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From lesson to concert - S. Kazachkov. Lesson on the subject "choral singing"

In the art of conducting, the role of the conductor’s personality is high and responsible. The right of absolute power over many people is often understood in this profession very narrowly, as the ability to be an authoritative leader, to achieve the combination of many individualities and characters into a single choral whole. But this is a very simple view of conducting. AND the best masters give other examples when conducting becomes not a style of leadership and performance, but a way of life for a Person of Culture. He selflessly serves music, strives for a high ideal, passes on his best achievements to his students, and they also become prominent masters. A person of such heights was a scientist, choral conductor and teacher, professor Semyon Abramovich Kazachkov (1909-2005), who lived a long 96-year life, working for the last 60 years at the Kazan State Conservatory. N.G. Zhiganova.

In 1909, in the village of Perevoz, Chernigov province (now Bryansk region, located on the Russian border with Ukraine and Belarus), S.A. was born into a poor family of general workers. Kazachkov. A thirst for knowledge and reading literature, both artistic and scientific, characterized him from childhood. At the age of 18 he came to Leningrad and entered the conservatory. Having completed it in 1940, he was assigned to work with the Chuvash State Choir in Cheboksary. In 1941 he was drafted into Soviet army, where he fought on the Belarusian and Baltic fronts. He took part in the battles of Orel, Bryansk, Mitava, Koenigsberg, ending the war in Dobele (Latvia). After demobilization, he led the Ensemble of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. From 1947 to 2005 He worked at the Kazan Conservatory as a student choir conductor and choral conducting teacher.

S.A. Kazachkov absorbed the high global musical culture the second quarter of the 20th century, attending concerts of conductors - O. Klemperer, D. Mitropoulos, G. Abendroth, B. Walter, O. Fried, G. Knappersbusch, F. Stiedry, E. Ansermet, V. Talikh; instrumental musicians - J. Heifetz, S. Prokofiev, V. Sofronitsky, A. Rubinstein, G. Neuhaus, M. Yudin, A. Schnabel. S.A. Kazachkov, in his memoirs “I’ll Tell You About Time and About Myself,” noted the desire not to plunge blindly into classical music without seeing what is happening around in cultural life. During his years of study in Leningrad, he attended all the tours of the Moscow art theater, Moscow Art Theater, as well as dramatic productions of the Leningrad Drama Theater. A.S. Pushkin - “Alexandrinki”. Communication with wonderful artists, the perception of music in the brilliant performance of a galaxy of outstanding conductors was reflected subsequently in S.A.’s own programs. Kazachkova. Listeners of concerts under his direction always noted not only high professionalism conductor's control, but also the beauty of performance, inner taste, tact, measure.

At the Conservatory of the city of Kazan S.A. Kazachkov eventually created the so-called “Kazan Choir School” of singing and conducting. As Semyon Abramovich noted: “This name was not given by us, it matured through the perception of our concert, pedagogical and scientific experience conductors and teachers of music educational institutions of the republics former USSR, including the Baltic ones"

Being the founder and founder of the values, norms, and style of the “Kazan School”, he honed the musical performance of students of the constant concert activities, which allowed them to later become the founders of their own choirs. Thus, Kazan choral conductors became prominent followers of the “school”: A. Abdullin, A. Buldakova, L. Draznina, V. Levanov, V. Lukyanov, D. Kutdusov, V. Makarov, E. Mokhnatkin, V. Sotnikov, M. Tamindarova . The school of a strong leader is sometimes interpreted negatively. It is believed that a brilliant talent will lose his individuality by submitting to the dictates of the master, and the obligatory copying of his techniques will form a series of similar professionals. However, for the educational and concert process of education and professional education of students of the choral department of the Kazan Conservatory in the second half of the 20th century. development in this direction was methodologically correct, but the system of S.A. Kazachkova, apparently, had the properties of a matrix that allowed her to go beyond the boundaries of strong craftsmanship. The “school” is based on S.A. Kazachkova, along with the bright “techne”, lies aristos - a kind of sublime idea. This is a moral and aesthetic position about constant selfless service to art, which cleanses the soul and ennobles the taste of the public. The Kazan conductor never tired of repeating to students the basics of his professional philosophy.

Objectively, S.A. Kazachkov demanded that students comprehend and be fluent in conducting polystylistic technique, that is, a system of diverse special conducting techniques applicable in one or another piece of music. In choral singing, the development of polystylism was aimed at comprehending the elements of the singing schools of classicism, romanticism and expressionism. According to the guidelines of S.A. Kazachkova, choice necessary techniques for conducting and singing is done in the best possible way based on a detailed analysis of the composition and intuitive following of the inner ear. S.A. Kazachkov always required students to read classical Russian literature, considering this activity a prerequisite for the formation of a refined and flexible aesthetic taste.

A broad overview of the pedagogical and artistic problems of musical performance, education and ways to solve them is presented in the book works of S.A. Kazachkova. He began his research activities with a dissertation on art history, “Some Issues in Rehearsal Work with a Choir” in 1955. Here, he substantiated the idea of ​​direct continuity of Soviet choral culture with the traditions of the Russian school of pre-revolutionary choral art. Based on criticism of the principle of conducting a rehearsal given in the popular work on choral studies by P.G. Chesnokov “The Choir and Its Management” (1940) on the division of rehearsals into “technical” and “artistic” periods, S.A. Kazachkov proposed his own rehearsal strategy, which included the initial, middle and final stages of work. This led to optimization rehearsal process, giving the joint studies of the conductor and choir a through path of development: from the initial analysis of the work to the final concert performance. S.A. Kazachkov also establishes the basic elements of the rehearsal methodology. This is a repetition, a demonstration, a conductor's gesture, a conductor's speech.

