About conduct 5040
The invaluable skill of the conductor is one that is underserved in terms of education and tutoring, because it is a difficult thing to teach, not lending itself to private study. It is also a higher level skill that needs an investment of time from more experienced ringers whose help is often more difficult to enlist.
Conductors are usually self-starters who have learned to conduct out of necessity. Learning conducting is something one develops over time, growing through experience, and maybe some study. It is rare to be in a position where one is prompted or even coached in ones early conducting, and the need for practical experience combined with lack of feedback from that experience, makes learning conducting through reading a book quite difficult.
The main aspects of the course are therefore that the material will be developed as we go along, based on the real needs of the first group of students, shaped by them. It will be supported by a network of very experienced ‘Conductor Mentors’ all keen to take part in this project. And it will all be done online, with email response to questions and a continuously improving web-based tutorial.
Maybe you want to be able to conduct a quarter of Surprise Major because you have a band that can ring it but no one can keep it right. Maybe you are interested in the odd bell methods and want to conduct Grandsire Caters. There is also virtually no upper limit, so if you want to know the best way to learn a one-part of spliced or keep Stedman Cinques right, there is more than enough experience on the Mentor team to help you out.
The key is we are trying to teach conducting. The focus is on how to keep people right, but also techniques for selecting and learning compositions. The intention is not to teach bob calling, because that is a skill well served by existing publications.
But finally a word of warning. Those expecting an instant panacea that will cure conducting woes will not find it here. You will learn that conducting takes study, hard work, practice, and experience. What you will find though is support from ringers who have already been there, know what you are going through, and who are willing to give of their time and expertise.