1 Posture and Body Mapping
Lesley Mann
Learning Objectives
In this chapter, students will:
- Explore the ways that conductors communicate with an ensemble
- Discover the connection between the brain and body that results in a mental body map.
- Articulate the various hinges of the body used in conducting, and the role of posture in conducting.
Conductors: The Great Communicators
Verbal vs. Non-Verbal Communication
Humans have developed two primary modes of communication – Verbal and Nonverbal – which are used to send (encode) and receive (decode) information. The following chart explore verbal and nonverbal encoding and and decoding, then applies the concepts to musical contexts. Let’s explore!
Encoding:Sending Messages |
Decoding:Receiving Messages |
|
Verbal:Intentions, thoughts, and feelings are communicated through language |
In Verbal Encoding, thoughts and ideas are formulated into words and sentences
Musically: a musician employs music vocabulary to refine performance during rehearsal or while counting in a band. |
In Verbal Decoding, the receiver (audience) decodes words into ideas.
Musically, We decode well when we have a shared understanding of musical vocabulary. If a musician uses vague language or unfamiliar vocabulary, communication suffers. |
Nonverbal:Communication is transmitted through facial expression, body language, proximity, gestures, touch, eye gaze, and appearance |
In Nonverbal Encoding, emotions, intentions, or attitudes are expressed through gestures, facial expressions, etc.
Musically: we encode nonverbally by visibly breathing or lifting the chin to indicate to a collaborative pianist that you’re about to start, or when a drummer clicks their sticks together 4 times to set a starting tempo. |
In Nonveral Decoding, the receiver interprets cues to grasp an underlying message.
Musically: we respond to a conductors gesture to perform faster or slower based on the pace of their movement. |
Music as a (non) Universal Language
While music is often hailed as a universal language, it’s important to recognize that its interpretation and meaning can vary significantly across cultures and individuals, and according to a history of learned associations. While certain aspects of music, such as rhythm and melody, may evoke universal emotional responses, the nuanced meanings and cultural contexts attached to specific musical elements can differ greatly. Shared understandings of music rely heavily on cultural backgrounds, personal experiences, and musical traditions, which can lead to diverse interpretations and perceptions. Thus, while music can foster connection and empathy, its universality is tempered by the complexity of individual and cultural perspectives.
So, too, can conducting gestures be interpreted according to cultural contexts. Musicians who grew up in a formal band ensemble setting tend to automatically respond to a conductor stepping onto a podium by putting their instruments in the “ready” position. Often when a conductor uses a bigger gesture the ensemble will get louder. However, all of these are learned associations. It will be important as you develop your conducting process that you are communicating what you intend, and that there is some verbal behavior to reinforce your conducting behaviors.
Dissonance in Communication
It is very rare that spoken verbal communication stands alone from non-verbal communication. Posture, facial affect, tone of voice, and gestures typically accompany spoken language, and the combination of the two can either empower or undermine a message. When Verbal and Non-Verbal communication align, the message is likely to be decoded with much greater accuracy. So a conductor who uses a small pattern while whispering, “Pianissimo!” will be more effective than a conductor who flails their arms wildly and shouts “This is supposed to be soft!” Verbal and Non-verbal dissonance confuses the decoder, and inhibits effective communication.
The Necessity of Non
Efficiency in rehearsal involves limiting the pauses that interrupt the flow of performance. Why stop an ensemble when you can address an issue without speaking? The time needed to stop, explain, and restart an ensemble can be saved with effective non-verbal messaging – using gesture, posture, facial affect, and proximity. Of course, in performance, it is exceedingly rare to find a context where speaking to an ensemble during the performance is culturally or stylistically appropriate, so we must rely only on non-verbal communication in performance settings. Let’s explore the various aspects of nonverbal communication inherent to conducting.
Body Language
Anatomy of the Instrument
When a musician takes on the role of conductor, the human body becomes the instrument through which they communicate musical ideas. Effective conductors maintain a heightened connection to their kinesthetic sense – they must be alert to whether their physicality matches their musical intention, or if something in their posture or movement interrupts the musical message.
Earlier, you were asked to guess how many joints are present in the human body. Let’s now narrow in on which hinges (we’ll use this term universally from here forward as a term for articulation between parts of the body) are most useful in the nonverbal communication known as conducting gesture.