The next scientific work of S.A. Kazachkov, which became fundamental in his work, was the monograph “The Conductor’s Apparatus and Its Staging,” published by the central publishing house “Music” in 1967. This book is the first scientific work in Russia that explores the structure of the conductor’s apparatus, the mechanical and motor processes associated with manual, conducting management, problems of training young conductors in the practical application of conducting technique. Here, as in subsequent books - “From Lesson to Concert” 1991, “Choir Conductor - Artist and Teacher” 1998, S.A. Kazachkov examines the art of conducting from the technical, aesthetic, psychological side, paying attention to great attention understanding the nature of the conductor's gesture, and the connection between gesture and singing. Asking the question what is the philosophy of the mysterious, at first glance, ability to convey one’s personal conductor’s hearing through a gesture to the orchestra musicians and audience members, S.A. Kazachkov came to the conclusion that there is a natural connection between music and movement. This commonality allows the choir to sing not only technically together, but to think collectively, sensitively reacting and fulfilling any demands of the conductor’s hand at the concert.

In the book “The Choir Conductor - Artist and Teacher” (1998) S.A. Kazachkov raises current and currently significant issues of the existence of art in market conditions. Will new musicians be able to maintain the ideals of the academic school, not succumb to the temptations of the music market and not fall into creative apathy or profitable craftsmanship? In the struggle for survival, excessive pragmatism in creativity appeared, a tendency to enhance external effectiveness at the expense of internal depth, and dependence on the tastes of the public. The performance of musical works is currently part of commodity relations, but this commodity is of a special kind. It is bought and sold, but the nature of its production is determined not by the demand of the masses, but by the supply of geniuses.

Education of a holistic creative (professional and humanistic) personality S.A. Kazachkov paid great attention. In a special conducting class, usually held three times a week, he devoted part of the classes to mastering theoretical professional knowledge about conducting techniques and various gestures. The other part was always devoted to discussing with students something they had read. literary work. Students of other specialties who attended classes by S.A. Kazachkova, suggested the topics for discussion themselves. The author of the article recalls the meetings held in the house of S.A. Kazachkov, where they watched videos and discussed the performances of great conductors, and analyzed the work of great pianists, violinists, singers, painters, and actors. It seems incredible that at the time the author of the article studied and communicated with Semyon Abramovich, the latter was over 90 years old. The difference in years between us was then about 70 years (!), but how deep, interesting, lively and instructive the conversations were on any topic.

All students of the choral conducting department of the Kazan Conservatory, even those studying in special classes of other teachers, came to the attention of S.A. Kazachkov, since he was the head of the department, was present at all exams and was the main conductor of the student choir. Graduates of the conducting and choral faculty almost completely staffed the departments of choral conducting of the Kazan Conservatory, the Faculty of Music of the Kazan pedagogical university, choral conducting department music schools Kazan, Almetyevsk. Izhevsk, Yoshkar-Ola, Saransk, Cheboksary, Ulyanovsk, Dimitrovgrad. The skill of the teacher, who ensured the mass production of, in general, unique, highly qualified specialists, testifies to the ability to develop the talent of each student. It is possible (albeit difficult) to make a good conductor out of one talented student. But from many students how to select great masters Only an outstanding teacher and a subtle connoisseur of the human soul succeeds.

S.A. did a lot of new things. Kazachkov in the context of his time and culture, not only as a teacher, but as an artist and a successful person. Possessing high musical abilities, strong-willed personal qualities, excellent taste and erudition, being an authoritarian person S.A. Kazachkov could achieve with training choir conservatory of outstanding results. Repeated performances of the choir took place in Moscow, Leningrad, and many cities of the Volga region. Professional colleagues and listeners noted flexible, agile vocal technique, a good sense of musical structure, and high preparedness concert programs. The role of the conductor's management of the ensemble was especially noted - a clear gesture, accuracy, rigor and at the same time expressiveness with extreme attention, care, and reverence in relation to the author's text. About one concert of the S.A. Kazachkov choir in capital hall named after S.V. Rachmaninov’s reviewer responded as follows: “The performers surprisingly correctly sensed the philosophical generality and length of thought. The features of polyphonic texture and expressiveness of phrasing were clearly and concisely revealed.” Such a combination of thought and felt sound is not always achieved by professional choirs.

The concert program included classics - “Prometheus” by S. Taneyev, a prologue from “Boris Godunov” by M. Mussorgsky, “10 Poems” by D. Shostakovich, as well as works and arrangements by Tatar composers N. Zhiganov, A. Klyucharev, Sh. Sharifullin . Comparing the performance of such choral conductors as K.B. Bird, V.N. Minin and S.A. Kazachkov, one can note the combination of intellectuality with emotional warmth, the ability to embrace the form of the work as a whole while carefully finishing the details of the former. The second is characterized by virtuosity of choral performance and deep penetration into the style of the work. The third is characterized by a combination of high technical skill and spirituality, freshness and colorful sound.

To the sound, to the sound of S.A. Kazachkov and all representatives of the Kazan choir school were taken leading place in performing practice. Work was constantly carried out on staging the vocal apparatus of singers, searching for singing resonators, finding and developing the timbre coloring of sound. For example, attending one of the last rehearsals of S.A. Kazachkova, the author of the article noted that while working on the Tatar folk song “Taftilyau”, skillfully arranged into four voices for the choir by R. Yakhin, S.A. Kazachkov constantly drew the attention of the choir artists to sound creation. “There should be a feeling as if we are picking up the sound, like with a violinist’s bow,” “we need to pick up the sound softly, but the breathing should be strong,” “we need to sing in such a way that the listener would be sorry to part with the sound, so that it would be beautiful” - such figurative S.A. made comments and instructions in his work. Kazachkov. But the Kazan conductor was not only a master of sound. He also had a keen sense of “cultural melos”, the musical atmosphere of the large Tatar region, which became popular at the beginning of the 20th century. a model of national tolerance.

