© J.

van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

ASCAM SCORE STUDY: Introduction (Pages 1 & 2)

Conducting is ‘embodied audiation’;

the integrated process of harmonic audiation
and the gestural decisions we make
in order to express what we hear in our mind and heart.

What we audiate, our ‘aural image,’

is a complex mixture of
aural, visual, vocal, instrumental, kinesthetic,
theoretical,
historical, emotional, textual, and musical information
that when put together creates and expresses meaning.

How conductors put together their AURAL IMAGE

to harmonically AUDIATE THE WHOLE
is a uniquely personal process.

How conductors both move from an

internally audiated harmonic landscape
to expressing their aural image through physical
gestures,
as well as reflect on their gestural effectiveness
in rehearsal and concert settings,
is based on a SERIES OF DECISIONS.
 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

ASCAM SCORE STUDY =

A = Audiation Decisions
S = Singing Decisions
C = Conducting Decisions/Movements
A = Analysis Decisions
M = Marked Score Decisions

A suggested BEST ORDER for completing your

ASCAM SCORE STUDY is as follows:

I, IV, II, III, V, & then the Final Questions.

I. Audiation Decisions
IV. Analysis Decisions
II. Singing Decisions
III. Conducting Decisions/Movements
V. Marked Score Decisions
VI. Final Questions
 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

ASCAM SCORE STUDY: PARTS I – V and Final

Questions

I. ASCAM: Audiation Decisions:

Discography: Summary of important recordings and performances, with
notable comparisons:

Version 1: Version 2: Version 3: Version 4:

Coventry Carol -Stephen -Owen Rees -Dr. Barlow -Morna
Cleobury -Queen’s Bradford Edmundson
-King’s College Choir -University of -Elektra
College Choir
Utah Choirs Women’s
Choir
Tempo 80bpm-85bpm 90bpm- 70bpm-80bpm 100bpm
105bpm

Key F minor G minor G Minor F Minor

Style Contemplative Storytelling Haunting Almost

celebratory?

Type of soloist N/A N/A N/A N/A

Type of N/A N/A N/A N/A

instruments,
acc.
Solo N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ornamentation
Choral Style Full, Mature, Full Choir with Mature, All-
Communal, brighter, Orchestra female
Acapella Acapella Accompanimen (middle-age
t choir),
Acapella
 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

Golden Mean 1 minute, 45 1 minute, 29 3 minutes, 36 1 minute, 26

seconds seconds seconds seconds
Other I love the Nice dynamic Different Incorporates
purposeful shifts (quiet, arrangement some non-
dissonance louder, quiet) than the traditional
prior to each on each of the traditional harmonies in
of the major verses hymn-style the verses.
cadences. carol. The
drone gives this
arrangement a
sense of
timelessness
Notes All male I really like I like this I really like the
version. the fluidity of arrangement of blend of this
Interesting this Coventry choir. The
stylistic lifts arrangement Carol! The brighter tone
before the and the droning and mature
cadences. predominant orchestral voices creates
Interesting female accompaniment an interesting
interpretation voicing/tone adds a more depiction of
of the vowel throughout the sinister layer to the carol that
at the end of carol. the story by starkly
“lullay”. Gorgeous/clea highlighting the contrasts with
r leading tone heavy nature of the morbidness
transition at the story behind of the
the end! I like this carol. I University of
the wish the tempo Utah Choir
”briskness” of was a little version.
this more
arrangement. purposeful – at
times it felt like
the piece was a
piece of taffy
stretching on
forever.

II. A SCAM: Singing Decisions

a. Vocal Production Decisions
Sound: Breathing, placement, vowels and modifications, consonants,
 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

type of blend, preferred balance, vibrato

Interpretative IPA, translations, word stress, phrasing and breathing

Decisions:

Emotional Buzz words, placement, facial affect

Coloration:

Soloists: Kind and type

Other: Notes, etc.

b. Kodaly Singing/Chanting Components:

ETPs: Extractable Tonal Patterns:
 Order of pitches without repeats
 Soprano: La, Si, La, Do, Ti, La, Si, La, Ti, Do, Re, Ti, Di,
La, Si, La, Do, Ti, La, Si, La, Ti, Do, Re, Ti, Do,
Mi, Re, Do, Ti, Do, Ti, La, Si, La, Si, La, Re, Ti, Di
Alto: Mi, La, So, Mi, So, La, Si, La,
Mi, La, So, Mi, So, La, Si, La,
So, Ti, La, So, Mi, So, Re, Mi, La, Si, La
Tenor: Do, Ti, Do, Fa, Re, Do, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Mi,
Do, Ti, Do, Fa, Re, Do, Ti, Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Mi,
So, Mi, Do, Re, La, Ti, Do, Ti, Do, Fa, Mi
Bass: La, Mi, La, Fa, So, La, Mi, La, So, Mi, Re, Mi, La,
La, Mi, La, Fa, So, La, Mi, La, So, Mi, Re, Mi, La, Do
So, La, Mi, La, So, Fi, Mi, La, Mi, La, Re, Mi, La
 Type: random, pentatonic, modal, diatonic, chromatic - Diatonic
 Solfege System: pick for this piece (moveable, fixed, modulatory) – La-based minor

ERPs: Extractable Rhythmic Pattern:

 Order of rhythms without repeats – Quarter, Half, Quarter, Eighth, Quarter,
Dotted Half
 Type: duple, triple, mixed, compound, rubato, free – Triple meter with duple feel
(3/4)
 Counting system: Pick for this piece - Takadimi

EHPs: Extractable Harmonic Pattern:

 Order of harmonic intervals that ground the piece; See score
 Primary Landmark Chords

Developmental teaching strategies: Prepare, Present, Practice

SUMMARY:
 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

My favorite sound for Coventry Carol is lullaby-like.