Conducting Posture:
A standard conducting posture will consistently include a few important components, while other postural decisions will vary according to performance considerations. We’ll build a typical conducting posture from the bottom up:
Feet: shoulder width apart for stable balance. Deliver weight down the front of the leg, through the ankle and the arches of the feet. A slightly forward weight allows for nimble movement.
Knees should feel buoyant and springy.
Hips: Licensed Body Mapping Expert and founder of the Choral Mapping program Bridget Jankowski says this about the hip joints: “Body Mapping always refers to hip joints and not hips. The hip joint is where the leg meets the pelvis. We move both our legs and our torso from the hip joints. Find your hip joint along your side seams; they are side-facing joints. This joint is often much lower than you think. Feel the movement there by marching the legs or swinging them from side to side. There is also a rotation of the leg, both internal and external, at the hip joint. When mapping hip joints, we often have to counteract the idea of a waist. A waist exists only for our clothing. We can bend at the waist, but that is because our spines are mobile. There is no waist joint in the body.” (excerpted from Balance Begets Beauty, April 2021, Pastoral Music)
Lumber Spine: The lumbar vertebrae are located at the base of the spine – they are the five largest and lowest. The back half of the vertebrae house the nervous system, and are the bony points we can feel in the back. The front half of the vertebrae hold the discs and deliver weight. When you shift your weight to be delivered down the front of the spine, this balance alleviates a great deal of pressure from the lower back. What a benefit to conductors standing in front of an ensemble for long periods of time!
Head: The head is balanced at the AO joint, where the spine meets the skull in the center of the skull. Point right between your ears to find this center of balance, and nod your head forward and back. You’ll notice that by focusing attention on the AO joint, the gliding motion is quite easy. Conversely, if you imagine the head and neck joint to be at the posterior (back) base of the skull, the nodding motion requires more force and presents as increased tension in the neck.
Arm and Hand Position:
Before adding the tool of a baton, conductors should feel wholly comfortable using just their own body to convey musical messages. The positions of the hand and arm play an important role. Experts posit a variety of opinions about the height of the arms for a standard conducting gesture. This chapter will assert an option for you to use as a baseline, and from there you should experiment with what produces the best results in your settings.
- Hold your arms in front of your body as if you are catching a beach ball
- Relax your shoulders, which may also cause your elbows to lower slightly.
- Push your arms forward and back as if you closing or opening a drawer, and find a position where you feel the least tension in your lower back.
- Turn your hands so your palms are facing the ground.
- Allow a slight curvature into your hand position, so that the wrist and fingertips are on the same horizontal plane, with an arch in between them.
This procedure should have led you to a ready position that will be appropriate for most musical experiences. Logistical needs like the size or distance of an ensemble, as well as very specific musical expressivity decisions, may impact this starting position.
Posture Check
Have a classmate or friend take a few photos of you in musical postures from both the front and side:
- Ready to perform on your musical instrument
- Standing at the ready position to conduct
Draw an articulated stick figure of your posture in each position to illustrate any engaged hinges. For instance, the arm will be drawn with two sticks if there is a bend at the elbow.
Submit your stick figures to your learning management system (Canvas, Blackboard, etc) with a few sentences highlighting any observations you’ve discovered about your posture in both situations. (Does your head jut forward pulling your back out of alignment? How does your hip placement impact the rest of your posture? Does your body attempt to bend at the waist, causing an inefficient curvature of the lower spine?)
Body Mapping Final Reflection
Watch your conductor in your ensemble rehearsal this week.
- What hinges are engaged while in timekeeping mode?
- What hinges are engaged when an interesting musical event happens?
- What else do you notice about posture, arm position, or hand position and their effect on the musical process?
Submit your response to the your Learning Management System. (LMS)
About the author
name: Lesley Mann
institution: Belmont University
Lesley Maxwell Mann serves as the Coordinator of Music Education at Belmont University, where she teaches Secondary Choral Methods, Conducting, and Middle School Methods, supervises pre-service teachers, and directs Bel Canto. Dr. Mann’s teaching career spans roles at the College of Central Florida and William R. Boone High School. A versatile vocalist, she has performed with Vocal Arts Nashville and Walt Disney World. A proud alumna of Florida State University with degrees in Choral Conducting and Music Education, her research focuses on Teacher Education, Conducting Gesture, and Vocal Technique in Choral Settings.