Performed by S.A. Kazachkov coincided in time with the activities of the first professional Tatar composers. In any choral concert, along with the classics of S.A. Kazachkov presented selected works of Tatar music. In his performance, choruses from the operas “Altynchech” (translated from the Tatar language - a girl with golden hair), “Jalil” (about the Tatar poet Musa Jalil, hero of the USSR), and the cantata “My Republic” by N.G. Zhiganova. Tatar songs were performed simply and sincerely folk songs“Par at” (Pair of horses) and “Alluki” (Lullaby) arranged by A. Klyucharev.

Being a popularizer of the works of the Tatar school of composition, the conductor and choir of the Kazan Conservatory were often the first performers of newly appeared works. Thus, at the performance of the choir of the Kazan Conservatory at the plenum of the Union of Composers of the USSR in 1977, the choral concert “Munaqaty” by the talented young composer Sh. Sharifullin was presented. Here, for the first time, Islamic religious texts-prayer, originally read in cult practice by one single narrator, appeared in the form of a choral polyphonic texture. Thus, in the musical work there was a bright, original combination of Muslim traditionalism with Western European choral vocal technique. “The work, which went beyond the boundaries of craft, cliché and tradition and was a significant milestone in the development of Tatar choral music, owed its birth primarily to the choral class of the Kazan Conservatory.”

Activities of S.A. Kazachkova was not associated with the desire to cause cultural shock, to demolish the dominant culture, and replace it with a new personal reality. On the contrary, starting in his pedagogical vocal work from classical examples of singing of the Russian school, S.A. Kazachkov became the continuer of academic traditions. However, traditionalism, as an increased interest in the most stable, comprehensive, sacred order, emanating from some unshakable source, understood in classical music as a holy admiration for the unchanging author's musical text, in his work was colored by the artistry of performances and a magical connection with the listener.

A constant striving for perfection, a life of searching, and high artistic taste are the most important signs of a creative personality. Receptivity and constant attention to new things musical forms, the desire to enrich them made S.A. Kazachkova the most prominent person in musical life Kazan. Moreover, this conductor can be called a genuine Man of Culture. He lived in a space not of ideological dogmas, which very often give artists a comfortable existence, but in the flow of spiritual existence, for which there are its own, creative laws and the desire to understand and anticipate, through singing and music, future cultural developments.

BIBLIOGRAPHY


1. Buldakova A.V. Kazachkov in my life and work // Semyon Kazachkov: choral age. - Kazan: KGK, 2009. - P. 354 - 368.
2. Draznina L.A. Department of Choral Conducting // Kazan State Conservatory. - Kazan: KGK, 1998. - P. 207-215.
3. Kazachkov S.A. Some issues of rehearsal work with the choir: Author's abstract. dis. Ph.D. art history - Kazan, 1955. - 15 p.
4. Kazachkov S.A. Conductor's apparatus and its staging. - L.: Music, 1967. - 110 p.
5. Kazachkov S.A. From lesson to concert. - Kazan: KSU, 1990. - 343 p.
6. Kazachkov S.A. The choir conductor is an artist and teacher. - Kazan: KGK, 1998. - 308 p.
7. Kazachkov S.A. I'll tell you about time and about myself. - Kazan: KGK, 2004. - 62 p.
8. Litsova L.A. The man is a legend // Semyon Kazachkov: choral age. - Kazan: KGK, 2009. - P. 336 - 342.
9. Romanovsky N.V. Choral Dictionary. - M.: Music, 2000. - 230 p.

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Bibliographic link

V.A. Kayukov THE ART OF CONDUCTING S.A. KAZACHKOVA AND KAZAN CHORAL SCHOOL // Advances of modern natural science. – 2010. – No. 6 – P. 21-26

Task No. 10

Guided by rough plan choral score analysis

1. F. Bellasio (?-1594) “Villanelle”

2. J.S.Bach (1685-1750) “Terzetto” from motet No. 3 (part 1, part 2)

3. A. Dargomyzhsky (1813 – 1869) “In the Wild North” from the cycle “St. Petersburg Serenades” (part 1, part 2)

4. G.V. Sviridov “Winter Morning” from the cycle “Pushkin’s Wreath”

Semyon Kazachkov
(1909-2005)

SEMYON ABRAMOVICH KAZACHKOV
(1909-2005)
Teacher, professor, head of the department of choral conducting of the Kazan Conservatory

