Felicia Barber is an adjunct associate professor of choral conducting, and conductor of the Yale Camerata at Yale University. In addition to teaching graduate-level and undergraduate choral conductors, Barber is developing a new initiative designed to prepare Yale students to work with young musicians on choral music in both school and church settings. Her research interests include effective teaching strategies, fostering classroom diversity, incorporating equity and justice initiatives in choral curricula, and the linguistic performance practice of African American spirituals. Barber is regularly engaged as a guest conductor at All-State festivals and will conduct at the American Choral Directors Association eastern division conference in 2024 and the Carnegie Hall Festival in 2025. She holds a degree in vocal performance from Oral Roberts University, a master’s degree from Mansfield University, and a doctorate from Florida State University.
This session will review essential elements of gesture, emphasizing use of Laban, and left-hand independence. Laban was developed by Rudolf Laban, a dancer and choreographer, as a method and language for describing, interpreting, and documenting human movement. This session will offer insight on how to apply the Laban method and language into conducting gestures, and will explore how those elements can be applied to specific musical examples.
While it seems counterintuitive, the best teachers strive to make themselves unnecessary! This session focuses on developing independent musicians, and will include vocal independence, maintaining melody and harmony parts, and independent, expressive decision-making musicianship.