I will achieve it with tall vowels.

I will achieve it with a combination of forward and backwards placements.

I will achieve it with expansive backspace placement and blend.

I will achieve it with a gentle, lullaby-like style.

III. AS CAM: Conducting Decisions: big/small, in/out, up/down!

Level 1: Kinesthetic Level

1. In order to communicate the meaning of the piece, what does my Level 1 need to look
like? (Consider the following, and more: kinesthetic set-up, my Laban dimensions [time,
weight & space], effort actions & feelings.)

My awareness/implementation goal(s) for Level 1 Kinesthetic is/are:

My Kinesthetic goal is to initiate my conducting movements from my elbow joint.

Level 2: Somatic/Breath Level

2. In order to communicate the meaning of the piece, what does my Level 2 need to look
like? (Consider the following and more: My somatic facial affect, my emotional
connection to the piece and my facial affect, my mouth shape and my vowel shaping, my
Laban dimensions [time, weight & space], effort actions & feelings, and breathing.
Write several sentences below).

My awareness/implementation goal(s) for Level 2 Somatic/Breath is/are:

My somatic goals/breath goals are to model a proper singer’s breath for my choir every time

I sing while maintaining a welcoming and piece-appropriate facial affect.

Levels 3a and 3b: Technical Dominant Hand and Non-dominant Hand Levels
3. In order to communicate the meaning of the piece, what does my Level 3 need to look
like? (Consider the following and more: What are my beat patterns, my cues, my levels,
my word stress, my releases, my size of gesture, my entrances, my melded gestures,
my eye tracking, etc., and how do I execute them, my Laban dimensions [time, weight &
space], effort actions & feelings, marked in the score) and what do my Rainbow Lady
drawings look like? Write several sentences below).

My awareness(es)/implementation goal(s) for Level 3 Technical a.) dominant

 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

hand, and b.) non-dominant hand is/are:

My technical level goal for my dominant hand is to utilize a smooth/lyrical beat
pattern that is clear to interpret and representative of the calming nature of the
piece.

My technical level goal for my non-dominant hand is to give confident cues, releases,
and breaths as appropriate throughout the piece.
My Conducting Lady drawings of my decisions are: Placing the majority of my
pattern within the orange level, with a few brief moments in the yellow level.

Level 4: Informed Level

4. In order to communicate the meaning of the piece, what does my Level 4 need to look
like? (Consider the following and more: When do I move out of the “patterns” and how,
and WHY, my Laban dimensions [time, weight & space], effort actions & feelings,
marked in the score) and what do my Rainbow Lady drawings look like? Write several
sentences below).

My awareness/implementation goal(s) for Level 4 Informed is/are:

My informed level goal is to utilize gliding laban gestures throughout my pattern while
staying in the orange level of the Rainbow Conducting Lady to best ensure I can
convey the idea of “being the music”.

IV. AS CAM: Analysis Decisions:

Everything you study in order to construct and develop an aural image of
the piece and to build a fluid, transparent, informed interpretation of the
piece.

Historical Aspects:
 Composer: history, considerations, context, meaning, sourcing, ADEI concomitants –
Composer=unknown, text tells the story of the Biblical “Massacre of the Innocents”
when King Herod order all baby boys to be killed after Jesus’ birth, extremely morbid
story behind the song. The oldest documentation of the text is from 1534 and was
written down by Robert Croo. The song originates from a Coventry Mystery Play that
told stories from the New Testament. This piece is in a minor Medieval mode – when
this piece was written, minor modes were “the thing” and didn’t necessarily have a
connection to negative/sad emotions.

 History of the piece, date, premier, important features, etc. – From the 15 th century,
supposed to be a lullaby, from Coventry, England,
 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

 Performance Practice Elements

 Program Notes

Theoretical Aspects:
 Analysis – Structural/Phrasal: Write here below and indicate in music.
M.1-M.7 = Big Macro-Phrase
M.8-M.11 = Phrase
M.12-M.14 beat 2 = Phrase
M.15-M.18 = Phrase
M.19-M.21 = Phrase
 Analysis – Chordal: Write here below and indicate in music.
Written on my score.

Kinesthetic Aspects:
 DRAWINGS on Rainbow Lady Template!

Auditory Aspects:
 All harmonic, rhythmic and melodic elements for audiation and tuning (see IIb.)

IV. Marked Score Decisions:

The decision markings we put into both our conductor scores and into
performers scores.
 © J. van der Vat-Chromy 2012/2022

a.) Conductor Score: How much of my score study is included in my

performance copy from which I conduct, and why?
All of my score study is included within my performance copy that I will
conduct from to ensure that I practice all of my ASCAM decisions in the
way that I intend to perform them.
b.) Performers Score: What are the essential markings of phrasing,
breathing, dynamics and diction that I need to be sure to
communicate to the ensemble? Do I need to prepare and present a
marked score to the ensemble, or will I indicate the markings
through teaching in lesson times?

I’ve marked necessary phrasing, breath marks, dynamics, and diction within
my own personal copy of the score. I will share my chosen decisions with the
ensemble in a verbal manner throughout rehearsal times.

VI.FINAL QUESTIONS:

1. Do I see my ASCAM decisions in my gestures in rehearsals and concerts?

Yes! I see how the decisions I made while completing my ASCAM
positively impacted my confidence level with the piece.

2. Do I hear my ASCAM decisions in the sound and performance of my

ensemble?
Yes! The ensemble is producing the quality of sound that I envisioned in my aural image
during my score study and my completion of the ASCAM.