Biography

  • In 1909, in the village of Perevoz, Chernigov province (now Bryansk region, located on the Russian border with Ukraine and Belarus), S.A. Kazachkov was born into a poor family of general workers. A thirst for knowledge and reading literature, both artistic and scientific, characterized him from childhood. At the age of 18 he came to Leningrad and entered the conservatory. After finishing it in 1940, he was assigned to work with the Chuvash State Choir in Cheboksary. In 1941 he was drafted into the Soviet Army, where he fought on the Belarusian and Baltic fronts. He took part in the battles of Orel, Bryansk, Mitava, Koenigsberg, ending the war in Dobele (Latvia). After demobilization, he led the Ensemble of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet.
  • From 1947 to 2005, he worked at the Kazan Conservatory as a student choir conductor and choral conducting teacher. S.A. Kazachkov absorbed the high world musical culture of the second quarter of the 20th century, attending concerts of conductors - O. Klemperer, D. Mitropoulos, G. Abendroth, B. Walter, O. Fried, G. Knappersbusch, F. Stidri, E. Ansermet , V. Taliha; instrumental musicians - J. Heifetz, S. Prokofiev, V. Sofronitsky, A. Rubinstein, G. Neuhaus, M. Yudin, A. Schnabel. S.A. Kazachkov, in his memoirs “I’ll Tell You About Time and About Myself,” noted the desire not to blindly immerse oneself in classical music, without seeing what is happening around in cultural life. During his years of study in Leningrad, he attended all the tours of the Moscow Art Theater, the Moscow Art Theater, as well as dramatic productions of the Leningrad Drama Theater. A.S. Pushkin - “Alexandrinki”. Communication with wonderful artists, the perception of music in the brilliant performance of a galaxy of outstanding conductors was reflected later, in S.A. Kazachkov’s own programs. Listeners to concerts under his direction always noted not only the high professionalism of the conductor, but also the beauty of the performance, inner taste, tact, and measure. At the Kazan Conservatory, S.A. Kazachkov eventually created the so-called “Kazan Choir School” of singing and conducting. As Semyon Abramovich noted: “This name was not given by us, it matured through the perception of our concert, pedagogical and scientific experience by conductors and teachers of music educational institutions of the republics of the former USSR, including the Baltic ones.” Being the founder and originator of the values, norms, and style of the “Kazan School,” he honed the students’ musical performance through constant concert activity, which allowed them to later become the founders of their own choirs. Thus, Kazan choral conductors became prominent followers of the “school”: A. Abdullin, A. Buldakova, L. Draznina, V. Levanov, V. Lukyanov, D. Kutdusov, V. Makarov, E. Mokhnatkin, V. Sotnikov, M. Tamindarova . The school of a strong leader is sometimes interpreted negatively. It is believed that a brilliant talent will lose his individuality by submitting to the dictates of the master, and the obligatory copying of his techniques will form a series of similar professionals. However, for the educational and concert process of education and professional education of students of the choral department of the Kazan Conservatory in the second half of the 20th century. development in this direction was methodologically correct, but S.A. Kazachkov’s system, apparently, had the properties of a matrix that allowed it to go beyond the boundaries of strong craftsmanship. At the heart of the “school” of S.A. Kazachkov, along with the bright “techne”, is aristos - a kind of sublime idea. This is a moral and aesthetic position about constant selfless service to art, which cleanses the soul and ennobles the taste of the public. The Kazan conductor never tired of repeating to students the basics of his professional philosophy. Objectively, S.A. Kazachkov required students to comprehend and be fluent in conducting polystylistic technique, that is, a system of diverse special conducting techniques applicable in a particular piece of music. In choral singing, the development of polystylism was aimed at comprehending the elements of the singing schools of classicism, romanticism and expressionism. According to the guidelines of S.A. Kazachkov, the choice of the necessary techniques for conducting and singing is made in the best possible way based on a detailed analysis of the composition and intuitive following of the inner ear. S.A. Kazachkov always required students to read classical Russian literature, considering this activity a prerequisite for the formation of a refined and flexible aesthetic taste.
  • 1948-89 - head of the department of choral conducting

Creation

The performance of S.A. Kazachkov coincided with the activities of the first professional Tatar composers. In any choral concert, along with the classics, S.A. Kazachkov presented selected works of Tatar music. In his performance, choruses from the operas “Altynchech” (translated from the Tatar language - a girl with golden hair), “Jalil” (about the Tatar poet Musa Jalil, hero of the USSR), and the cantata “My Republic” by N.G. Zhiganov sounded expressively. Tatar folk songs “Par at” (Pair of horses) and “Alluki” (Lullaby) arranged by A. Klyucharyov were performed simply and sincerely

  • Kazachkov S.A. "Some issues of rehearsal work with the choir." Abstract of the dissertation of a candidate of art history. Kazan, 1955
  • Kazachkov S.A. "The conductor's apparatus and its staging." - Leningrad. Music, 1967
  • Kazachkov S.A. "From lesson to concert." Kazan:

A talented teacher will always notice the emotional spark caused by the game, will be able to rekindle it and involve children in serious work. In the process of choir classes, the importance of the play method (among all others) in the education of younger children preschool age becomes of great importance, since the level of behavior of each child in the game is higher than in real life. It is in game situations (so that the student at least temporarily experiences the corresponding states) that we model many of the qualities necessary for future vocal and choral activity, to develop interest in classes. In other words, “the education of a future figure occurs, first of all, in play” (A.S. Makarenko. Works vol. 4 M. 1957 p. 3730).

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Municipal budget educational institution additional education for children "Children's School of Music named after E.M. Belyaev, Klintsy, Bryansk region"

Methodological development on the topic:

“Game as a method for developing vocal and choral skills in 1st grade choir lessons”

Performed by Mikhailova Galina Anatolyevna

MBOU DOD "Children's Music School named after E.M. Belyaev"

Klintsy, Bryansk region

  1. Introduction.
  2. Goals and objectives of this topic.
  3. Practical methods work.
  4. Conclusion.
  5. Methodological literature.
  1. Introduction.

Playing is not just a pastime.Starting from preschool age, play is a need and the main activity. In subsequent years, it continues to be one of the main conditions for the development of a student’s intellect.

The game should help fill knowledge, be a means musical development child. Game form organization of lessons significantly increases the child’s creative activity. The game broadens one's horizons, develops cognitive activity, and forms individual skills and abilities necessary in practical activities.

A talented teacher will always notice the emotional spark caused by the game, will be able to rekindle it and involve children in serious work. In the process of choir classes, the importance of the game method (among all others) in the education of children of primary preschool age becomes of great importance, since the level of behavior of each child in the game is higher than in real life. It is in game situations (so that the student at least temporarily experiences the corresponding states) that we model many of the qualities necessary for future vocal and choral activity, to develop interest in classes. In other words, “the education of a future figure occurs, first of all, in play,” (A.S. Makarenko. Works vol.4 M. 1957 p.3730).

