He said the ensemble showed tremendous promise and picked up the skill very quickly.

The 57-year-old, from the New Forest, said: “It was a fabulous day and they were fantastic group. They were taught the essentials of conducting.

“This includes things like how many beats there are in a bar and all about the music. And the body language, which tells so much, this is the emotional side."