First of all, children are interested in the game situation itself. And later, with a conscious attitude towards the content of the game, students begin to understand the usefulness of this form of work. Time plays a huge role here, which allows the teacher to gradually create certain traditions and turn them into the habitual way of action and behavior of children.

  1. Goals and objectives of this topic.

What does the game give? It forms creative, cognitive, organizational and pedagogical inclinations, develops a number of skills and abilities: attention, the ability to communicate in a team, speech and conducting skills, and others. Game techniques greatly facilitate the choral activities of younger schoolchildren. The more diverse and interesting such work is, the better results it will give.

  1. Practical methods of work.

Game "Musical Echo".The game usually begins in the sixth to eighth lesson in the “chanting” section: the teacher plays the piano or sings simple songs, the children sing them after him on a certain syllable. Initially, these chants use arbitrary scale degrees, not only those that are studied, because In the first lessons, usually only three degrees of the major scale are consciously sung. Unconscious memorization of melodies occurs.

Students pick up this game, comparing their singing after the teacher with the sound of an echo in the forest. After a few rehearsals, you can introduce a second version of this game using only the studied degrees of the scale. Children become aware of them and sing in syllables, with the names of notes or steps, showing the sounding steps with the number of fingers.

Game "Catch Me".In the fourth lesson, you can offer the following exercise: the teacher plays the piano or sings various sounds within re - to gradually and abruptly; students using voice (vowels)ё, yu, on the syllables le, la, ma) reproduce each sound played or sung, carefully monitoring the unison in the choir. When students sing, the piano does not sound and vice versa. Children explain this exercise like this: “I run away, and you catch up with me. So you ran in one direction, and we ran in the other, which means you didn’t catch up.” Then you can help students with leading questions, for example: “Have you caught up with me now or not? Did everyone catch up with me or did someone run in the other direction?”

“Emotional-imaginative games” for breathing. « Little Engine", "Cake with Candles", "The Hedgehog is out of breath.» “Locomotive” - an exercise to activate inhalation and exhalation, movements of the diaphragm. The exercise is as follows: two short breaths are taken through the nose, at the same time the stomach protrudes, after which two short exhalations are made through the mouth, the stomach is retracted. At the same time, the sounds of a train moving are imitated, you can make movements with your arms and legs - this will take on the nature of a game and will be exciting for the child.

“Cake with candles” - the exercise is aimed at developing a short inhalation through the nose, holding the breath and a long exhalation through pursed lips, as if we were blowing out the candles on a cake. The main condition is not to change your breathing and “blow out” as many “candles” as possible.

“The hedgehog is out of breath” - take a long breath, hold your breath and quickly exhale actively to “f-f-f...”

“Emotional-imaginative games” for the purity of intonation. Game "Thread and needle". When singing a jump upward, we say that you need to be surprised, imagine that the upper sound is a “hole”, and the voice is a “needle”. You need to very accurately hit the “needle” into the “hole”. If the melody continues on the upper sound, then a “thread” will be pulled behind the “needle” voice. You can also say that a ray of light shines at the end of the “needle” - then the sound will be sharp, ringing.

"Fisherman in a Boat" -If you need to sing a jump down with your voice, the child should imagine that he is standing in a boat, casting a fishing rod. When the hook touches the water (and the hook is the voice) - this will be the low sound we need, it can pull the hook back, or it can stay down. At the same time, the child must realize that the hook is only a voice, while he himself remains at the top “in the boat” - this technique will retain the vocal position.

Game "Live Piano".As many children or groups participate in it as the degrees of the mode have been studied. For example, at the seventh - eighth rehearsal, when the students are already quite free andconsciously intonate the 1st, 2nd, 3rd degrees of the major scale, the game proceeds as follows:

Three students come out, the teacher offers each of them one specific level. You can sing this sound on any syllable, naming a note or degree. Then the teacher or one of the choristers “tunes” this “live piano”, checks whether each child remembers the sound of “his” note and tries to “play”. After this, the leader of the game (teacher or student) invites one of the children to “play this instrument.” Usually this game evokes an active emotional response in children. You can divide the whole team into groups corresponding to the number of sounds needed. In this case, it will be like a “collective live piano”. Both options - individual and group - are equally important. In the first case, attention is paid to individual students (children - “keys”, “tuner”, “pianist”, “administrator”), their auditory attention is activated, they are given the opportunity to hear themselves separately, compose a small melody, show their individuality in one of the specified roles. In the second case, the auditory, intonation and vocal skills of all students are formed. Children learn to sing in groups, smoothly and gently join in the overall sound, and adapt to the singing of the group. This is how a “sense of elbow” develops and attention is activated. In both versions of the game, the students themselves must analyze the actual sound, and indicate exactly what the mistake was, what step (note) sounded instead of the required one. How should you sing - higher or lower? It is useful to immediately teach children to “play” in rhythm so that short musical phrases are obtained. The teacher can show examples of such music-making himself. This game develops not only musically - creative, but also the organizational and pedagogical abilities of children. She allows students to act as a teacher, leader (organizer) of the game, conductor, performing artist, critic, etc.

Game "Who is it?" This game can be introduced when children become familiar with the concept of “timbre”:

The teacher asks: “Do you know whose name is? Let's get acquainted. This is Lenya, Sasha, Tanya... And now several people will stand behind the choir and say something. For example, they will ask: “What is my name?”, and you have to find out without looking who is asking!” Why do we know who exactly is speaking? Because everyone's voices are different. Each person has his own voice character, his own sound coloring, typical for this particular voice. Do instruments have their own characteristic sound coloring? Of course have. That's why we recognize the sound of voices, objects, instruments. This is what they sound like wooden sticks when they hit each other, and this is how a drum, a tambourine sounds... And here is a metal triangle... Then the children close their eyes and try to find out what instrument it sounded.

So, in this and subsequent lessons, children become aware of the concept of “timbre” and are happy to join the game “Who is it?”, recognizing the voices (now in singing) of their comrades, the sound of various instruments (and their number is constantly expanding).

Subsequently, the game acquires other content: showing children the importance of various means of expression to create a certain character, the teacher performs (sings or plays the piano) intonations of various nature: question, answer, complaint, protest, request, etc. Children understand the meaning of melodic pattern, rhythm, tempo, endings at various levels of the scale, etc. They also determine the nature of the performance to create a particular musical image, a musical portrait. As a result of analyzing chants - improvisations of various types, children guess what image, what mood the melody creates.

  • Who wants to try to come up with a melody with “character”? "Let's compose, musical “portrait” of a determined boy. And who will now compose a “portrait” of a cheerful man? - the teacher helps children in composing and performing melodies, shows with specific examples that in “portraits” not only music is important, but also in to a greater extent nature of performance.
  • Composing melodies can be free or using specific studied degrees of the scale.
  • Another version of the game: one of the students becomes a “teacher”, “game leader”, “composer”, “musical portrait painter”, “riddle master”, etc. The child sings some intonation, and all the students try to recognize the hidden portrait-image.
  • Game "Plastic intonation".The effect of using plastic intonation is not limited to the development of vocal skills. I noticed that after I started using this method, children began to respond better to the conductor’s gesture, sometimes they even copy me themselves, conducting with me without my request. This especially helps in the process of building phrasing and, in general, in working on creating a musical image.After singing and analyzing several songs, the teacher or one of the choristers replacing him conducts one of these songs in silence, and everyone tries to find out which piece he had in mind and explains why they knew it.
  • Game "Music Album".This is a collective game, the collective work of all students: each of them takes part in filling out the “album” - they will write the name of the songs they like and draw an illustration for it.
  • We give the children a beautiful sketchbook with lots of pages. On each page the title of the song and the names of the authors are written. Gradually, children fill these pages with their drawings for these songs. It is better to start an album when children already know quite a few songs.
  • The game can happen, for example, like this: the teacher opens the album on some page and performs a song whose name is written there.
  • After that, he gives the album to anyone who wants to make a drawing for the song. Gradually, drawings will appear for all songs.
  • Similarly to this game, you can create and play a “collective musical dictionary", "book of singing rules".
  • Game "Find out the song."Excerpts of melodies from different songs are written on the board or on a sheet of music. Having mentally solfed and recognized the song, the children sign its name with a pencil or chalk. Then the children must sing the song in solfeggio, and then with the words. This is a more difficult task, but by frequently repeating it in lessons, children develop their musical memory, inner hearing, and gradually become accustomed to solfegging, which will already be needed in the middle level of education.

Game "Critics". Several children stand in front of the choir; Each of them is given the task of monitoring one element of the singing. At the first classes there will be two or three such “critics”, and at subsequent classes there will be more and more (you can increase their number to seven or eight people). After finishing the singing, each “critic” analyzes the quality of the performance of the element of singing that he followed (breathing, “yawn”, position, legato, unison, ensemble, etc.). Subsequently, this game is played (as one of the options) in combined with"cards ": several students come out and take out cards with the name of a certain concept. For example, “yawn”, “delayed breathing”, “diction”, “ensemble”, “unison”, “attention-breathing-entry”, “preparation-withdrawal”; each student analyzes the sound of the choir and the activities of the “conductors” (while playing “conductor”, “teacher”, “choirmaster”) in accordance with their card.

Even later, with the help of this game, children develop the skill of “singing and listening at the same time.” Every choir member is both a singer and a criticat the same time, because he must listen not only to himself, but also to the sound of the entire choir. I would especially like to say about such painstaking work, which requires perseverance and attention on the part of students - this is unlearning songs. Not Children always understand the meaning of detailed practice of certain intonations, work on individual skills in the process of learning. And here, too, you need to turn to the help of games.

  • At the very beginning of learning (after showing the teacher or student), phrases and sentences of the first verse are analyzed, children conventional signs show their number (by the number of fingers), similarities and differences (close your eyes - open), peaks (head tilts, hand movements), melodic pattern (“draw” a melody with your hand, that is, mark the pitch with your palm).
  • Next, the nature of each phrase, each sentence is determined. The phrases are sung anew each time, using the experience of the game “Who is this?”, “ Musical portraits", or cards with the name of a certain concept.
  • Now it is necessary to carry out rhythmic games (against the background of singing individual phrases and sentences being learned):

a) sing a song and mark the ends of phrases and sentences by clapping your hands;

b) sing a song and clap your hands or knees to mark the meter, rhythm, alternate, according to the conventional sign of the teacher or student replacing him, performing either the meter or the rhythm of the song;

c) one group marks the vertices of phrases, the other - the ends of phrases;

d) one group marks the beginning, another the vertices, the third - the ends of phrases;

e) three students in front of the choir perform the previous task, and the entire choir marks the meter of the song by clapping on the knee;

f) one group marks the meter (by hitting the knees), the other - the rhythmic pattern (by clapping). Groups change tasks during each exercise. Changes can be made not only when repeating a sentence or verse as a whole, but also in the process of singing (according to a conventional sign). All these collective actions using conventional signs take place against the background of a song being performed, and the teacher constantly monitors the level of compliance with the rules of singing familiar to children.

Vocal and choral work is carried out using games of “teacher” and “conductor”, with collective conducting, with the participation of “critics”, using cards, “Songbook”, etc.

In addition to collective analysis using conventional signs, verbal analysis is used, during which children learn to express their thoughts, impressions, and observations in words, which helps them better understand their observations.

And finally, when the song is more or less understood and learned: a game situation “school” is created in combination with a “concert choir”. Children choose a conductor artistic director, entertainer, teacher, critic, etc. Thus, students take turns and in a group organize the performance of a song or songs, come up with special ways to overcome certain difficulties in the song (similar to those used by the teacher at various rehearsals), monitor the implementation of singing rules, sound quality, activity and expressiveness of performance, facial expressions of choristers, their position etc. Under their leadership, the choir members decide on the performance plan for the verse (so far only the first), find the climax, the main and additional “colors” of the performance. All this work takes place inat a fast pace, takes about forty to seventy minutes per lesson (if you complete it entirely). Children really like this kind of work!

It should, however, be noted that learning one song during one rehearsal using such a large number of different techniques is impractical. Most often, these types of work, as well as staging, design with a “noise orchestra”, learning with visual aids, singing with soloists, singing in parts, competition, etc. It should be carried out over several rehearsals or distributed over several different songs during one lesson.

Didactic games, as fixed methods of training, help make the lesson more intense, speed up its pace, and add variety. The more diverse the techniques, the broader the children’s horizons in this area, the more freely they will be able to use the subsequently acquired knowledge and skills.

Children of seven and nine years of age give great importance gaming paraphernalia when carrying out any type of activity. In lessons and in extracurricular activities, it is very useful to use visual elements in game situations: posters, wall charts, books, albums, manuals, badges. For example, awarding a medal to the “most attentive” person, a badge “ best conductor", etc., introduce various rules and traditions.

  1. Conclusion.

Thus, the specifics of a choral lesson in elementary school require scrupulous, painstaking training of a whole range of vocal-choral and social skills, long-term, patient development of certain musical and general abilities. But the perseverance, attention, and determination of children who are just beginning their musical and choral activities are not yet at the proper level. In addition, there are objective patterns of attention dulled by prolonged monotonous activity. “Monotony quickly tires,” writes V.A. Sukhomlinsky. “As soon as the children began to get tired, I tried to move on to a new type of work... The first signs of fatigue disappear, joyful lights appear in the children’s eyes... Monotonous activity is replaced by creativity” (V.A. Sukhomlinsky “The Heart is Given to Children.” M. 1969 . P. 98).

A variety of games, united by one educational topic, make it possible to create conditions for the development of the “Old into New” principle and thereby help to avoid the boring repetition that sometimes takes place at choir rehearsals due to the specifics of the subject. “The game must be present in the children's group. Children's group not playing will never be a real children's group" (A.S. Makarenko. Works, vol. 5. M. 1958, p. 219).

  1. Methodological literature:
  1. G. Teratsuyants “Something from the experience of a chorist”, Petrozavodsk, 1995.
  2. S.A. Kazachkov “From lesson to concert.” Kazan University Publishing House, 1990

3.G.A. Struve “Steps of musical literacy.”

St. Petersburg, 1997


This book is not Scientific research. Currently, there is no way to implement this in the field of choral conducting and pedagogy. The necessary prerequisites for this have not matured. This book is also not a textbook. It provides an overview and, if necessary, a brief summary of the many years of experience of the Department of Choral Conducting of the Kazan Conservatory, which the author has directed since the city. Without the goal of converting all readers to his musical and pedagogical faith, the author still hopes that what has been stated can be used subject to critical development and creative assimilation. The printed word about art cannot be taken as a directive. No matter how positive individual experience may be, it reflects only one of many aspects of objective truth. The latter is born, as is known, from a comparison different directions, methods and points of view, for which you need to become widely and impartially familiar with diverse practices, reserving the right not to take anything for granted and, learning from each other, to be yourself. Let the reader not perceive this book as a collection of recipes and regulations, no matter how categorical the author’s intonation may sometimes seem.
The genre and form of the book arose from the fundamental idea expressed in the title: “From Lesson to Concert,” an idea that defends the performing orientation of conducting and choral education. In some educational institutions A system for training “theoreticians” of choral affairs has developed. Scholastic memorization of choir dogmas and craft techniques in the absence of practice in a concert-educational choir, with a low level of general and musical aesthetic culture leads to the fact that graduates studying under such a system manage to defend a written test at the state exam thesis with an “excellent” rating, not knowing how to work with the choir, and, what is especially alarming, not loving this work. Our concept provides for the education of musicians who consider practical work with the choir to be their calling, their life’s work. The training of such conductors is based on the educational and concert work of the choir class, independent practice in an amateur choir and broad theoretical training using the experience of other musical performing professions.

The author strove to ensure that the book was equally “reportable” to both specialists, experts, and a wide range of students and amateurs. Therefore, along with new ideas and thoughts, it presents a number of elementary information. The latter are needed in the same way as “remplissages”, connections that give the presentation the necessary consistency.
The focus of the book on a broad overview of pedagogical and artistic problems, which arose from the desire to give a panorama of the school, led to the brevity of some sections. I hope that readers will not! reproach me for what is not in the book. This is the elementary right of every author. If the book stimulates the reader's thoughts and leads to the emergence of new ideas, the author will be especially satisfied. Unfortunately, it must be admitted that many of the subtleties and “secrets” of the artistic and musical-pedagogical process were not adequately reflected in the book due to the limitations of language, which every musician feels when he wants to convey music and his understanding of it in words.

INTRODUCTION
Goals and objectives of the conducting and choir school
The choir we strive for
Choral conductor needed
How a school is created
School and system of expressive means of modern performance.
Pedagogical problems of the conducting and choir school. School and life. School and tradition. Individuality and school. Is pedagogy a science or an art? Intuition and consciousness in teaching music.

Chapter first. IN A SPECIAL CLASS MUSIC AND ITS COMPREHENSION.
Features of music as art. Specificity of artistic knowledge. Three stages of music knowledge. Music learning system “Map” of the musical world. Musical “meridians” and “parallels”. Genres and styles in music. General definition and characteristics of genres. Brief concept about style. The intersection of genre and style: the nature of music. Study of the choral repertoire. Principles of its selection. General problems of interpretation. Is the interpretation objective or subjective? Author and performer. Author and work. Performer and work. Work and music text. Meaning and meaning. Text, context and subtext.
Some patterns of musical expression. S About the intonational nature of music Characteristics of performing means of expression - Tempo-trorhythm (general characteristics) - Tempo-rhythm and pulsation Tempo-rhythm and genre. Tempometric rhythm in choral music. Tempo and style.
Dynamics.
Purpose of dynamics. general characteristics dynamic notation. Dynamics, genre and style.
Climax
General characteristics. Location of the climax. Po (add to the climax. Climax in choruses from operas. Means of achieving the climax.
Frlchirovka.
General concept about phrasing. System of means of phrasing. Phrasing and articulation. Phrasing and dynamics Phrasing and timbre. Phrasing and poetic text
Regarding music and poetic word V different genres and styles
Music to canonical text. Subtextual music and translation. Syntactic contradictions between words and music. Choral texture and poetic text.
Working on the score.
The importance of preliminary (before rehearsal) study of the score Example of the masters. Stages of work. Three levels of studying software scores. The phenomenon of holistic comprehension of music.

Chapter two. IN A SPECIAL CLASS. CONDUCTING.
On the nature of conducting. You have to be born a conductor, but you have to learn to conduct. Conducting is the ability to make the audible visible and the visible audible.
About the natural connection between music and movement
The first basis of conducting is the fundamental natural connection between music and movement. The general significance and general intelligibility of sign language. On the universality of performing technique. On some regularities of collective performance. On the classification of conductor's gestures. Conducting technique must be real. Features of the modern conductor's technique. Classic conducting technique. Romantic conducting technique. Expressionistic conducting technique. Polylistic technique of the modern conductor. About the arrangement of the conductor's apparatus. What is a conductor's apparatus? “Staging the apparatus” and conducting technique. About the principles of production. Staging rules. Where to start? About formation individual equipment. Features of real learning to conduct with piano. When conducting “under the piano”, control the accompanist. The conductor is responsible for the accompanist's performance. The accompanist in the conducting class is subordinate to the student and must follow him exactly. When achieving real control over the accompanist's playing, make allowances for the choral sound. Independent (home) conducting classes. Breathing as a criterion for the fidelity of a conductor’s gesture in home practice. Specialty lesson. Balance of rational and emotional principles. “Listen to the student, do not interrupt him.” (Beethoven). Analysis of performance About pedagogical diagnosis. About pedagogical demonstrations. About coaching. Common mistakes students. Miscalculations in the plan. Errors against style. Miscalculations in pacing. The climax is calculated incorrectly or not found at all. Incorrect interpretation of the poetic text. Inattentive attitude to the musical text, entailing incorrect reading and analysis of it -. Typical rhythmic errors. A passion for sound effects and thinking through nuances. Errors in conducting technique. Miscalculations in choosing the type of equipment. Incorrect choice of “conductor fingering.” Inaccurately calculated breathing in the conductor's stroke An example of working on a piece. Performance on the piano. Conductor's performance. Student conductor's hearing and its development in special and choral classes.

Chapter three. IN THE CHORAL CLASS
Repertoire.
Choral sonority.
Vocal development of the choir.
Basic principles. Elements of vocal technique of the era of classicism. Elements of vocal technique of the Romantic era. Elements of modern vocal technique. Elements of choir vocal technique and their interaction. Singing breath. Types and types of breathing. Sound attack. Types of attack. Head and chest resonator. Articulatory-speech organs and their functions Sound support. Connecting and aligning registers. The structure of registers in men's and women's voices choir. Mixed voice production. Vocal and choral exercises. General settings. Exercise material and its structure. Development of singing breathing and sound attack. Exercise on one sound. Gamma exercises. Non legato exercise. Legato exercises. Staccato exercises. Arpeggiated exercises and leaps. Respiratory release technique. Chain breathing Skills in using resonators and articulatory apparatus. Development of diction technique. Build a choir. What helps and what hinders good order in the choir. Features of a capella tuning. Features of tempered choral structure. Choral structure in modern music. Choral structure and tonality. Exercises in formation
Build and style. Choral structure as a process
Structure and ensemble. Choral ensemble. Types of choral ensemble. Types of choral ensemble. Pitch-intonation ensemble Temporhythmic ensemble. Timbre ensemble of the choir -. Dynamic ensemble. Articulatory ensemble. Polyphonic and homophonic-harmonic ensemble. Ensemble choir piano. The structure of the choir class and the system of its work. Laboratory-educational choir. Choir class as an educational and concert choir. On the relationship between educational and pedagogical and concert and performing tasks in the choir class. The mode and methods of work of the choir class with trainees. About the independence of the trainee. Planning rehearsals. Advice for a trainee.

Chapter Four. IN AN AMATEUR CHORUS
How to organize a choir. Repertoire of the amateur choir and its features. Development of the choir: from a spontaneous desire to sing to a clearly realized creative goal. Educational work of an amateur choir. First lessons (approximate diagram). On the development of personality in a choir. About the personality of the choir. Performances of an amateur choir.

Chapter five. CONCERT
What are we looking for in a concert? “You may not be great, but you must be truthful!” On the specifics of concert performance. About the performing experience. About inspiration. The overall emotional tone of the work and its development. Fidelity to the plan and its development. About the theatricality of choral singing. The art of transformation in the choir penny. Imagination choral conductor and a singer. Psychological barriers to concert performance and ways to overcome them. Communication and contact in concert performance.
AFTERWORD
LITERATURE.